Dozens Of Speed Humps Could Come To Crown Heights Under BK Pol's Bill

BROOKLYN, NY — A new bill from Brooklyn City Councilmember Rita Joseph could bring dozens of more speed humps to Crown and Prospect Heights.

The bill, introduced late last week, would require transportation officials to put speed humps — a smaller version of a now-illegal speed bump — on all roads next to New York City parks that are an acre or bigger, according to the legislation.

"Our streets deserve to be safe for all New Yorkers," said Joseph, whose district includes Southern Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Midwood and Prospect Lefferts Gardens. "As a city, we have a moral obligation to fight traffic violence, and passing this bill would go a long way towards saving lives."

In the streets surrounding Crown Heights' biggest park, there have been more than 30 crashes involving a car since 2017, data shows. Lincoln Terrace/Arthur S. Somers Park, has no speed humps on the roads immediately next to its 17-acre grounds, according to a city map of current speed hump locations.

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But if passed, the law would likely be a big job for the city's transportation department.

In Crown Heights alone, it would mean installing speed humps on at least two dozen blocks surrounding the neighborhoods' parks, according to the map.

Brower Park, St. John's Park, Lincoln Terrace/Arthur S. Somers Park and South Pacific Playground are all big enough to qualify for the speed humps and are largely uncovered by the traffic-calming measures in their surrounding blocks, the map shows.

Its also unclear whether the legislation would apply to the long, busy thoroughfares that surround Prospect Park, none of which have speed humps.

When asked about this, a spokesperson from Joseph's office pointed to a caveat in the bill that would allow DOT to forego the speed hump requirement if installing one would "endanger pedestrians or motorists, or would not be consistent with DOT’s guidelines regarding the installation of speed humps."

Asked about the feasibility of the idea, DOT officials told Patch they are "reviewing the legislation."

"Speed reducers are one of many important design tools to calm traffic and we prioritize their placement based on safety data," said spokesperson Vin Barone.

The speed hump legislation is one of four bills Joseph introduced last week. The others include a plan to add warming centers in each borough, expand the summer youth employment program and make sure immigrant students benefit from a program known as IDNYC.