The Virginia General Assembly has passed a bill that would allow localities to set speed limits as low as 15 miles per hour.
A bill in Virginia's General Assembly could allow localities to set speed limits as low as 15 miles per hour, a minimum limit currently set by the state at 25 miles per hour.
While "ten miles per hour difference may not seem huge," writes Wyatt Gordon in the Virginia Mercury, the change "could mean the difference between life and death" for pedestrians involved in traffic collisions. Del. Betsy Carr of Richmond, who is championing the bill, told the Virginia Mercury that the commonwealth saw 123 pedestrian fatalities in 2020, around 16% of the state's total.
The 25 mph policy has precedent in the United States, with 25 mph as the standard lowest speed limit in most American states. Brantley Tyndall, director of outreach for Bike Walk RVA, cites the combination of more speeding-related fatalities and fewer crashes in Virginia last year as a sign of the increased risk of death for people involved in collisions. Other cities, including Portland, Oregon and Boston, have recently gained local control of speed limit regulations. According to Gordon, with "speed [as] the number one predictor of the severity of a car crash," advocates of HB 1903 "believe the arguments in favor of 15 mph should be clear."
FULL STORY: Lowering the limit: How allowing 15 mph zones could save lives in Virginia
Study: Streets With High Foot Traffic Also See High Driving Speeds
A detailed study of where people walk reveals that driving speeds on many of the streets most used by pedestrians in U.S. cities are higher than recommended speeds, putting pedestrians at higher risk for serious injuries and death.
Texas State Bills Would Let Cities Lower Speed Limits
The proposed legislation would give cities the ability to reduce neighborhood speed limits without having to produce expensive traffic studies.
San Jose Begins Lowering Speed Limits
Thanks to a state bill, California cities can reduce speed limits on city streets by 5 miles per hour to improve traffic safety.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research