By Jorge Casuso

August 20, 2024 -- Motorists driving in Santa Monica will be required to slow down along some 31 miles of street under a proposal to reduce speed limits the City Council will consider next Tuesday.

Under the proposed ordinance -- which is meant to curb fatal and serious injury crashes -- 47 stretches along boulevards and major cross streets and near schools would see lower speed limits.

Only the 0.3-mile California Incline -- California Avenue between Pacific Coast Highway and Ocean Avenue -- would see the speed limit increase, from 25 to 30 mph.

The proposed changes, which would be the first since 2014, are based on a traffic survey conducted for the City by Fehr & Peers between January 27 and July 29.

The ordinance would "set reasonable and safe speed limits to facilitate the orderly movement of traffic" and support the City’s Vision Zero goal of "eliminating fatal and severe injury crashes for all roadway users."

Recent traffic data compiled by the City's Transportation Department show that fatal and severe injury crashes involving cyclists and pedestrians in Santa Monica have increased in each of the past three years, despite major investments in traffic safety.

Last year, 39 people were severely injured or killed in local traffic accidents, one of them a motorist killed in a car-only crash ("Rising Number of Pedestrians, Cyclists Killed or Seriously Injured in Santa Monica," August 12, 2024).

The total number of accidents resulting in severe injuries and deaths was the highest since 43 were reported in 2019 and the second highest since at least 2010, the first year counts were provided.

Under the proposed ordinance:

One stretch of Olympic Boulevard would see the speed limit reduced from 40 to 35 mph, while three other boulevards would see speeds drop along certain stretches from 35 to 30 mph.

A total of 16 streets would see speeds reduced along certain stretches from 30 to 25 mph, while a stretch of Pico Boulevard near the beach would see the speed limit drop from 35 to 25 mph.

Seven other streets would see the speed limit drop along certain stretches from 25 to 20 mph, while a stretch of 6th street south of Pico would see the speed limit drop from 30 to 20 mph.

A total of 22 streets near schools would see the speed limits reduced to 15 mph "in areas less than 500 feet from or passing a school building or ground" during school days.

The California Vehicle Code (CVC) allows a local authority to set speed limits that "differ from the statutory speed of 25 miles per hour in a business or residence district or 65 miles per hour on other roadways," according to Transportation staff.

"If the local authority determines, based on a Survey, that a speed higher or lower than the statutory speed limit would facilitate the orderly movement of vehicular traffic and would be reasonable and safe, the local authority may determine and declare a speed limit by ordinance," staff said.

If an ordinance is approved by Council, new and updated speed limit signs would be installed 30 days after the second reading of the ordinance.

According to Transportation staff, it will take two months to install the signs, which must be posted before the new speed limits can be enforced.

To read the staff report listing affected streets click here