Salt Lake may lower speed limit for downtown
Supporters say it would boost pedestrian safety
Downtown in Motion, the city's proposed downtown transportation master plan, recommends that the speed limit be lowered from 30 mph to 25 mph in the heart of downtown.
Tim Harpst, Salt Lake City's transportation director, defines that as the area bordered by North Temple, 200 East, 400 South and 500 West, though studies are under way to determine exactly where the reduced speed limits would apply.
If the City Council approves the transportation master plan, as expected, the speed limit likely would change within a year, Harpst said.
"Frankly, I'd say most people don't even know what the speed limit is downtown," he said. "Generally, you're not going to be going too fast in the downtown area anyway."
Harpst said people increasingly are finding ways to get around downtown other than by automobile. More people are riding TRAX, bicycles, buses or walking.
"As we start seeing a more even split of the different transportation modes downtown, the lower speed limit makes everything more compatible," Harpst said.
Soren Simonsen is pushing for a reduction to 20 mph or less on downtown streets, citing studies that show pedestrians hit by cars traveling 20 mph or slower usually survive without serious injury. "I'd even support going to 15 mph," Simonsen said. "We're trying to promote our entire downtown as being highly walkable and pedestrian-oriented. I think we ought to have speed limits that are compatible with that."
A 1999 study by the U.S. Department of Transportation found that only 5 percent of pedestrians hit by a vehicle going 20 mph resulted in a fatality. The number increased to 45 percent at 30 mph, 80 percent at 40 mph and 100 percent at 50 mph.
Simonsen estimates it would take motorists only 10 seconds to 15 seconds longer to travel through the core of downtown at 20 mph instead of 25 mph.
"The potential risk that is mitigated with the reduced speed is vastly more important than saving an extra few seconds on your travel time," he said.
Lowering the speed limit downtown also would require changes to traffic-signal timing, Harpst said. Salt Lake City's large blocks make that difficult because signal cycles have to allow enough time for pedestrians to cross the street.
City transportation officials are simulating different signal lengths and speeds to find a combination that provides the best flow of traffic. They also will be working with the Utah Department of Transportation, which owns State Street and 400 South.
"We'll see if UDOT wants to keep the speed limits on their streets the way they are, or if they think a change is in order," Harpst said.
The Planning Commission gave Downtown in Motion a green light in June, recommending to the City Council that the plan be adopted.
The City Council discussed the downtown transportation master plan during a work session this week. It's expected to approve the plan in the coming weeks.
Downtown in Motion was collaboratively crafted by Salt Lake City and its redevelopment agency, Downtown Alliance, Salt Lake Chamber, the Utah Transit Authority and UDOT.
E-mail: jpage@desnews.com
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