Mayor signs law lowering city speed limit to 25 mph

The city’s universal speed limit is set to drop by 5 mph.

Mayor Bill de Blasio signed legislation on Monday that will lower the city’s speed limit to 25 mph, unless posted otherwise. The drop from 30 mph — the current city speed limit — “doubles the likelihood of a pedestrian surviving a crash,” according to the mayor’s office.

The new law is part of the mayor’s Vision Zero plan aimed at reducing traffic deaths in New York.

“Families and children will be safer because of what we’re doing here today. Lowering the speed limit will save lives. This is a major step toward achieving Vision Zero, and it depends on every New Yorker taking personal responsibility and putting the lives of their neighbors first,” de Blasio said.

After Nov. 7, 90 percent of the city’s streets will have a 25 mph or lower speed limit. The city expects to install 3,000 new speed limit signs in the next year at the cost of $500,000, and the new signs will go in first at major crossings, highways and airports.

Traffic signals will be adjusted as well.

Both the NYPD and Department of Transportation are actively working to inform drivers, the mayor’s office said.

More information is available at nyc.gov/visionzero.