Petaluma cuts school-zone, downtown speed limits

In bid to reduce injuries and crashes, Petaluma is cutting speed limits in some areas.

photo credit: Courtesy Intelligent Instructor
Petaluma is cutting speed limits in school zones to 15, 20 in business districts.

It's official. You'll have to drive a bit slower in certain parts of Petaluma, possibly as soon as a month from now. KRCB's

Earlier this week, the city council unanimously agreed to speed limits in some school zones to 15 miles per hour and to 20 miles an hour in what the city calls 'business activity zones.'

"What we're saying here is, slower speeds are safer,"

said Petaluma Mayor John McDonnell.

The new speed limit won't cover every school zone, however, something frustrating enough to local resident Wayne Angstrom who rose to tell the council that lower speeds should be universal.

"I'm kind of concerned, why they came up with 500 feet to the school zone? We should have traffic control across the whole town. Not just in remote areas."

But councilman Brian Barnacle explained that the city is constrained by state law. Regulations only allow speed reductions on two-lane roads, where the limit is already 25. Therefore, the limit on McDowell won't change, nor on Old Adobe, which is outside city limits.

While supporting lower speeds, councilwoman Cader-Thompson expressed some reservations....with councilwoman Karen Nau interjecting.

Cader-Thompson "I definitely have concerns about the 15 and people getting tickets and how realistic is it." [crosstalk]

Nau: "Council member Cader-Thompson, I would just...you think about the impact of somebody going 15 miles per hour versus 25, and hitting someone, it just makes you more cognizant"

Cader-Thompson: "It makes you more aware."

The new rules won't be enforced until after new signs are in place and no sooner than June 5th. Initially at least, warnings, rather than tickets will be issued.