Daily Journals - Residents irked by lowered speed limit
A recently lowered speed limit on California Drive in Burlingame is taking drivers by surprise and has the city scrambling to make the change official after a former mayor complained. Signs went up on California Drive between Burlingame Avenue and Murchison Drive a few weeks ago, changing the speed limit from 35 mph to 30 mph. Residents upset by the change and drivers who have been stopped by the police are flooding City Hall with calls. Former mayor Joe Galligan noticed the change and immediately called for the removal of the signs until a public hearing is held. He claims the change violates city ordinances and it turns out he's right technically.
City officials claim the change is part of routine traffic monitoring program required by law and follows at least a decade-old protocol. When the city started receiving complaints about the revised speed limit, the city looked into its rule book and noticed it is required to revise a city ordinance before changing speed limits. The city, however, has forgone that technicality for years, said City Manager Jim Nantell.It doesn't sound right to Galligan who has personally seen a number of people pulled over on California Drive, but hasn't himself been stopped by police. If I were mayor and the signs were posted illegally, I'd take them down immediately,? Galligan said. If something's done that shouldn't have been done, that shouldn't require an action by the council.? Mayor Cathy Baylock was caught flat-footed when she started receiving phone calls from the press and Nantell Thursday. It sounds like someone got ahead of themselves on the signs,? Baylock said.
Every five years, the city is required to conduct a speed zone survey on streets with speed limits over 25 mph. The city recently conducted a series of studies on California Drive, Rollins Road and Airport Boulevard. All three studies determined the posted speed limit should be reduced from 35 mph to 30 mph. The surveys were done by a private company hired by the city. Speed limits are changed based on a number of different factors, but rely mostly on speeds people are traveling during the survey. The city must change the limit to the speed traveled by people in the 85th percentile of the study, Nantell said. On California Drive, the 85th percentile represents 30 mph, Nantell said.
The signs were changed and a notice was posted on the city's Web site. After receiving numerous calls, City Attorney Larry Anderson started looking through the city ordinances and realized the council is officially required to amend an ordinance before posting the signs. The council will vote on the change during one of its June meetings, Nantell said. In the meantime, the signs will not be taken down and police will be lenient with tickets, said Police Chief Jack Van Etten. We have been making stops and we have provided warning, but obviously this case is still an issue because it has to go back to the council for any lowering or increasing of the speed limit due to an ordinance,? Van Etten said. Speeders still need to beware. We are still going to stop speeders who are endangering the community and we will cite them for it,? Van Etten said. How people started driving slower on California Drive is still a mystery. Nantell said the idea that people are actually driving slower on California Drive had city employees scratching their heads.? He is also assuring residents that they are not going to get a ticket if they are still doing 35 mph instead of 30 mph. In his 33 years with the city, Van Etten has never seen the speed limit change. However, it could always be tied into increased traffic, more driveways or more pedestrians. The new speed limits will be reviewed by the Traffic Safety Parking Commission before going to the council for its ultimate sign-off in June.
Burlingame residents ticked off that the speed limit on California Drive was lowered will have their chance to give the City Council a piece of their mind at an upcoming meeting.
- Written by Fiona
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