Highland council directs staff to study speed limits and traffic calming on five east–west collectors

Highland City Council on Feb. 18 voted unanimously to direct staff to complete additional traffic data collection and return by April with recommendations for traffic‑calming measures on the city’s east–west collector streets, including Canal Boulevard, 10400 North, 9600 North and 11200/11800 North.

City engineer and public works staff presented speed, volume and crash data for the roads and recommended further study before adopting permanent changes. The council asked staff to include both passive measures (signing, striping, vegetation trimming) and active solutions (speed tables, rapid‑flashing beacons) and to provide cost estimates for budget planning.

Why it matters: Staff data show speeds and crash patterns that concern council members, particularly on corridors near schools and parks. Council members said the city should aim for a mix of engineering changes and enforcement, and avoid piecemeal decisions that could shift traffic or safety risks to nearby streets.

"After our last city council meeting, we were asked by the city council to look at changing the speed limits on the western portion of Canal Boulevard... we went out and set some data collection so that we could see what the traffic patterns were in that specific area," city staff member Chris said during the presentation.

What the data show (staff figures presented to council): - Canal Boulevard (west section between 6000 West and 6800 West): posted 30 mph; measured average speed ~30.5 mph; 85th‑percentile speed ~35.5 mph; ~3.6% of trips exceeded the limit by more than 10 mph; about 1,100 daily trips during the week of measurement; five crashes on that stretch and about 54 crashes along the entire length of Canal Boulevard (staff noted most crashes were near 6000 West and North County Boulevard). - 10400 North (about 2.3 miles in the study area): posted 35 mph; measured average speed ~36.2 mph; 85th‑percentile ~40 mph (about 14% over the posted limit); roughly 4,000 daily trips; two schools adjacent to the corridor and about 31 residential accesses. - 9600 North (about 2.3 miles in the study area): posted 25 mph; measured average speed ~31.2 mph; roughly 20% of trips exceeded the posted limit by more than 10 mph; about 1,700 daily trips; 10 crashes reported in the study period and roughly 80 residential accesses.

Council discussion: Several council members said the raw speed numbers suggest different problems on each route. Councilmember Scott Smith said 10400 North looks like "a major problem" because of high volumes near schools. Other councilmembers said road cross‑section, lane widths and perceived comfort influence travel speed — meaning lowering a posted limit alone might not change driver behavior without redesign or enforcement.

Councilmember Kim (first reference in transcript as "Kim") said she had driven the streets herself and now prefers staff to return with a fuller picture. "I came in tonight thinking I knew what I was going to vote for, but I really would like it to go back to the staff and really study this and look at all the options," she said.

Formal action: Councilmember Ron moved to direct staff to finish the data collection and to return in April with recommendations for traffic calming on Canal Boulevard and 10400 and 9600 North; Councilmember Doug Courtney seconded. Councilmember Scott Smith moved — and Ron seconded — an amendment to expand the scope to all east–west collector roads (including 11800 and 11200). The amended motion passed 5–0 (Councilmembers Doug Courtney, Scott Smith, Britney, Ron and Kim voting yes).

Interim steps and next steps: Staff told the council it already has ordered new signage (cross‑traffic does not stop signs) and plans to install a rectangular rapid‑flashing beacon at the Mitchell Hollow Trail crossing as part of the trail project. Staff said it will leave speed counters in place for at least one full week at each study location, avoid atypical school‑holiday weeks and return with both engineering recommendations and cost estimates for the council’s budget process.

Speakers quoted or relied on in this report are limited to those identified in the meeting transcript or agenda.

Ending: Council members emphasized the need to pair any change to posted speeds with physical design and, where appropriate, enforcement. Staff will return with the requested analysis and draft recommendations at a meeting in April 2025.