WPCNR’S ADAM IN ALBANY. By District 89 Assemblyman Adam Bradley. March 5, 2004: Every town should have the opportunity to change their own speed limits because they know their roads better than anyone else. In New York State, certain towns and all cities and villages can set their own speed limits. Approximately 852 towns – many of them with higher populations than the villages – are without this power. Lewisboro, Pound Ridge and North Castle are just a few of those towns.
Instead, those towns must often go through a time-consuming process with the state Department of Transportation to get speed limits changed, which frequently ends with a denial. I’m trying to change that process.
Legislation I sponsored would permit towns to set speed limits on roads within their jurisdiction (A.6101). This bill would remedy an inequitable situation and improve safety. An identical bill is being taken up in the Senate.
I also authored a bill that would require the DOT to make a determination and issue a decision on speed limit requests within 90 days. If the DOT fails to respond in time, the municipality would be able to make the requested change, provided it has a reasonable tie to public safety.
Under current law, the DOT is under no time constraints to make these decisions. My legislation will allow municipalities to ensure greater safety on their roads. It will provide encouragement for the DOT to rule on requests in a timely manner or enable the towns to meet their public safety needs when the DOT does not act in a timely manner.
There have been far too many cases in which town boards wanted to lower speed limits in residential areas to protect the families that live there, but the DOT said no, or did not act in a timely manner.
These types of incidents need to stop. The setting of speed limits should not be in the hands of distant bureaucrats, but in the local leaders who know the best interests of their communities. My legislation will make sure that power is where it belongs.
