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Council introduces ordinance to lower speed limit near Frankville College after in-house traffic study
Summary
Borger City Council introduced Ordinance O-001-26 on first reading to lower posted speeds on Greg Drive and Marcy Drive near Frankville College to 25 mph following an in-house traffic study that showed an average speed of 29 mph and high 80th-percentile speeds.
Borger — The Borger City Council introduced on first reading Ordinance O-001-26 on Feb. 3 to lower the posted speed limit on Greg Drive and Marcy Drive within the Frankville College campus to 25 miles per hour, a change requested by the college.
Mister Stradlin summarized an in-house traffic study taken over three days, saying the counters recorded 9,452 vehicles and that the average and median speeds were 29 mph. "The 80 fifth percentile was 34 miles per hour," he said, describing that more vehicles exceeded 30 mph than ran under 30.
Stradlin noted extreme observed speeds, including a reported maximum of 64 mph and a minimum of 10 mph, and argued that the pedestrian activity near the college supports a lower posted limit to allow the police department more enforcement flexibility. "There's it's a big difference between pulling someone over for 3 over versus 7 over," he said, arguing a modest five-mile-per-hour reduction would reduce outliers and aid enforcement.
Stradlin also told council that state law sets a minimum limit Borger may adopt of 25 mph and that a traffic study is required to justify changes. (At one point in the staff presentation Stradlin said a 24-mph limit would be justifiable; the introduced ordinance sets the posted limit at 25 mph, consistent with the state law minimum he cited.)
Councilman Lauckes asked who would patrol the area once signs are posted. Stradlin replied the city has an officer on a motorcycle whose job includes that area, and staff plan to deploy message trailers and social media notices before enforcement begins. Stradlin said the principal direct cost is installing about four new speed limit signs.
Councilman Lauckes moved to introduce Ordinance O-001-26 on first reading; the motion was seconded and passed.
Next steps: the ordinance was introduced on first reading and will be publicized and signed through the city’s normal ordinance-adoption process; signs will be installed and public warnings issued prior to enforcement.
