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Rohnert Park council introduces ordinance updating local speed limits after traffic survey
Summary
Rohnert Park city council on May 26 introduced Ordinance 994 and waived first reading to update local speed limits after a state-required engineering speed survey. Staff recommended several reductions near schools and two modest increases on low-access segments; the measure passed the introduction vote 4-0.
The Rohnert Park City Council voted May 26 to introduce by title and waive the first reading of Ordinance 994, a municipal-code update that adjusts speed limits citywide based on a recent engineering speed survey required by the California Vehicle Code.
Public Works Director Mark Henderson told the council the survey — prepared under state standards — recommends lowering speeds on several segments, including portions of Rohnert Park Expressway and Southwest Boulevard near schools, and raising limits on two largely nonresidential stretches, including Roberts Lake Road and a segment of Golf Course Drive. Traffic engineer Jason Sanietro said the recommendations use 85th-percentile speed data and engineering judgment to balance safety and traffic flow.
"This allows public safety to enforce with radar, which is a valuable tool," Henderson said, explaining that the changes reflect roadway geometry, adjacent uses and recent street design changes.
Council members pressed staff on specific school-area corridors, notably Snyder Avenue, and on the rationale for changes to Expressway that appear on the city’s high-injury network. Members emphasized pedestrian and bike safety while acknowledging that some segments have no housing adjacent and may be appropriate for higher limits.
Members of the public spoke in support of lowering speeds in neighborhoods and asked whether additional engineering measures — such as roundabouts or protected bike lanes — are being considered as part of long-range traffic safety planning. Staff responded that the ordinance introduces the engineering findings needed to set enforceable limits and that many larger projects will require additional funding and environmental review.
The council’s roll-call vote to introduce Ordinance 994 and waive first reading was 4-0, with Mayor Samborn absent. Staff said the ordinance will return for formal adoption after the required publishing and noticing steps.
What’s next: staff will bring the ordinance back for final reading after required notice; any final speed-limit changes will take effect following the scheduling and installation of signage and necessary coordination with public-safety enforcement.
