Gov OKs 610 new speed cams in city

Gov. Cuomo signed legislation Sunday allowing New York City to rapidly expand the number of speed limit-enforcing cameras in school zones.

The city currently has 140 speed cameras in place near schools — the new law gives city officials the authority to add an additional 610, enough to cover nearly every public school across the five boroughs.

Cuomo launched a pilot program in 2013 requiring the city to put 20 speed cameras in place near schools, and that number increased sevenfold in 2014 as lawmakers in Albany voted to extend the pilot.

The cameras were temporarily shut off last July when the state Senate failed to renew the program, but Cuomo issued an executive order a month later to turn them back on.

Now, with a Democratic-led Legislature, lawmakers in Albany were able to push forth an aggressive expansion of the program — both chambers passed the bill in March.

Data have shown the cameras, which hit speeding drivers with a $50 ticket when they go more than 10 mph above the speed limit, have been effective in making streets safer.

Speeding during school hours dropped by 63% and traffic injuries dropped by 14% where cameras were in place from 2014 to 2016.

“Speed cameras work. It is just undeniable,” said Cuomo, who was joined by his mother, Matilda, at the Mother’s Day bill-signing ceremony.

“We have lost too many people, especially too many young people.”

The new law requires the cameras to be active from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, rather than just during school hours, and will keep them in place for five years.

Street safety advocates acknowledged that the bill’s passage is a major step forward, but said much more work is required to make the city’s streets safer.

“While this is a huge feat, it is one step forward of many that still need to happen,” said Amy Cohen, a founding member of Families for Safe Streets. “These are crashes that can be prevented.”