San Diego to Lower Speed Limits on 20% of its Streets

The San Diego City Council approved a resolution that will lower speed limits on around 20 percent of the city’s streets as part of its Comprehensive Speed Management Plan, reports Joey Safchik for NBC 7 San Diego. 

According to the city, the effort uses a “data-driven, city-wide approach to lower speed limits across San Diego's neighborhoods, commercial corridors, and school zones” to align speed limits with Vision Zero goals.

The initiative follows new state laws that give cities more flexibility in determining speed limits in certain areas. “Corridors with higher comparative fatal or serious injury crashes can see 5 mph reductions, as can areas with high pedestrian and bicyclist activity. Business districts can be reduced to 25 or 20 mph and school zones can reduce speeds to 15 mph or 20 mph within 500 feet of schools, and 25 mph between 501 and 1,000 feet on qualifying nearby approach streets, the city statement read.”

Based on the new regulations, San Diego found that over one-fifth of its roads, or 679.1 miles, could have their speed limits reduced based on their status as crash-heavy corridors, pedestrian and bike activity corridors, business activity districts, or school zones.

According to Safchik, “The plan could go into effect next fiscal year, depending on funding through the city's annual budget process. Implementation is expected to cost about $2 million, mainly to update signage across the city.”