Glendale council approves lowering Green Bay Road speed limit to 35 mph after debate

The Glendale Common Council voted to lower the posted speed limit on Green Bay Road — from West Brantwood to Good Hope Road — from 40 mph to 35 mph after a discussion about safety, enforcement and roadway context.

Mayor Mary Kennedy, who presided over the meeting, described the corridor as residential with two schools, a park and several synagogues and said lowering the limit was “wise” given pedestrian crossings and nearby bike-trail connections. Jake Linnell and staff reminded the council that engineering guidance often looks at the 85th-percentile speed but that elected officials have discretion to set limits based on safety and context. Staff noted the speed study returned a higher 85th-percentile figure.

Alder Vukovich urged caution, saying reducing the posted limit could create a false sense of safety because many drivers “drive what they feel comfortable with” and may continue to exceed the posted limit. Council members and a resident countered that a lower limit creates a clearer enforcement threshold and signals a greater emphasis on pedestrian safety; one council member noted there was a bicycle fatality at that location last year.

After discussion the council called the question. The motion to lower the speed limit passed; the presiding officer recorded one abstention and declared the motion carried.

The ordinance change becomes the council’s direction for the posted limit on that stretch; the record shows members discussed complementary measures, including targeted enforcement and public education, to boost compliance.