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Milton council approves submission to GDOT to seek lower limits on three roads
Summary
City council unanimously approved submitting studies to the Georgia Department of Transportation and Georgia Department of Public Safety seeking lower posted speeds on three 45 mph road segments and an expansion and lower school-zone speed on Bethany Bend.
The Milton City Council on Sept. 3 voted unanimously to submit engineering studies and a proposed list of road segments to the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Georgia Department of Public Safety to request updates to the city’s speed-detection permit, including proposed 5 mph reductions on three 45-mph segments and an expanded, lower school-zone speed on Bethany Bend.
City staff said the request flows from Milton’s Local Road Safety Plan and periodic engineering reviews that consider measured vehicle speeds, pavement geometry, driveway density, sight distance and presence of pedestrians and cyclists. "This item is approving a list of roads," Public Works Director Sarah Leaders told the council, explaining the studies include the roadway limits and the speed associated with each segment.
The council packet and staff presentation identified three specific segments recommended for a reduction from 45 mph to 40 mph: New Providence Road (State Route 140 to the roundabout at Birmingham Highway/SR 372), Thompson Road (Red Road to Hopewell Road) and Bethany Bend (Hopewell Road to State Route 9). Staff also recommended expanding the existing school zone on Bethany Bend westward to include Kings Ridge and lowering the school-zone speed from 35 mph to 30 mph on approaches within that expanded zone.
Leaders said staff collect speed and volume data, and review other engineering factors when recommending changes. "The main thing we collect ... is what speeds people are traveling," she said, adding the presence of cyclists, limited sight distance, driveway frequency and horizontal curvature also inform recommendations.
Council members asked whether lowering posted speeds will change driver behavior and about the timeline for approvals and sign changes. Staff said the next step is to submit the studies to GDOT and the Georgia Department of Public Safety for their review; that interagency review typically takes a month or two, and staff expect to bring a resolution back to council documenting final approved changes and to post new limits within roughly three months if the agencies approve the requests.
Council discussion referenced prior rounds of speed reviews and the city’s strategy of addressing 45-mph roads with incremental 5-mph reductions where engineering analysis supports a change. Staff said this is the third round of reviews; the city aims to revisit such roadways every six to 12 months. Council members also noted the city must consider adjacent jurisdictions’ posted speeds when setting local limits.
Staff highlighted an enforcement constraint: state law restricts radar enforcement to speeds 10 mph over the posted limit, which factors into both how limits are recommended and how the city coordinates enforcement. Leaders said the city uses multiple countermeasures beyond posted-speed changes — including striping, signage and other engineering solutions — and that speed-limit adjustments are one tool from a broader safety toolbox.
The council approved agenda item 25-239 on a motion by Council member Jan Jacobus and a second by Council member Berhoff. Voting was recorded as unanimous with five members present. The city will return to council with final, agency-approved changes and the resolution to adopt the revised enforceable list of speeds before new signs are posted.
