roadways with a speed limit above 50 mph have a disproportionate share of VRU KSI crashes, highlighting the vulnerability of non-motorized users on faster roads.
Literature Review The primary goal of this White Paper is to provide the city with a solid overview of the latest research and practices in setting safe speed limits and recommend the next steps for doing so on Fort Worth’s roadway network. The project team reviewed and summarized the following documents:
• Texas Department of Transportation Procedures for Establishing Speed Zones
• Texas Transportation Code Section 545.352
• City of Fort Worth Speed Ordinance 22-86
• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Guidance for the Setting of Speed Limits (Report to Congress)
• FHWA, Safe System Approach for Speed Management
• National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), City Limits: Setting Safe Speed Limits on Urban Streets Texas Department of Transportation Procedures for Establishing Speed Zones The TxDOT Procedures for Establishing Speed Zones contains guidance for setting speed limits on state-owned highways. In the absence of a city-approved, context-sensitive methodology for establishing speed limits, the City of Fort Worth uses TxDOT’s procedures. The report recommends that speed limits should be based on spot speed studies, the 85 th percentile operating speed, and the legal minimum and maximum speed. The guide lays out types of speed zones, where the prima facie maximum speed limit should be altered from the statutory speed limit. According to TxDOT, the scope for a speed zone study includes calculating the 85 th percentile, performing a crash study, creating strip maps, and conducting speed zone design. The guide also describes the appropriate authorities for speed zone approval on state highways. In most cases, speed zones (including both statutory and posted speed limits) on state highways within cities should be established by city ordinance based on TxDOT's recommendations.
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