By LEAH DEARBORN
PEABODY — City Council is trying to make the roads safer by reducing the speed limit.
The council voted 5-0 at a legal affairs committee meeting Feb. 16 to amend the city’s default speed limit to 25 miles per hour. Previously, every street without a sign had a speed limit of 30 mph.
Mayor Edward A. Bettencourt Jr. characterized the change in speed as “simple and straightforward.
“There’s just too many cars going too fast on our streets,” he said.
Christopher Ryder, chief of the mayor’s staff, said residents can expect the speed limit change to go into effect sometime in the next few weeks.
Ryder said the city will advertise the change, possibly through the use of the community communication alert network.
A number of towns and cities, including Boston, have changed their default speed limits after Gov. Charlie Baker signed the Municipal Modernization Bill last year.
Before signing the bill, all speed limit changes had to be initiated through a traffic study, followed by a presentation to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), said Bettencourt.
The mayor said the changes won’t apply to highways or roads with existing signs over 30 mph. He named Lowell, Lynnfield, Lynn and Pulaski Streets as examples.
Ward 1 Councilor Jon Turco inquired about Bartholomew Street, which has multiple speed zones.
Bettencourt said he would recommend the overall speed limit of Bartholomew Street be reduced to 25 mph.
“I have three kids, it’s certainly a concern of mine,” said Bettencourt, who emphasized that the change will target densely populated side streets.
“That’s a no-brainer. I like that idea,” said Ward 3 Councilor James Moutsoulas. “Right now, you just made that process a lot easier.”
The city will be able to increase speed limits if they need to adjust the 25 mph limit in some areas, but that process will still involve going through MassDOT.
Leah Dearborn can be reached at [email protected].
