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Council approves 25 mph limit on Rodeo Road amid enforcement, sidewalk planning
Summary
The council voted to raise the speed limit on Rodeo Road to 25 mph to unify signage from Highway 14 to North Airport Road; police and staff noted enforcement data and a potential DOTD sidewalk/road-transfer project affecting future design.
The Abbeville City Council voted May 20, 2025, to change the speed limit on Rodeo Road to 25 miles per hour from Highway 14 Bypass to North Airport Road, with council members citing enforcement volume and neighborhood safety.
Councilman Francis Claesas introduced the proposal, saying the stretch previously carried a 15 mph limit (set earlier because of a deaf child), but that recent enforcement had produced a high number of citations and the daycare operator he consulted agreed with a move to 25 mph to make the limit consistent along the corridor.
The nut graf: the council approved a 25 mph statutory speed limit change for the segment after discussion of local safety concerns and enforcement burdens, while staff and police flagged follow-up steps including confirming the continued presence of a “deaf child” marker, reviewing enforcement data and coordinating any sign changes with the police chief.
Abbeville’s police chief (referred to in the meeting as Chief Chris) told council members he had received a social-media contact about another deaf child in the area and recommended confirming the exact location before changing posted signage. Chief Chris said he had seen many citations on the corridor in recent weeks and had no objection to raising the limit if the council desired; he asked that staff meet with him to finalize the route and safety details. The chief also recommended having first‑responder presence for the planned community walk event on the corridor due to summer heat.
Council members discussed enforcement counts and asked the police department to provide speed‑data for the segment similar to prior studies on other streets. Public works staff said Rodeo Road is on a road‑transfer list and could be part of a future DOTD grant that might add sidewalks and broader connectivity from Charity Street east to Lowe’s; if DOTD selects the project, DOTD would cover engineering and design and the city could be asked to provide a local match.
The motion to change the speed limit was made and carried unanimously at the meeting; council members asked staff and the chief to confirm the location of the previously posted “deaf child” sign and to supply the citation/enforcement data to the council.
Ending: Staff will provide enforcement counts and coordinate any sign changes with the police chief; the council noted potential DOTD roadway and sidewalk work that could also alter the corridor’s traffic-calming approach.
