describes the issues associated with the conventional percentile-based speed limit approach (Chapter 1, page 18) and provides an alternative method for setting limits. The guidance focuses on urban streets and is not applicable on limited access roadways, rural roads, or very low- density streets with limited multimodal use. Below is a summary of the guidance in City Limits for setting safe speeds and includes where in that document more detailed information and instructive visuals can be found.
City Limits details three primary tools for setting speed limits in urban areas (Chapter 2, page 28):
Default speed limits: Setting default speed limits on many streets at once. This could be citywide or by street category (minor streets, collector streets, arterial streets, etc.) and help to create uniformity and predictability. (Chapter 2, page 46) Slow zones: Designate zones in sensitive areas. These areas tend to be near schools, parks, and downtowns that have a high density of vulnerable users. (Chapter 2, page 54) Corridor speed limits: Set corridor speed limits on high priority major streets using a Safe Speed Study as outlined in the document. (Chapter 3, page 58) City Limits provides information about the use of these tools depending on a city’s authority to set speed limits and examples of how these tools can be combined. Refer to the Case Studies section below for examples of how US cities are utilizing these tools to set safer speeds. Key takeaways: City Limits provides a policy-oriented approach for setting safe speeds based on research and best practices, with the flexibility to conduct more nuanced analysis and speed setting on individual corridors and locations.
Case Studies
Cities such as Austin, Texas; Seattle, Washington; and New York City, New York, have successfully applied the methods detailed in the Literature Review. NACTO’s City Limits report offers additional case studies specific to setting speed limits for Cambridge and Portland (In Chapter 2, on page 36).
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