Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Speed Study topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Staff: Rowlett Road average speed about 44 mph; council asks for accident history, enforcement before changing limit
Summary
City Manager Christophe Bauer presented a police speed study showing average speeds near 43.85 mph and 58% compliance at or below 40 mph; council discussed targeted 35-mph segments, signals and enforcement and asked staff for crash data before any change.
City Manager Christophe Bauer summarized a traffic study of Rowlett Road, saying data collectors were deployed Sept. 16–29 at six locations and that "average speed, 43.85" across the measured points. He told the council overall compliance was 58% at or below the statutory 40-mph posted limit and that only about 1.75% of drivers exceeded 50 mph. Bauer said the engineering recommendation was to maintain the current speed limit based on the study and roadway characteristics.
Council members pressed staff on methodology (whether speed trailers flashed and therefore biased results), asked for multi-year crash counts and debated the policy objective—safety versus pavement preservation. City attorney Victoria noted the ordinance delegates speed-setting to the director of traffic control and cautioned that lowering speeds below 30 mph requires specific engineering findings: "Those are in the ordinance because that's what's required by state law." The council directed staff to return with accident-history data, enforcement options and possible targeted changes (for example, 35 mph only between the city limit and Miller) rather than adopting a blanket change at this meeting.
