Bronx Assemblyman Calls On DOT to Remove Outdated Speed Limit Signs Near NYC Schools

Bronx Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz says three months after New York City officially lowered its speed limit to 25 mph, a sign with the previous speed limit of 30 mph remains posted outside P.S. 81 in his district. 

Dinowitz says he understand it’s a process for the Department of Transportation to take down all the signs, but the oversight needs to be addressed.

“When there are no signs the speed limit is 25mph. But where there are still 30 mph signs because they haven’t taken them all down, drivers have the right to travel 30mph.”

Dinowitz says the DOT told him they would respond to his request to remove the outdated sign in two months.  But Dinowitz is demanding they act now to protect student's safety. 

“We’d like them to put up a 25 mph sign, but it’s really not necessary.  What they need to do is simply remove the sign. All they need to do it take a screwdriver, go there and unscrew the sign.”

The Assemblyman says school zones can get particularly crowded, especially at dismissal times. Therefore drivers need to be doubly careful.

The DOT says it had already scheduled the replacement of the previously posted 30 mph speed limit signs with 25 mph speed limit signs. They say they anticipate this work being completed by the end of the month.

by Amanda Maile, WFUV-FM