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Speed study on Kennedy Avenue shows majority of drivers exceed 25 mph; staff to reassess after area build‑out
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Summary
A May traffic study presented to the Building and Grounds committee found northbound drivers along Kennedy Avenue averaged about 37.8 mph (80th percentile 44 mph); staff and aldermen agreed to monitor speeds and revisit measures once the area is fully built out.
City staff and the committee reviewed a speed study on Kennedy Avenue collected May 13–16; results show northbound average speed of 37.8 mph and southbound average 30.3 mph, with an 80th-percentile speed of 44 mph northbound and 35 mph southbound.
Andy Raul of Ayers Associates presented the data and told the committee that 97.5% of northbound drivers and 85.5% of southbound drivers exceeded the posted 25 mph limit during the study period. Raul said he had submitted the data to police, and staff logged the matter as a traffic complaint.
Alder Rick Lemke and other committee members noted that the corridor is not fully built out and that posted limits sometimes are adjusted to match prevailing speeds after development and further crash data are available. Staff recommended waiting until the area is more developed before making permanent speed‑limit changes and said it could explore interim measures such as additional signage or targeted enforcement.
"We collected it before construction started," Raul said when committee members asked whether construction influenced the counts. Committee members asked staff to confirm existing sign placement and noted developers sometimes fund required signage during buildout.
The committee did not take regulatory action; members asked staff to continue coordination with the Police Department and to return with updated data or recommendations after more of the surrounding development is complete.
