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Leesburg commission recommends keeping downtown 20 mph limit after one‑year review
Summary
After a year of data collection following Leesburg's June 2023 reduction of downtown speed limits to 20 mph, the Residential Traffic Commission voted to recommend that Town Council retain the 20 mph zone. The after‑study showed little change in average speeds overall, a modest drop in crash severity and data anomalies staff will verify.
The Leesburg Residential Traffic Commission voted to recommend that Town Council retain the downtown 20‑mile‑per‑hour speed limit after hearing an "after" study comparing pre‑ and post‑implementation traffic volumes, speeds and crashes.
Renee LaFollette, director of public works and capital projects, presented the after study. Staff measured seven locations (two on Market Street, two on King Street, two on Loudoun Street and one on Harrison Street) using the same count sites as the pre‑study. LaFollette said the results showed "no significant changes in the operating speeds and daily volume except [at] two locations" and noted the dataset included some day‑to‑day anomalies that staff would recheck.
The presentation showed 26 crashes in the 12‑month after period (June 2023–June 2024) compared with the multi‑year before average; staff emphasized a decline in the severity of injury crashes despite a small increase in the number of incidents. LaFollette said data collection days did not all coincide and that some count anomalies could be attributable to regional incidents that divert traffic onto downtown streets.
Commissioners debated enforcement limits and measurement methods but did not identify evidence to reverse the 20‑mph policy. One commissioner noted that reducing posted limits can make enforcement more practical and increase pedestrian survivability in collisions. After discussion, the commission adopted a motion (voice vote) instructing staff to forward to Council a recommendation that the 20 mph downtown speed limit remain in effect while staff continues to monitor conditions and verify count anomalies.
The motion passed by voice vote; no roll‑call tally was provided in meeting minutes. Staff said the formal memo and commission recommendation will be submitted to Council for a discussion item in April.
