AB43, which WBC wrote about in December (see here) is the new state law that allows cities more latitude to lower speed limits on major streets by considering more factors such as proximity to a school, senior center, walking trail and more.
Reducing speed limits has been shown to be a simple low-cost action that can result in a big improvement in road safety. Data shows that a speed reduction of just 5 mph can significantly reduce the severity of car collisions and the risk of serious injury of pedestrians and cyclists.
City Streets That Will be Studied for Possible Speed Reduction
The City of Cupertino has identified several city streets that could benefit from speed reduction based on collision data and sections of AB43. The City will be conducting engineering and speed studies on these streets to gather data on whether this is needed.
Relevant sections of AB43 that allow these changes are:
§22358.6(b) ‐ Round down the speed limit to the lower five miles per hour increment from the 85th percentile speed.
§22358.6(c) ‐ Round down the speed limit to the lower five miles per hour increment from the 85th percentile speed.
§22358.7 ‐ Reduce speed limit by an additional five miles per hour as highway is located near a religious facility, retail establishments, and recreational sports facilities, which generate high concentrations of pedestrians.
Are any streets missing on this list that you think should be there?
WBC is compiling a list of roads within Cupertino that we think have speed limits that are too high. YOUR voice is needed to identify streets and show that other residents care about this issue.
Please complete our 1 minute survey to share your concerns.
Other Locations Being Considered
Some streets that are also being considered for speed reduction – such as Rodrigues Avenue between Blaney and De Anza– are not listed here because speed studies have already been completed. We’ve encouraged City Staff to lower speed limits on Rodrigues as it is residential and on a school commute path.
Timing of the speed studies is still being determined. We will update you as we get more information.
Low Implementation Cost
The good news is the speed studies are not expensive and reducing the speed limit is just a matter of signage. For the positive affect of this change on accident severity compared to the cost of implementation, it’s a win-win for Cupertino.
WBC encourages everyone to stay vigilant when driving, walking or biking!
Reducing speed limits would improve pedestrian safety but it won’t matter if they’re not enforced.