A new law gives municipal leaders the authority to declare speed limits as low as 25 mph, but there are still a number of potential barriers to realizing that in New Paltz. Mayor Tim Rogers is in favor of all village roads having this lower limit, and trustees started the process at their November 16 meeting. The first step is to formally request that state transportation officials lower the limit on routes 208, 32 and 299 through the village. Historically, the staffers at the transportation department have resisted lower speed limits, more crosswalks or other evidence-based innovations that improve safety, and it’s not clear if this new law has stripped them of that authority.
Rogers supports 25 mph on all roads in the village, and explained that apparently a “speed study” is required to exercise this new power to lower the limit to that level. It’s not entirely clear what such a study would entail, but research will continue.
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