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<br />, <br />'" <br /> <br />1.0 BACKGROUND <br /> <br />1.1 Introduction <br /> <br />This report presents the Minnesota D.epartment of Transportation's recommendations on <br />speed limit matters pertaining to local roads. The recommendations address issues of <br />detil1ition,speed limit statutory text language and speed limit enforcement. These <br />recommendations were developed in consultat~on with engineering representatives of local <br />governments who participated in a Task Force process. The work of the Ta.sk Force was <br />supplemented with research and with interviews of local government engineering and law <br />enforcement personnel. ' <br /> <br />The recommendations documented in this report represent Mn/DOT's views. These views <br />were informed by .significant consultation with localgovemment representatives. By <br />taking the time to study and explore the speed limit topic, the Task Force was able to <br />develop a consensus on how to effectively propose modifications that would be successful <br />in managing speed limits throughoutMinnesota. <br /> <br />1.2 Impetus for Study I History of Simil~r Studies <br /> <br />Speed limits and speed enforcement, in particular on local or residential roads, are <br />important topics that local government units address on Ii frequent basis. Periodically over <br />the past two decades, the increased concern over these issues has led to the topic's being <br />brought to the legislatJ,1re with ensuing study by Mn/DOT. <br /> <br />:MuIDOT last formally studied the local road speed limit topic in 1993-1994 via a Task <br />Force that was formed at the request of the Mn/DOT Office of Government Affairs to <br />investigate whether the 30 :MPH statutory value should be lowered. Representation on that <br />Task Force came from small and large cities and counties. Members included. mayors, city <br />administrators, city engineers, county engineers, professional transportation associations, <br />apd the Minnesota League of Cities. The Task Force was chaired by the Assistant State <br />Traffic Engineer. The primary conclusion was that discourteous driving habits, residents' <br />misconception of speeds, and an ongoing interest in safer neighbqrhoods combine to create <br />a perception that drivers are traveling too fast on local streets. Safety in neighborhoods <br />may be compromised by discourteous and careless driving, but was not found to be <br />compromised by an overall speeding problem. <br /> <br />The results of the 1993-1994 Task Force effortwere documented in the report "Task Force <br />on Urban ResidentialSpeed Limits, Final Report, March 1994." <br /> <br />Subsequent to the 1994 Task Force Report, no significant changes to speed limit statutes <br />for urban districts or residential roads were implemented in Minnesota. <br /> <br />There has been, and contil'lues to bel a desire on the part of many members of the, public to <br />change the urban district speed limit to 25. These desires have been communicated to <br />members of the Legislature. In response to this, in the 2007 session of the Minnesota <br />Legislature House File 1909 was proposed. (A copy of this bill is included in the Appendix <br />A-3.) This bill ordered the Commissioner of Transportation to conduct a study oflocal <br /> <br />Page 1 <br /> <br />28 <br />