Minneapolis and St. Paul are celebrating their newfound local control on matters of traffic safety be reconsidering the speed limits on city-owned streets and roads.

"The compromises forged at the end of last year’s [2019] legislative session included a new law that allows Minnesota cities to set their own speed limits on city streets," according to an article by Bill Lindeke, and St. Paul is one of the cities moving to take advantage of their newfound local control.
"In both Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the next step is one where cities, on their streets anyway, can begin to set their own pace, and use street regulations to accomplish civic goals," explains Lindeke.
The article includes an explanation of the 85th percentile rule, describing the status quo for determining speed limits as perverse.
Especially in cities, the 85th percentile rule can work in perverse ways. At its extremes, the principle rewards drivers who speed by changing the rules. If enough people break the law, the rule simply changes the law to accommodate them. For decades, that’s been how speed limits were set throughout the state.
In St. Paul, according to Lindeke, engineers are considering a new process for thinking about which speed limits are appropriate for which streets in the absence of the 85th percentile's precedent.
As reported from Minneapolis earlier this year, St. Paul is not alone in seeking lower speed limits now that the state has relaxed its powers of preemption.
FULL STORY: St. Paul is rethinking its speed limits

Amtrak Ramping Up Infrastructure Projects
Thanks to federal funding from the 2021 infrastructure act, the agency plans to triple its investment in infrastructure improvements and new routes in the next two years.

Ending Downtown San Francisco’s ‘Doom Loop’
A new public space project offers an ambitious vision—so why is the city implementing it at such a small scale?

Proposal Would Transform L.A.’s ‘Freeway to Nowhere’ Into Park, Housing
A never-completed freeway segment could see new life as a mixed-use development with housing, commercial space, and one of the county’s largest parks.

Report: Bike Lanes Can't Make up for New Roads
If California wants to meet its climate goals, the state must stop funding its myriad road construction and expansion projects.

Minneapolis Affordable Housing Project Largest in 20 Years
The city opened its first large multifamily affordable housing complex in decades, but a recent court ruling against the Minneapolis 2040 rezoning plan could jeopardize future projects.

NYC Mayor Proposes Eliminating Parking Minimums
Mayor Adams wants to stop requiring off-site parking for new buildings to reduce the costs of construction as part of the ‘City of Yes’ package of zoning reforms.
Urban3
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Washington University
Mpact: Mobility, Community, Possibility
Lassen County Planning and Building Services
City of San Carlos
National Capital Planning Commission
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.