Traffic study recommends lower speed limits across Redlands

REDLANDS, Calif. — The City of Redlands will hold two public workshops to discuss the findings of its 2024 Engineering and Traffic Survey before the City Council decides whether to lower speed limits on several roadways.

Why it matters: The study assessed speed patterns and collision rates across the city and will guide potential changes to posted speed limits.

These discussions follow previous adjustments in 2022, when state regulations required the city to raise speed limits on numerous roads to comply with the 85th percentile rule. Under this rule, speed limits are generally set at the nearest 5 mph increment of the 85th-percentile speed of free-flowing traffic, as outlined in the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD).

Both public officials and residents raised concerns over “speed creep,” the gradual increase in speed limits due to the reliance on prevailing traffic speeds, despite safety considerations. The City Council reluctantly approved those increases, as failure to do so would have made speed enforcement legally unenforceable.

However, recent legislation—Assembly Bill 43 (AB 43)—allows local authorities to consider additional factors, such as high pedestrian activity and lower speed limits beyond the 85th-percentile standard.

Key changes under AB 43 include:

• Local authorities can now establish speed limits as low as 15 or 20 mph on non-state highways.
• Speed limits may be retained or restored to a prior limit if deemed safer.
• Additional 5 mph reductions may be applied in designated safety corridors or areas with high pedestrian and bicyclist activity.

These updates grant cities more flexibility to prioritize safety when setting speed limits.

Proposed speed limit reductions

The 2024 traffic study used engineering and data-driven methods to assess roadway characteristics, vehicle speeds, and collision rates.

The study proposed reducing speed limits on several roads across the city, including:

• Alessandro Road (Crescent Avenue to Sunset Drive)
• Barton Road (Terracina Boulevard to Alabama Street)
• Brookside Avenue (Lakeside Avenue to Center Street)
• Cajon Street (Fern Avenue to Garden Street)
• Colton Avenue (Redlands Boulevard to Church Street)
• San Bernardino Avenue (University Street to Wabash Avenue)
• Portions of Palm, Cypress, and Fern avenues

High-collision areas

The study also identified areas in Redlands where collision rates exceed Caltrans' base rates. Here are the areas with the highest collision rates:

1. Sunset Drive North – Panorama Point to Wabash Avenue (speed reduction recommended)
2. Brockton Avenue – Texas Street to Church Street (speed reduction recommended)
3. Franklin Avenue – Eucalyptus Drive to Oak Street (speed reduction recommended)
4. Central Avenue – University Street to Judson Street
5. Alabama Street – Park Avenue to Lugonia Avenue

These areas were flagged based on their collision rates per million vehicle miles traveled (MVMT), surpassing Caltrans’ base rate thresholds for similar roadways.

Public workshops scheduled

The City of Redlands will hold two public speed survey workshops to discuss the results of the 2024 Engineering & Traffic Survey, which will be used to update speed limits citywide.

• Saturday, Feb. 8, from 2-4 p.m. at City Hall
• Thursday, Feb. 13, from 2-4 p.m. at the Community Center

Residents are encouraged to attend and provide input on the proposed changes. Following the meetings, the City Council will review the survey results and decide whether to implement speed limit reductions.