Kansas committee hears bill to let cities set 25 mph residential speed limits without engineering study

The Kansas House Committee on Transportation held a hearing on House Bill 22-20, which would amend KSA 8-15-60 to let local authorities reduce posted speed limits in defined residential districts to 25 miles per hour without first completing an engineering and traffic investigation. Committee staff said, if enacted, the bill's provisions would take effect July 1, 2025.

Supporters told the panel the change would reduce costs and streamline a process they described as confusing. Representative Bauercamp, a city council member and the bill's verbal proponent, said the current requirement for an engineering study can be costly and slow and that the bill would give cities “a little bit more flexibility” to lower limits to 25 mph while still allowing engineering studies when jurisdictions want lower limits such as 20 mph.

The bill amends KSA 8-15-60 and relies on the statutory definition of “residence district” found in KSA 8-14-56 to identify the streets it would affect. Committee staff summarized that the statute currently allows local authorities to change speed limits once a limit is determined to be reasonable and safe based on an engineering and traffic investigation; the proposed change would allow a reduction to 25 mph without that investigation.

Wendy Stark, representing the League of Kansas Municipalities, told the committee the bill aligns with two municipal principles: safety on residential streets and preservation of home-rule authority. “We support allowing cities to adopt ordinances that best meet the safety of their residents,” Stark said, adding that any cost savings would be a benefit to cities.

Lawmakers asked several clarifying questions. Committee staff and the proponent said most Kansas residential speed limits are currently 30 mph, and a local engineering study can cost “a couple thousand dollars a street,” with one example put at about $6,500 to study two or three streets. Several lawmakers asked whether the bill would allow cities to set limits below 25 mph; the committee staff said jurisdictions could still impose lower limits, but reductions below 25 mph would require an engineering study.

Members also asked about whether the change would extend to county roads or state highways bordering residential districts. Committee staff said the bill would apply only to local authorities’ jurisdiction over city residential streets and would not change the speed limit on state highways that border those districts.

Public written testimony from a private citizen was noted in the record. After proponents and staff answered questions, the committee closed the hearing on House Bill 22-20 without taking a committee vote.

The bill would be effective July 1, 2025 if enacted; it explicitly references KSA 8-15-60 and the residence-district definition in KSA 8-14-56.