Claremont Speed Limits on the Rise?

In a move which contradicts all the effort and expense the city of Claremont has invested in becoming more bicycle and pedestrian friendly over the past number of years, speed limits on various city streets are expected to be raised by five miles per hour.

A 5mph increase in the speed limit along these streets will not help a driver get anywhere faster. They will still have to stop at the same stop signs, at the same traffic lights. All it means is that they can move faster for short stretches between stops. No one benefits in any way. So why do it? The 85th Percentile Mandate. In the not-too-distant past the state of California decided that it was in the best position to determine speeds on local streets. Every few years speeds are checked, with speed limits required to be revised in order to bring them as close as possible to the 85th percentile speed, or the speed limit at which 85 percent of the traffic is traveling at, or below. You might remember last year the speed limit along Arrow Highway was raised over the objections of local residents and city officials for the same reason.

It now appears as though the city is going to be forced to raise the limits on twelve additional sections of streets within the city limits in order to comply with the state requirement. Those streets, or sections of streets are:

* American Avenue between Indian Hill and Mills Avenue - 25 mph revised to 30 mph
* College Avenue between Arrow Highway and First Street - 25 mph revised to 30 mph
* Mountain Ave between San Jose and Arrow Highway - 25 mph to 30 mph
* Mountain Ave between Foothill and Baseline - 30 mph to 35 mph
* Mountain Ave between Baseline and Thompson Creek - 30 mph to 35 mph
* Mt. Baldy Road between Padua and the eastern city limit - 45 mph to 50 mph
* Pomello Drive between Mills and Padua - 30 mph to 35 mph
* Radcliffe Drive between Indian Hill and Mills - 25 mph to 30 mph
* San Jose Avenue between College and Mills - 25 mph to 30 mph
* Scottsbluff Drive between Mills and Lassen - 25 mph to 30 mph
* Scripps Drive between Indian Hill and Mountain - 25 mph to 30 mph
* Scripps Drive between Mountain and Towne - 25 mph to 30 mph

I travel along one or more of these virtually every day, so lets take a look at some of them:

1. College Ave between Arrow and 1st passes by an elementary school and a park housing the city's little league fields; there is one lane of motor vehicle traffic, a bicycle traffic lane, and curbside parking in each direction. Other than the school, the street is lined by residences.
2. Mountain Avenue - there are no less than three schools along this street. Additionally students of the high school, a preschool, and the school at OLA will cross, or travel along Mountain to get to their destinations. Other than the schools, the street is entirely residential.
3. Mt. Baldy Road - might as well put out some checkered flags and call it a raceway, that is how it is treated now anyway. People who live along it, check both ways twice before crossing, drivers will be moving fast.
4. Pomello Drive between Mills and Padua - another residential street which has no doubt in my mind seen an increase in fast traffic due to the popularity of the wilderness park, with non-residents cutting across to the parks entrance via Pomello.
5. Radcliffe Drive - heavily used by students of the high school and an elementary school; also passes a city park where AYSO holds games and practices. Another residential street more than frequently used as a bypass between Indian Hill and Mills. I have never really understood that last bit, rather than taking Baseline where the limit is 45mph, drivers will instead drive on Radcliffe at 10mph, or more, than the posted limit.
6. Scottsbluff - like Radcliffe, another faux shortcut along a residential street, this time between Monte Vista and Mills. A much used school access route. This one perplexes me more than the others. The segment of street in question is exactly 2/10 of a mile in length. Why the speed limit on a residential street that short would need to be raised is just beyond me.
7. Scripps Drive is very similar to Radcliffe as well, an access route to two schools, and the Hughes Community Center.

I find it difficult to understand that, while much of the rest of the developed world is actively seeking to lower speed limits, to make communities more livable and safe for residents, we continue to fail in this regard and instead, continue to cater to the culture of speed. Here is a graphic from a Federal Walkability document to consider:

Deaths and injuries increase dramatically with increases of 10mph. You say, well the limits are only being raised by 5mph. But typically, drivers will exceed the posted limit by 5mph, so if you raise an existing speed by 5mph, drivers will tack on another 5mph and you effectively have a 10mph increase.

After all the work the city has done, all the improvements to make biking, and walking, safer and more accommodating, this just hits like a punch to the gut. It is a mockery of the hard work of city staff and volunteers, and the efforts of residents to make our community more safe and livable for all.

While the city may have little recourse at this time, like the previous increase along Arrow Highway, the City's hands are tied by the State requirement, you can make make your voice heard, let your representatives know of your disapproval. On June 28 at 7:00pm in the city hall Council Chamber, the Traffic and Transportation Commission will be holding their next meeting, and will provide an opportunity for anyone concerned with these developments to express their opinions. Nothing will change unless people stand up and make themselves heard.

A big thanks to Larry Scheetz (Claremont Senior Bicycle Group, Cycle Claremont Steering Committee, Claremont Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee) for forwarding the information. Any opinions expressed here, beyond the facts, are entirely my own.

Follow-up to this story is at this link.