Council weighs ways to lower Hub speed limit
The City Council yesterday mulled ways it could reduce the city’s speed limit to 20 mph, noting that it would again need state approval for a citywide reduction.
But, if the city were to create “safety zones,” as proposed in yesterday’s hearing to discuss lowering the limit, it wouldn’t need the state’s approval.
Vineet Gupta, the city’s Director of Planning for the Transportation Department, said the city could control these “safety zones” and that they are hoping to expand how many zones have reduced speeds, such as school zone speed limits.
“The commissioner of the Boston Transportation Department has the authority to declare safety zones independently,” he said at the hearing.
City Councilor Frank Baker, one of the sponsors of the hearing, reiterated that the reduction is geared toward safer streets. But he said the solution isn’t just lowering the limit.
“We were able to take the speed limit from 30 to 25, which is a good step. I always thought it should have been 20,” Baker said. “But, furthermore, I believe this discussion here today is as much about the speed limit as it is about what we’re doing for redesign, safe streets, those kinds of things.”
Pedestrian safety was a big concern among members of the public who showed up to comment.
“Crossing intersections has become a life-risking activity,” said Steve Jonas, a downtown resident, who says enforcement of speeding has become “nonexistent.”
Ed Flynn, who oversees the city’s second district, said the issue is a top priority.
“I believe pedestrian safety is the top issue in my district and one of the most important in our city,” Flynn said. “Despite this significant progress, hardly a day goes by — when my friends, neighbors, constituents, even my elderly parents often walking my special-needs nephew — that they don’t tell me about speeding vehicles and close calls in a crosswalk.”