Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Activists Install 20 MPH Speed Limit Signs In Central Park After Pedestrian Deaths
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Sep 24, 2014
Modified Sep 24, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Sep 24, 2014
Modified Sep 24, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Right of Way, the advocacy group that has installed memorials for cyclists and pedestrians killed across the city, put up ten "20 is plenty" speed limit signs in Central Park last night on the Central Park Drives. Last week, pedestrian Jill Tarlov was fatally injured by a cyclist at West 63rd and West Drive. “No matter what vehicle you are operating, you should operate it in such a way that you are prepared to react to any foreseeable interaction with a more vulnerable road user without injuring or killing anyone," Right of Way organizer Keegan Stephan said in a release.
Since Tarlov's death, and the death of 75-year-old Irving Schachter, who was killed after being struck by a teenage cyclist in Central Park last month, the city's tabloids have seized on the issue of "dangerous Central Park cyclists" with a tenacity that eluded them when tens of thousands of New York City residents were injured or killed by motor vehicles over the last several years.
“We would like our action installing the signs to shift the discussion around this crash from vilification of one person to safety for all,” Charles Komanoff, another organizer with Right of Way, said in the release.
Right of Way, which began installing the 20 MPH signs after Samuel Cohen-Eckstein's death last year, defines its credo as, "The fundamental human right to move about in public space without being intimidated, injured, or worse."
“In the case of the crash that killed Jill Tarlov, the court of public opinion seems to agree with our interpretation of the public right of way,” Stephan said. “We…applaud the NYPD for stepping up their enforcement on the specific crime that led to this tragedy—speeding in Central Park. Now we need them to do the same after every fatal crash, the vast majority of which are caused by drivers speeding and failing to yield to pedestrians."
Tagged
bike lanes
central park
cycling
jill tarlov
pedestrian safety
vision zero
original
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Woman found in shallow grave in Queens; her ex-boyfriend is in custody, NYPD says
The city medical examiner ruled Seraphina Pereira’s death a homicide on Monday.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Oct 27, 2026 at 8:29 a.m. ET
ICE used a warehouse in NJ. Locals are ‘frustrated’ by Sherrill’s response.
A councilmember and immigration activists criticized the governor for not doing more after ICE seemingly admitted to violating a court order.
By
Mike Hayes
News
ICE used a warehouse in NJ. Locals are ‘frustrated’ by Sherrill’s response.
A councilmember and immigration activists criticized the governor for not doing more after ICE seemingly admitted to violating a court order.
By
Mike Hayes
NY Gov. Hochul once resisted a data center pause. Now it’s central to her campaign.
By
Jon Campbell
Judge temporarily halts overnight construction at NYC’s Chinatown jail
By
Giulia Heyward
Pressure grows on Mamdani to reform admissions to NYC specialized high schools
By
Elizabeth Kim
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .