TO: Chair and Members of the City Traffic Commission
FROM: Larry Tay, Deputy Public Works Director/Traffic Engineer
1. SUBJECT
title
Recommended changes to posted speed limits on various city streets
body
2. SUMMARY
To be enforceable, posted speed limits must be established in accordance with state law. Assembly Bill 43 provides local agencies with greater flexibility and local control in establishing speed limits. The recommendations resulting from a citywide speed limit study, which considered the provisions of AB 43, are presented below.
3. RECOMMENDED ACTION
recommendation
1. Recommend the speed limit changes presented in Table 1 of the staff report.
2. Forward to the City Council for approval.
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4. FISCAL IMPACT
None.
5. STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
Goal 5: Improve Infrastructure, Mobility, and Technology
6. DISCUSSION AND BACKGROUND
Background
Based on state law, specifically the California Vehicle Code ("CVC"), speed limits are established either by:
(1) Statute, or
(2) Speed zones, which require the conduct of Engineering and Traffic Surveys (E&TS).
Common examples of statutory speed limits include the 65-mph maximum speed on many freeways and 25-mph maximum speed in school zones and on certain types of local streets. These speed limits do not need to be supported (established or re-validated) through the conduct of an E&TS.
Notwithstanding certain statutory limits, many speed limits (typically between 30 mph and 60 mph, at 5-mph increments) on city streets do need to be supported by an E&TS and approved by local ordinance, to be enforceable. This requirement generally applies to city streets that are not classified by the State as a local street. The City of Orange has 186 roadway segments (arterial and collector streets) that are subject to this requirement.
Engineering and Traffic Surveys (E&TS)
Setting, maintaining, and changing speed limits on the 186 street segments requiring E&TS is also governed by procedures set forth ...
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