TRIBECA, Manhattan (PIX11) — As kids head back to school on Thursday, the message is simple: slow down.
The city is rolling out hundreds of new 15-mile-per-hour school “slow zones” as kids head back to class.
NYC Department of Transportation says it’s the largest-ever expansion of Sammy’s Law.
It is named for Sammy Cohen Eckstein, a 12‑year‑old boy killed by a driver outside his Brooklyn home in 2013.
Roughly 800 school locations are expected to have 15-mile-per-hour slow zones in place by the end of 2026.
The changes go beyond speed limits.
More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State
The DOT is also working on street redesigns around more than 300 schools, adding measures including wider pedestrian areas, safer crossings and traffic-calming features.
On Clarkson Street, the city is also preparing to install what it says will be New York’s first gated Open Street outside a school.
In fact, 77 school Open Streets allow streets to be closed to vehicles at designated times for drop-off, pick-up, recess and outdoor learning.
School is back in session on Thursday, so as you head out, you can expect children and families around school zones and crosswalks; drive safely.