Drive 25
New Brighton has adopted a new Lower Speed Limit of 25 mph on most City streets.
Lowering traffic speeds is a first step to promote a safer transportation system and protect our most vulnerable populations. The City has identified that the creation of a Living Streets Plan which is a key initiative to align with the Sustainable and Reliable Infrastructure Strategic Priority.
The new speed limit goes into effect Sept. 1, 2022. New Signs will start to be installed in August with all signage expected to be in place before Sept 1, 2022.
New Speed Limits
- 20 Miles per hour in School Zones
- 25 Miles per hour on most City-owned Streets
- 30-40 Miles per hour on County or Border Streets
- New Speed Limits & Signs (PDF)
If you live on one of the roads that now has a lower 25 mph speed limit you can visit the New Brighton Community Center during regular business hours (can be found here - https://www.newbrightonmn.gov/306/Community-Center) - to pick up one of our Drive 25 yard signs to display in your yard. We have a limited amount of signs, and residents will be asked to register with staff at the community center when they pick up a sign.
Please register to pick up a sign. Register Here.
National Research and Guidance
In 2017, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) published “Reducing Speeding‐ Related Crashes Involving Passenger Vehicles,” a safety study examining causes, trends and countermeasures to prevent these types of crashes.
The findings of this study include:
- “Speed increases the likelihood of serious and fatal crash involvement, although the exact relationship is complex due to many factors.”
- “Speed increases the injury severity of a crash.”
- The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) guidance for setting speed limits in speed zones is based on the 85th percentile speed, but there is not strong evidence that, within a given traffic flow, the 85th Percentile speed equates to the speed with the lowest crash involvement rate on all road types.”
- “Unintended consequences of the reliance on using the 85th‐percentile speed for changing speed limits in speed zones include higher operating speeds and new higher, 85th‐percentile speeds in the speed zones, and an increase in operating speeds outside the speed zones.”
“The safe system approach to setting speed limits in urban areas is an improvement over conventional approaches because it considers the vulnerability of all road users.” Among the recommendations of this report is for a revision to the MUTCD to “incorporate the safe system approach for urban roads to strengthen protection for vulnerable road users.”
Saint Paul and Minneapolis have reduced their City-Owned Streets. Most streets and all of Downtown is 25 mph. Residential streets are 20 mph. https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/public-works/traffic-lighting/speed-limits St. Anthony has installed 25 mph signs. The new lower speed limit was in effect as of June 24, 2020 https://www.savmn.com/461/Speed-Limits |
In May of 2019, provisions passed by the Minnesota legislature gave cities increased authority to set speed limits. Sec. 169.14 MN Statutes In June Staff presented data for New Brighton to the Public Safety Commission, and to City Council with the recommendation that we take a consistent citywide approach by establishing 25 mph as the posted speed on all roads controlled by the City. Lowering traffic speeds is a first step to promote a safer transportation system and protect our most vulnerable populations. The City has identified that the creation of a Living Streets Plan is a key initiative to align with the Sustainable and Reliable Infrastructure Strategic Priority. The Living Streets Plan will build on these safety improvements to identify where the City can incorporate improved access, mobility and geometric changes to our roadways to enhance safety and convenience for all users.
|