New York City announced Tuesday it would begin systematic efforts to install traffic calming devices and other plans and rules to slow traffic near schools.

Mayor Giuliani and acting city transportation commissioner Richard Malchow said speed humps, 15mph zones and flashing yellow lights were on the menu for slowing cars and improving pedestrian environments around 100 city schools this year. The city says it hopes to allocate $80 million over four years to improve pedestrian safety around most or all schools in the five boroughs, but this spending figure is preliminary.

Mayor Giuliani had identified traffic calming near schools as a major aspect of the traffic safety initiative he announced in February.

The development of "safe routes to school" has been a strong priority for citizen initiatives like the Neighborhood Streets Network, which says that being hit by a car is the number one cause of death and injury for New York City children aged 5-14. Transportation Alternatives hailed the city's move as a big leap forward for traffic calming in the city and in the U.S.

Reducing speeds on local streets makes a big pedestrian safety difference because the chances of death for a walker struck by a car drops from 40 percent to seven percent as vehicle speed declines from 30 to 15 mph.

Demonstrating the changing attitudes about car traffic, motorist behavior and neighborhood safety and liveability, the NYC City Council also took up the issue of pedestrian-safe school zones this week. The Council's transportation committee considered several bills to require the NYC DOT to install speed humps or other traffic slowing devices around schools. The city opposes at least one of the measures, saying it is too prescriptive given the wide range of conditions and street types around NYC's hundreds of schools. The important thing is for the Mayor and Council to keep pushing and ensure that real traffic calming and other safety measures are put in place around the city's schools.

The Daily News reported that a Quinnipiac College poll found 92% of New Yorkers support Mayor Giuliani's crackdown against speeding and reckless drivers. Apparently, everyone is looking forward to the next zero tolerance day.

Meanwhile in Newark, State Education District Superintendent Beverly Hall asked Mayor Sharpe James this week to secure funds from NJ DOT to begin a major traffic calming program there. Newark has more pedestrian injuries than any other NJ municipality, and the city's share is disproportionate to its population.

The Tri-State Campaign and a dozen Newark civic leaders have also asked James to make pedestrian safety a major city priority in 1998.