Authorizes the village of Mamaroneck to designate a portion of New York Route 1 as a school zone

1 Co-sponsor

• Bill Perkins

BILL NUMBER:S5843

Title of bill

An act in relation to authorizing the village of Mamaroneck to designate a portion of United States Route 1 as a school zone

Purpose or general idea of bill

To allow the Village of Mamaroneck the authority to designate a portion of US 1, commonly known as the Boston Post Road, as a school zone, to permit a lower speed limit during school hours given the presence of both Mamaroneck High School and Hommocks Middle School in close proximity to the route.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1: Provides the authority for the Village of Mamaroneck to designate a school speed zone on West Boston Post Road (US 1) between the hours of 7 AM and 5 PM on school days, between the entrance of Mamaroneck Town Hall, 740 W. Boston Post Road and Richbell Road in the village of Mamaroneck.

Section 2: Establishes an immediate effective date for the legislation.

Justification

Boston Post Road (United States Route 1) is a heavily traveled road through the Sound Shore communities of Westchester County, with commercial truck traffic, as well as standard vehicles. The road goes past many schools, including Rye High School/Middle School and Osborn Elementary School in the City of Rye, adjacent to the north and east of the Village of Mamaroneck, and through the City of New Rochelle, adjacent to the Town of Mamaroneck to the south and west. Since cities have the authority to regulate speed limits on Route 1, they are able to adjust those limits to better protect their students traveling to and from schools. The Village of Mamaroneck is unable to do the same, since such power is not given to villages and towns under New York law. While that power is properly restricted in general cases, the particularly high traffic volume on this road, and the presence of both High School and Middle School buildings in this corridor - along with numerous fast-food and strip mall businesses frequented by the students before, during and after classes creates a hazard and potential tragedy that we can help lessen by allowing both governments the opportunity to lower speed limits. Notwithstanding the presence of Traffic signals and crosswalks in some locations on the corridor, the car movements in and out of the strip mall lots, the right and left turns off the main road, and the speed of drivers seeking to "make time" on this stretch of the road, necessitates providing the added authority to lower speed limits on this road. This proposal has the support of the Village of Mamaroneck, the Mamaroneck Union Free School District, the local police force and a wide array of parents and community activists. The local Mamaroneck Chamber of Commerce has registered no opposition to this proposal.

Prior legislative history

2014: A.4985, referred to transportation/ S.2060 Passed Senate

Fiscal implications

None to New York State

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.