Idaho Mountain Express: Speed limits raised in Bellevue

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Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Speed limits raised in Bellevue

City concedes to pressure from state

By TONY EVANS
Express Staff Writer

The city of Bellevue has decided to raise a posted speed limit of 25 miles per hour along stretches of state Highway 75 to 35 mph. Photo by Mountain Express

Bellevue City Council members have reversed a decision to lower speed limits at the northern and southern ends of the city from 35 miles per hour to 25 mph.

In April of 2007, after three years of studies and discussions with the Idaho Transportation Department, the council passed an ordinance setting the maximum speed within city limits at 25 mph. This meant lowering the speed limit on state Highway 75 by 10 mph at points within the town south of Gannett Road and north of Atkinsons' Valley Market. Following the reversal, the speed limit signs were changed back to 35 mph two weeks ago.

Bellevue Planning and Zoning Administrator Craig Eckles said the reversal took place in spite of public support for the lower speed limits, which were implemented in part to accommodate a Highway 75 crosswalk at the northern end of town.

"Ninety-nine percent of the public comment was in favor of the changes," he said.

Bellevue City Administrator Tom Blanchard said the city had been in discussions with ITD for quite some time about lowering the speed limits in the city for safety reasons. "Sometimes you have to test the waters in the community by trying something like this," said Blanchard. "Then you get feedback from the community and change it again."

In September, state Rep. Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, asked the City Council to reconsider the 25-mph speed limit through the city. She implied that if the city did not return to the previously posted speed limit, it may cause a law in the Idaho Legislature that allows Idaho cities to set their own speed limits to be overturned. The law, which Jaquet introduced, is known as "Wendy's Law" by members of the ITD, including Bruce Christiansen, a traffic engineer with ITD.
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"There is a concern that cities create 'speed traps' by lowering speed limits unrealistically," said Christiansen. "These can be big money-makers for cities."

Jaquet also agreed with retired Ketchum Police Chief Cal Nevland, who told the council that the extended 25-mph speed limit was unfair to commuters passing through the city. Nevland said that if speeds are too slow, people tend to become less attentive.

The speed limit signs in the city have been changed from 25 mph to 35 mph going south at Wood River Meadows (just beyond Gannett Road) and going north at Kirtley Street (just past the Sun Valley Garden Center). Both speed zones change to 45 mph outside of the city limits.

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The comments below are from the readers of mtexpress.com and in no way represent the views of Express Publishing Inc.

Paul

02/14/08 - 15:12

Usually a Speed Limit is based on an actual Safety Study where engineers evaluate the road conditions, visibility, traffic flow, pedestrians, etc. and it shouldnt be an arbitrary number set by ignorant and unqualified individuals that won a local popularity contest to gain some political power.

25MPH is usually the low end speed limit reserved for School Zones. If the entire town is set to that same speed limit, then whats the point of establishing School Zones at all- if residential areas, industrial areas, and less populated areas all have the same speed limit? This would breed complacency if not outright disregard- that all areas across town need the same level of driver attention and care.

Bob – Alabama

02/14/08 - 13:31

We have our own little Mayberry communities here in Alabama and it's a real pain in the posterior when you suddenly have Barney Fife at your window explaining that the speed limit actually does drop 20 mph for about 2000ft and now you owe the town $150. It's unfortunate that reasonable people can't deal with incorporated speed traps on a case by case basis but it's easier to pass a blanket law for the whole state. Plus it's a real boost for the legislative ego as well. And isn't that about all that politics comes down to these days?

skh.pcola

02/14/08 - 10:37

Konrad, your experience driving through Kansas was addressed in the article: "Nevland said that if speeds are too slow, people tend to become less attentive." Driving is an inherently dangerous activity. If you want to sight-see, pull the vehicle over and look. If you want to shift your focus from your driving path, pull over. Being in control of a two-ton hunk of steel is a responsibility that should be taken seriously.

Buge

02/14/08 - 10:04

Towns do this so they can fee grab. a lot of the small towns pay their elected officials &police as they have no other source of money. thanks Buge

Ziggy

02/14/08 - 09:35

Have I got this straight???

It amounts to "if you in the great un-washed (non-power brokers) continue to obstinately make decisions for yourselves about your own town which is legally permitted to you, we will pass a law taking that option away from you" ?????

Something is terribly wrong with that.

Reply to Ziggy

Mike

02/14/08 - 11:16

No, Ziggy , you don't have it straight at all. Instead, what this amounts to is that the state will not allow any small group of citizens to blatantly mis-use the power of law to extort money from other citizens via a speed trap on a STATE highway.

Reply to Ziggy

Barry

02/14/08 - 11:52

Ziggy, it would be one thing if that town was just going to fine ITS OWN citizens for going faster than 25mph on that state road. But you and I both know that would not have happened.

The state is right, b/c it it now protecting all its OTHER citizens from an improper power grab by the 'few' who wanted to use a state highway to set up a little speed trap of their very own.

Reply to Ziggy

Ziggy

02/14/08 - 12:00

"She implied that if the city did not return to the previously posted speed limit, it may cause a law in the Idaho Legislature that allows Idaho cities to set their own speed limits to be overturned. "

Then this law is a sham and speed limits throughout the state should be set by the state???? There is a crosswalk on this state road, apparently with no signal light. If there is to be a more reasonable limit than 35 mph, it must be set by the state?? Best they get rid of this law then, and also the one which says that the town library can set its own late fees.

Reply to Ziggy

Garrett

02/14/08 - 13:37

I don't think they're saying they'll pass a new law, it sounds like they're saying that an old law might get nulled and voided. Someone could contest a speeding ticket, and the judge might be forced to rule that cities don't have the right to set speed limits in that fashion. And then you've got a worthless law on the books.

In any case, a little follow up on just what the state lawmakers were getting at would be nice, even though I know it probably won't happen.

Konrad – Texas

02/14/08 - 08:40

Some years ago I drove through Oakley, Kansas, on US Highway 83. I found the speed limit went down to 20 mph.
The distance was not long, and towns are far apart. I found it somewhat relaxing and pleasant to cruise slowly through and admire the scenery of a small friendly town.
Perhaps if the State doesn't like it, the State should build a bypass.