Redlands speed limits increase, despite public safety concerns

This article was originally published Nov. 20, 2022 as part of a newsletter recapping the City Council meeting.

California’s 85th percentile rule is raising neighborhood speed limits despite the safety concerns from city officials and residents.

REDLANDS, Calif— In order for police to continue enforcing posted speed limits, City Council reluctantly approved new speed limits on roughly 50 roadways in Redlands.

In most instances, the speed limit was increased by 5 miles per hour. (You can view the full list here.)

While a 5 mph speed increase might seem minor, the method used to set speed limits has resulted in a gradual increase over time. It’s based on something called the 85th percentile rule. Using this method speed limit on roadways is set by the speed 85% of people drive at or below, rounded to the nearest 5.

The State of California requires local governments to perform engineering speed studies every 7-14 years. The traffic survey recommends new speed limits based on the 85th percentile rule. The decades-old California law, originally intended to protect people from speed traps, requires local governments to adopt the recommended speed limits with few exceptions. If the City did not adopt the new speed limits, police would not be legally allowed to issue speeding tickets.

The application of the 85th percentile rule today means speed limits on city streets have gradually increased. Raising speed limits causes drivers to go faster which leads to even higher numbers in the next survey, and the survey after that. It’s called speed creep and local governments have little control over lowering speed limits.

Below you can see where speed limits are changing based on the 2021 survey. This map created for the survey shows where speed limits are increasing in red and decreasing in green.

Concerns Over “Speed Creep”

On Tuesday, Nov. 15 opposition to the higher speed limits came from both residents and City Council.

One resident shared how the speed limit on a street in her neighborhood rose 10 mph in less than a decade, despite its proximity to an elementary school and areas of limited visibility. After the 2015 Engineering and Traffic Survey, the speed limit on Elizabeth Street, between Garden Street and Crescent Avenue, increased from 35mph to 40mph. The most recent 85th percentile speed on this road clocked in at 49 mph, according to the 2021 survey. This means the new speed limit on Elizabeth Street will be 45mph. The woman said she was concerned for the safety of children in the area.

In other public comments, members of the Parking and Traffic Commission shared concerns that the 85th percentile rule ignores the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. Eric Shamp, a member of the Parking and Traffic Commission, said the method does not support the City’s walkability goals or mix-used development plans. He went so far as to ask the City Council to reject the new speed limits altogether and request a new survey that takes into account the needs of all road users. Another resident, who also serves on the Parking and Traffic Commission, encouraged City Council to find a way to increase police patrol to address speeding.

The new speed limits come at a time when the police department has limited resources. During the meeting, Police Chief Chris Catren said the department shares the concerns of residents and reported that there are as few as two officers available to handle traffic citations and respond to accidents. (According to city officials, the lack of police officers is an issue of available qualified applicants, not funds.)

What can be done to lower speeds?

How much the city can deviate from the 85th percentile method is limited. For example, the current State law allows the City Engineer to adjust the 85th percentile speed up or down by five miles per hour “if there are sufficient conditions not readily apparent to the driver.”

Exceptions for lower speed limits were made in a few locations in Redlands after considering road conditions and the concerns of residents in those neighborhoods.

Local governments will soon have more authority to set lower speed limits. Assembly Bill 43 signed into law in October 2021 provides more leeway for cities to set lower speed limits near schools and pedestrian areas. Under portions of the new bill, Los Angeles lowered street limits on about 117 miles of City streets in March. By June 2024, the law allows for even more speed limit reductions.

Following public comment, the city council members did not want to move forward with increasing the speed limits but their options were limited. Without adopting the new survey many local speed limits would not be enforceable. The City Council reluctantly passed the ordinance so police can continue to issue speeding tickets.

The City Council plans to revisit the speed limits in 2024.

You can look at the full list of new speed limits that were adopted here.