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Commerce City staff recommends keeping Highway 2 speed limit at 45 mph; council debates enforcement and designation
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Summary
City staff urged council to maintain the 45 mph posted limit on Highway 2 based on design speed and clear‑zone safety, while several council members and residents argued the corridor functions like a higher‑speed road and called for more enforcement or redesign.
Staff presented an engineering analysis of Highway 2 after residents asked that the posted speed be raised to 55 mph. The presentation explained that when CDOT conveyed the road the classification became a city principal arterial and that engineering best practice sets posted limits about 5–10 mph below the design speed. Staff said the corridor was designed with a 50 mph design speed, so a 45 mph posted limit conforms to city standards and that raising the posted limit could create sight‑distance and clear‑zone deficits and likely increase collisions.
Councilmembers and several residents pushed back. Glenn Murray, who drives the corridor daily, said motorists commonly exceed the limit and described congestion points and concrete barriers that make the road feel different from a principal arterial. Some councilmembers said increased enforcement is the practical solution if drivers ignore the limit; others suggested the road’s classification and signage may not reflect lived experience along long stretches of Highway 2.
Staff said they could show additional maps and that any change to increase posted speeds would require redesign to meet engineering standards. No change was made at the meeting; staff will present maps and additional analysis at a later date or study session as requested by council.
