Speed Limits
Engineering Department - Speed Limits on
Village Streets
- Speed Limits
Many requests are received each year to reduce the speed limit in
certain locations of the community. There are false assumptions
that lowering the speed limit will, in turn, lower the speed of
traffic and increase safety. Before and after studies show that
little change in vehicle speed occurs when speed limits are
altered. Illinois State Statutes specify a speed limit of 30 mph
on municipal streets unless an engineering study has been
conducted which shows a warrant for its increase or decrease.
Motorists tend to operate at a speed at which they feel
comfortable and safe driving. The most effective way to increase
the safety of our residential streets is to recognize offenders
and enforce the posted speed limit.
When the Village receives a request to change the speed limit, the
Engineering Department performs a speed study. The speed limit is
based on the free-flowing traffic speed. The most popular method
to set a speed limit is the speed at which 85% of the motorists
are operating. This has proven to result in the lowest level of
accidents.
- Do Stop Signs Reduce Speeding?
Research shows that stop signs do not effectively reduce speeding
beyond a 200 foot radius of the sign. The purpose of a stop sign
is to allow safe access on and off a road at an intersection, not
to control speed. It has been observed that when stop signs are
falsely used to control speeds, downstream speeds are found to be
higher than if stop signs were not in place. Motorists tend to
speed between stops to make up for lost time when stop signs are
unwarranted or overused. Too many stop signs also give residents a
false sense of security and increase the occurrence of accidents.
Warranted stop signs should possess certain hourly traffic volume
requirements, high pedestrian activity, or a poor line of
sight.
- What About Enforcement?
The speed limit is the law. To have total compliance with the speed limit is not a realistic goal. Excessive speeding will not be tolerated, and noticeable offenders will be penalized. Be aware that enforcement is present. Signs and limits are not truly effective unless motorists are aware that consequences to violations exist. The Police Department, together with the Engineering Department, determine areas in the Village which have speeding problems. These areas of concern are monitored by both the Police and Engineering Departments.
The Police Department is investigating the use of photographic
radar along with the educational speed monitoring signs often seen
attached to an unoccupied police vehicle. Residents may assist the
Police Department in observing the speed of vehicles in their
neighborhoods by borrowing a radar gun. Participants may now
identify speeders in their neighborhood and inform the police of
the violators. Contact the Police Department at 244-8640 for more
information on keeping your streets safe.
With the cooperation of residents, the Village can determine
appropriate speed limits which protect residents and allow for
safe vehicular travel.
- What Can Be Done To Control
Speed?
- Municipalities are experimenting with
new technology such as photographic radar to increase intensity
and time of enforcement of the speed limit at feasible
costs.
- "Cut through" opportunities have been
eliminated to alter high speed traffic patterns in some
residential areas with the use of signs, traffic islands, or
other roadway design features.
- The Village of Gurnee Police Department
places vehicles which post the current speed of any passing
vehicle. The purpose of these units is to educate drivers,
monitor problem areas, and to enforce the speed
limit.
- Residents can help themselves by
learning to recognize reasonable speeds for safety as a
pedestrian.
- Speed bumps/humps slow traffic. However,
when placed on public streets, damage to vehicles and longer
emergency response time could prove to be a municipal
liability.
- Remember, statistics show that 75-80% of
speeding is done by your neighbor. Are you one of those
neighbors?
- If you have a concern about speeding in
your neighborhood, please contact the Village of Gurnee
Director of Engineering at 623-7658.
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The Village of Gurnee / Engineering Department / Last Revised
10/23/01
