City Council Pushes for ‘Low-Traffic Neighborhoods’ With Speed Humps and Safer Streets

On Wednesday afternoon, the usual thrum of cars along Brooklyn’s Vanderbilt Avenue was interrupted by a press conference: City Council members unveiled a proposal to bring ‘low-traffic neighborhoods’ to five corners of New York City. The bill, introduced at City Hall this week, would require the Department of Transportation to install a set number of traffic-calming devices—think speed humps, curb extensions, and raised crosswalks—in a pilot program targeting residential streets notorious for cut-through traffic.

Under the measure, each selected neighborhood would see tangible changes by the end of spring 2027. Advocates argue the legislation is overdue, citing recent data from DOT showing a spike in injuries on local streets during the morning school drop-off and late afternoon rush. Councilmember Shahana Hanif, who represents Park Slope, called the bill “a direct response to the daily anxieties parents and seniors face crossing the street.”

The initiative draws inspiration from similar schemes in London and Barcelona, but the New York approach is expected to favor incremental, block-by-block interventions over dramatic street closures. The city’s transportation commissioner, Ydanis Rodriguez, expressed support but cautioned that the rollout would require close collaboration with local businesses and community boards—especially as outdoor dining and delivery traffic remain high in autumn.

Reactions from residents have been swift. On Thursday morning, Maria Gutierrez, a longtime Queens homeowner, praised the proposed speed humps for slowing down commuters who “treat my block like a shortcut.” But others, like delivery cyclist Samir Patel in Astoria, worried about potential slowdowns and rerouted traffic.

With the Council poised for a vote later this month, the first low-traffic neighborhoods could break ground by early next summer. For now, the city waits to see if these calming measures can deliver on the promise of safer, quieter streets—without stalling the city’s daily pace.