Not So Fast! Lower Speed Limit Possible in Capital Region City

Is the 30 MPH speed limit too fast? One local city could soon decide to lower the city's maximum allowed speed by 5 MPH.

The discussion will be on the table at the Schenectady City Council meeting this week. One of the proponents is city councilwoman Carmel Patrick, who tells the Daily Gazette, she has heard the issue raised over and over by local residents.

It has been an issue that has been raised very, very frequently by our residents throughout the city, and it is something that all of us are concerned about.

The Gazette sites speed limit studies in Boston and New York City where a 5 MPH reduction in the limit has reduced severity of serious and fatal injuries significantly. Community leader Tom Carey points to a study by Insurify that drivers in Schenectady were nine times more likely NOT to yield to pedestrians. It also ranked the Electric City among the worst in the nation for pedestrian safety.

Other safety measures are also being encouraged by community members and city councilors including narrowing the roads, which some say, by default reduced speed. They also want the city to look at raising crosswalks. Their goal is to have future street projects adhere to the new safety measures.

Once these measures are put into place the city can finally begin to address speeding and unsafe driving in a meaningful way,” Carey said. “This approach has been widely adopted by other cities and has proven to be effective.

Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy says he's open to the idea and wants more discussion.

For now though, the city speed limit in Schenectady remains 30 MPH.