With Speed Camera Law to Expire at End of Year, Advocates Make Push for Expansion

Giovanni Ampuero, 9, was killed in Jackson Heights in a hit-and-run last weekend. Joshua Lew, 1, and Abigail Blumenstein, 4, were killed by a driver in Park Slope in early March. While these cases are still being investigated, and advocates admit speed cameras might not have prevented these deaths, they say speed is still the main cause of fatal traffic crashes in New York City.

"It kills more people than drunk driving and distracted driving combined," said Thomas DeVito, the senior director of advocacy at Transportation Alternatives. "Cars, when they are going slower, they are  much more likely to avoid incidents in the first place. Speed safety cameras are one of the most effective means to control speed and change culture."

DeVito and other advocates are heading to Albany this week to urge the Senate to pass a bill that would double the number of speed cameras in the city to 290, expand the permitted locations where speed cameras can be placed, and to lengthen the timeline for the law. The current speed camera law is set to expire at the end of 2018. 

The same bill was killed in 2017.

With the dissolution of the Independent Democratic Caucus, some are cautiously optimistic that the Senate may be able to rally enough votes to get speed camera legislation passed this year.

"I hope the senate will understand this is not a political game, this is about saving lives, quality of lives, and public safety," said Assemblyman Felix Ortiz. "I hope the Senate will understand this is about saving lives."

Last year had the lowest number of pedestrian fatalities, 101, since records were kept.

Advocates were disappointed Gov. Cuomo didn't include expanded speed cameras in his budget this year.

The current legislative session ends in June.