Bill would let Washington cities set different, slower speed limits
Jan 22, 2013, 7:04 AM | Updated: 7:41 am
Dozens of state lawmakers are behind an effort to get rid of the required engineering and traffic studies currently required to lower speed limits. (photo: AP/file)
(photo: AP/file)
If you often find yourself sliding past the speed limit on some of those side streets, you could soon be forcing yourself to slow down even more.
There is a big push in the legislature this session to let cities and towns set their own, lower speed limits.
The “Neighborhood Safe Streets Bill” would let cities lower speed limits, even on portions of some state highways, without doing the engineering and traffic studies that are required under current law. If municipalities want to raise the speed limit, the studies would still be mandated.
Measures are being sponsored by four state senators under SB 5066 and 14 members of the house under HB 1045. The first hearing will happen Tuesday afternoon in the House Committee on Transportation.
Under the proposed new rules, speeds could be lowered to 20 miles per hour with no studies and no state approval. The only exception would be for certain state roads, which would require approval from the Secretary of Transportation but would be free from the currently required studies.
According to a pamphlet from the Bicycle Alliance of Washington, the bill would allow more local control while saving cities a lot of time and money.
