To understand better the impact of the upcoming* change to Newton’s statutory speed limit from 30 MPH to 25 MPH, I created a map with all of the regulatory speed limits in the city. To review, the statutory speed limit is the speed limit that applies if there is no regulatory speed limit set. Regulatory speed limits will not change with the change to the statutory limit. Any Newton street with a colored line on the map has a regulatory speed limit (according to the information I have**).
Anything about the map jump out at you? Impact of the change to the statutory speed limit? Streets that you would assume would have lower limits that don’t or won’t? Any regulatory speed limits that seem odd?
The map is a work in progress.
*The City Council has voted to lower the statutory speed limit to 25 MPH, as permitted by recent state law. There are some administrative steps the city has to take before the change goes into effect.
**Most of the information on the map is based on what’s in the Newton Transportation and Parking Regulations (TPR), section 84. There are some speed limits that are not in TPR-84.
I have to wonder why some councilors objected to the 25MPH change as an inconvenience, when nearly every arterial road already has a posted speed limit, as well as many minor ones. The statutory change seems like it will largely impact local roads, where speed reductions to 25 seem (always?) appropriate and relatively little time is spent on most trips. How much longer is the average trip really going to take? If any arterials don’t have posted limits and should, that’s easily fixed. The only thing that may not be easily fixed is if the old posted limits don’t seem appropriate — that’s apparently still subject to the old 85th percentile rule and state approval.
@ Sean: “Anything about the map jump out at you?” I enlarged the map to 125% and suddenly I saw just what you must have meant…a somewhat abstract and disjointed connect-the-line drawing of a man, kneeling, facing away and holding a bundle under his right arm…no visible head (maybe in the bundle)…the back of his full bent right leg…the back of his outstretched left arm with his hand in Wellesley and he’s wearing underpants!
And no…I haven’t been drinking or smoking anything!
But, Sallee, how fast was the man driving?
I think there was a bicycle nearby!