Marion council narrows Winslow Road speed limit to 30 mph, declines 'children at play' signage

The Marion City Council on Sept. 18 voted to concur with the Traffic Advisory Committee’s recommendations for Winslow Road while amending the speed recommendation: council members approved a reduction of the posted speed limit to 30 miles per hour from Tower Terrace Road to Barry’s Run Bridge, and they declined to install “children at play” signs along Winslow and the neighborhood entrances.

Residents had petitioned the council after reporting vehicles traveling at high speeds near Excelsior school, bus stops and neighborhood streets that feed to Winslow Road. Petitioners asked for a 25 mph limit; some written comments asked for 30 mph. City traffic staff (Mike) told the council the Traffic Advisory Committee’s technical recommendation was not to install “children at play” signs because such signs are not recognized by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and are not enforceable. Mike also said the committee’s speed recommendation initially used 35 mph based on design and speed‑study data (the 80th percentile), but staff recognized neighborhood concerns and supported a reduction of 5 mph in the affected segment.

Residents’ testimony - Joe Lisonbee (Larkspur Drive) told the council there are school bus stops and frequent crossings and said the difference between 35 mph and 25 mph raises crash fatality risk. He asked the council to consider the petitioners’ request. - Olivia Reger (Astor Court) described daily student pedestrian traffic, absence of a nearby crosswalk for children walking to Excelsior school and frequent passing maneuvers by motorists. - Levi Kirkpatrick (Astor Court), who submitted the petition, told council the traffic‑classifier placement likely skewed the study data because one classifier sat where drivers naturally slow for a curve; he asked the council to add neighborhood context to the study conclusions.

Staff explanation and council response Traffic staff explained that the MUTCD does not authorize “children at play” signs on public roads and that such signs are ineffective at changing driver behavior and can create a false sense of security. Staff also described the 80th‑percentile methodology for speed setting and that Winslow is a collector roadway (collectors typically carry faster traffic than residential streets). Staff noted options for targeted enforcement, speed feedback trailers and the possibility of creating a school zone for a short segment adjacent to the school (the city’s school‑zone policy is enforced “when children are present”).

Council discussion focused on balancing technical guidance and neighborhood safety. Several council members expressed support for lowering the speed limit to 30 mph for the specified segment and for targeted enforcement; one councilmember noted the petition originally sought 25 mph but indicated a 30‑mph drop would be reasonable.

Council action and next steps Council first voted to receive and file the Traffic Advisory Committee report. Council then moved to concur with the Traffic Advisory Committee recommendations with an amendment to reduce the posted speed limit to 30 mph from Tower Terrace Road to Barry’s Run (Barry’s Run Bridge was the north terminus stated in the motion) and to follow the committee’s recommendation not to install “children at play” signs. The amended motion passed. City staff stated changing a posted speed requires an ordinance (three readings) and that staff would return with the ordinance for the council to consider; staff also said targeted enforcement (speed trailers, squad patrols) could be deployed.