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San Antonio committee backs study of lower neighborhood speed limits, recommends outreach and engineering
Summary
Public Works presented mixed pilot data and recommended an engineering-driven study plus an outreach campaign to evaluate lowering prima facie neighborhood speed limits; the committee asked staff to cost out options for the budget and return with specifics.
The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on May 5 heard staff recommendations to study lowering prima facie speed limits in San Antonio neighborhoods and to combine engineering, enforcement and outreach rather than rely on signage alone.
Art Reinhardt of the Public Works Department told the committee that the CCR filed by District 7 aims “to improve safety on our neighborhood streets.” He summarized state-law constraints and prior pilot results: under current state law the residential prima facie speed is 30 miles per hour if no signs are posted, and an ordinance route can establish a 25 mph minimum on two-lane streets, subject to reporting requirements. Reinhardt said pilot data from Campman Road and earlier neighborhood sign rollouts produced small and inconsistent speed changes, noting, “signs by themselves have limited influence on the behavior of driver.”
The committee was briefed on best practices from other cities, and Reinhardt recommended a two-pronged approach: a comprehensive engineering study to determine appropriate residential limits, plus a policy framework to study and set limits on higher-classification roadways where homes front arterials. He said staff will refine a scope of work, develop a cost estimate for the budget process and return with recommended policy language and options.
Committee members pressed staff for practical steps. Chair McKee Rodriguez said changing signs without re-engineering streets will not be sufficient: “I would think that people drive in a way that feels natural,” she said, calling for traffic-calming measures such as medians and bulb-outs in addition to outreach. Council member Aldo Rigarito urged coupling any signage changes with a citywide awareness campaign and enforcement and suggested “quick build” engineering trials in areas that need immediate fixes. When Rigarito asked whether the pilot included coordination with the San Antonio Police Department, Reinhardt replied, “No. We we didn’t reach out for any enforcement activities.”
Council member Kaur described constituent demand for stop signs and speed humps and raised a Texas code constraint that school-zone signs are placed where students cross, which can limit how broadly a school zone is marked. Council member Munguia pressed for measures that would address larger collectors and access roads where speed humps are not feasible and suggested mail-based or online signature options to make petitioning for traffic-calming easier; Reinhardt said an online application is being developed and staff is exploring signature facilitation.
The committee asked staff to return with a clearer scope and a few budgeted options — including estimated signage counts and campaign-cost ranges — so the council can consider funding during the next budget cycle. Reinhardt said if funding is approved the department would finalize the study framework and bring back a proposed policy for adoption. The committee did not take formal action on the item during the meeting.
