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G:\Group Data\Municipal\Clients - Cities - Counties\St. Anthony\City Engineer\MEMO-City Wide Speed Limits-042420.docx178 E 9TH STREET | SUITE 200 | SAINT PAUL, MN | 55101 | 651.286.8450 | WSBENG.COMMemorandum To: Mayor and City Council, City of St. Anthony Village Mark Casey, City of St. Anthony Village From: Justin Messner, PE Date: April 24, 2020 Re: St. Anthony Village Speed Limit Revisions WSB Project No. 013266-000 In May 2019, Minnesota State Legislature passed a bill granting cities the authority to adopt a reduced speed limit of 25 mph on residential roadways under their jurisdiction. Additionally, the bill grants cities the authority to further reduce speed limits below 25 mph on roadways under their jurisdiction provided the city complete a detail technical evaluation per the procedures detailed in the state statue. County and state roads are not included in this authority. This went into effect August 1, 2019. The current speed limit on most streets owned by St. Anthony Village is 30 mph which was the statutory urban speed limit set by the Minnesota State Legislature prior to August 1, 2019. Lower speed limits are in line with national trends toward lower urban speed limits to support safety. Recently the Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul announced they are lowering speed limits to 20 mph on residential roadways and 25 mph for larger collector and arterial roadways, stating “Slower speeds on our streets make travel safer for everyone no matter how they get around. Lower traffic speeds also reduce the likelihood of a crash and make a crash less likely to lead to death or a life-changing injury. A person hit at 35 mph is three times as likely to die as someone hit at 25 mph”. City Staff recognize that vehicle speed and pedestrian safety are high priorities for the St. Anthony Village City Council and residents and therefor we are providing the following options for discussion at the upcoming May 4, 2020 Council Worksession. Option 1, Consider changing to 25 mph As mentioned above, Minnesota Statutes, Section 169.14 as revised in 2019, the City of St. Anthony Village now has the authority to adopt a reduced speed limit of 25 mph on residential roadways under City jurisdiction. The pertinent language of this statue is: Subd. 2(a)(7) 25 miles per hour in residential roadways if adopted by the road authority having jurisdiction over the residential roadway; and Subd. 2(b) A speed limit adopted under paragraph (a), clause (7), is not effective unless the road authority has erected signs designating the speed limit and indicating the beginning and end of the residential roadway on which the speed limit applies.