Amid fierce debate about what the future speed limit should be on the Scajaquada Expressway, Buffalo police are letting motorists know that the current 30 mph speed limit is not negotiable. Officers have written about 500 speeding tickets on the 198 since early June.
Mayor Byron Brown tells WBFO that until any changes are made, officers will continue to do their job.
“Police are going to continue to monitor that area and other areas of the City of Buffalo,” Brown said. “Our job is to make sure that motorists are driving according to the speed limit to protect the health and safety of motorists, pedestrians and people who are in our community.”
In early June, the speed limit on the expressway was lowered from 50 miles-per-hour to 30 miles-per-hour after a car veered off the road and killed a 3-year-old boy on Delaware Park's Ring Road. Recently, the city urged the state to raise the Scajaquada’s speed limit to 40 mph west of Delaware Park between Elmwood and the 190.
Brown says the decision is ultimately up to the state since the expressway is a state road. He says the state has asked for City Hall’s input.
“It has spoken to the city of Buffalo. We provided recommendations from our traffic engineers and experts, all who live in the City of Buffalo. We know that the state is also listening to state legislators and members of the community as they formulate short-term and long-term recommendations for solutions to the Scajaquada Expressway issues,” Brown said.
