HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-25-23 Public Comment - M. Brown - Speed Limit Changes - Ordinance 2142From:Marilee Brown
To:Agenda; Cyndy Andrus; Terry Cunningham; I-Ho Pomeroy; Jennifer Madgic; Christopher Coburn
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Speed Limit Changes - Ordinance 2142
Date:Tuesday, July 25, 2023 11:58:54 AM
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Dear Commissioners
Thank you for tackling the Speed Limit issue. Consistency and Safety are very important.
But I do have some issues with the Ordinance as written because confusion will result:
1) The Transportation Board never saw the wording of the Ordinance proposal whenapproving it! They were told it was in Legal being reviewed and unavailable. You should
not say that it was approved by them when they did not even read it. And they should haverefused to approve it when it was not available.
2) Consistency in speed for similar road types.
I applaud the goal of having no road over 35mph within the City. And I understand thatchanging the State highways will take a while. But as people drive (or ride bikes) around,
they should automatically know what speed they should be going by the size and design of thestreet they are on. I disagree with making Ferguson 30 mph just because it gets the most
complaints of speeders. It is the same size and configuration of Cottonwood and Oak whichare 35mph. We need consistency - otherwise you will have frustrated drivers that speed!
3) Park definition missing.
"Sec. 36.07.040. Public park speed zones.A. In accordance with the provisions of section 36.07.020.A.8, or any applicable
subsequent commission resolution, pursuant to section 36.07.010.A.3, it is unlawful forany operator of any vehicle to drive at a speed greater than 15 miles per hour unless
otherwise specifically designated between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. on thestreets or parts of streets immediately adjacent to all the applicable public parks. The
director of transportation and engineering is authorized to designate park speed zones."Wording has been changed to include “ALL” public parks. There is no definition to say what
is a “public park”. Will every green space that is used by the public have a 15mph speed limitif the Transportation Director decides so?
4) School Zone times need better defining.
'Sec. 36.07.030. School speed zones designated.
A. School speed zones. There are created in the city school speed zones, the
limits of which are more particularly described in section 36.07.030, wherein it is
unlawful for any operator of any vehicle to drive at a speed greater than the
speed established in said section on days or parts of days when school is in
session." (It used to say between the hours of 8:00a.m. and 4:30p.m.)
If I am reading this correctly, a “day" is a 24 hour period. Does this mean that if school is in
session on Monday as indicated on a school calendar, you would have to adhere to
the 15mph from Midnight on Sunday night to Midnight on Monday night? This kind of
wording has driven the people of Belgrade crazy. School generally is not in session at
2:00 a.m. in the morning but you would have to act like it was if it was early Monday
morning.
It is far more important that vehicles travel at a reduced speed while school is in
session or school sanctioned activities are taking place. And the public needs to
know when those are occurring with specific hours or a flashing yellow light.
Thank you for your consideration. I hope you make some amendments to keep people less
frustrated and safer as a result.
Marilee Brown, Safer Bozeman