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Traffic commission recommends lowering speed limit on section of South River Road to 45 mph after public concern
Summary
Despite an engineering study that did not recommend a change, the Traffic Safety Commission voted 4–2 to forward a recommendation to reduce the posted speed limit on a section of South River Road to 45 mph, citing increasing development and resident safety concerns.
The West Bend Traffic Safety Commission voted 4–2 on April 28 to recommend reducing the posted speed limit to 45 miles per hour on a segment of South River Road, following substantial public comment from residents in the Prairie Meadows area.
KL Engineering presented a speed study showing that prevailing speeds and crash history did not by engineering criteria support a lowering of the posted limit. Kevin (KL Engineering) described collection methods and explained that the 80th‑percentile speeds and crash history did not indicate a safety-driven need to lower the limit. He also noted that the city has statutory authority to post speeds between 15 and 55 mph and that changing posted limits without supporting context can worsen speed differentials.
Nonetheless, more than a dozen residents and stakeholders urged the commission to lower speeds. Multiple Prairie Meadows residents said the existing higher posted limits make it difficult and unsafe to exit the subdivision, to bike to local trails and to live adjacent to the corridor. Resident Chris Merkel told the commission the corridor’s character has changed with new industrial and residential development and said the section “is just really incongruous with how we’re doing roads elsewhere.” Several speakers asked that the lower limit extend from one roundabout to the other to provide consistent transitions.
Assistant city staff reported recent counts showing average daily traffic around 7,700 vehicles on the studied section and noted an increase from roughly 6,900 in older counts. Alderman Matt Sternig and other commissioners argued the corridor is changing and that lowering the limit now would help establish safer driving behavior as traffic grows.
Commissioners who supported the change cited resident testimony and anticipated growth, while those opposing relied on the engineering report that found no crash pattern or sight‑distance issue requiring a change. The motion to recommend a reduction to 45 mph on the studied section passed 4–2 and will be forwarded to city council for final action. The police department indicated it will enforce whatever posted limit the council adopts and noted it will consider targeted enforcement details following any change.
