What People Think of a Citywide 25 MPH Speed Limit in Decatur

12:43 PM PST on January 15, 2015

More than two-thirds of Decatur residents support a citywide default 25 mph speed limit, according to the 2014 Decatur Citizen Survey

Last year, New York City enacted a citywide 25 mph speed limit, a central plank in Mayor Bill de Blasio's Vision Zero street safety platform. Are other American cities going to follow suit?

Outside Atlanta, Decatur, Georgia, has been mulling a reduction of its default speed limit for a few years. The results of a 2014 survey indicate that it would be broadly popular, with support from two-thirds of residents, reports Network blog Decatur Metro. Like many American cities, Decatur has some major streets where the state DOT sets the limit, but the effect of a new 25 mph policy would still reach far:

As you can see, over half of Decatur residents either strongly or somewhat support a 25 mph speed limit on Decatur roads. Notice the question says “most” Decatur roads. State route speed limits, like Scott Boulevard, are controlled by the state.
...basically all Decatur residential streets would be affected if Decatur implemented this new across-the-board speed limit of 25 mph. The city held public input sessions on this topic back in 2013. If the city moves forward with this change at some point in the future, the major change would be on 35 mph streets, like Commerce, Clairemont, College, South Candler, West Howard, etc.

Elsewhere on the Streetsblog Network: Streets.mn posts a great map that shows how Minnesota's road system functions as a gigantic tax transfer from cities to rural areas. Stop and Move wonders if Fresno's infill development plans can withstand Fresno NIMBYs. And The Urbanist has a photo update on Seattle's newest protected bike lane.

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Ben Fried started as a Streetsblog reporter in 2008 and led the site as editor-in-chief from 2010 to 2018. He lives in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, with his wife.