Is your street getting slower? Several busy Fresno roads are changing speed limits
The pace of Fresno traffic is about to get a little slower.
The city council has approved speed limit changes on sections of several streets, including busy intersections in north Fresno.
For instance, the posted speed on Friant Avenue from Audubon Drive to Shepard Avenue will be reduced from 50 mph to 45 mph; from Fresno Street to Audubon Drive, it will be reduced to 40 mph.
In all, 16 sections of Fresno roadways are affected and the changes will be enforced starting next month.
In addition, one newly constructed street was added to city’s speed ordinance, along with two that had been omitted from previous ordinances.
During Thursday’s meeting, Jill Gormley, the Assistant Director of the Department of Public Works, said the changes are part of routine assessments the city does on its roadways.
There’s a five-year cycle, per road, she said.
Engineering and traffic studies are done on each section with speed limits determined based on “what 85% of people are traveling at or above,” rounded up or down by 5 mph.
Typically, speeds on 10 to 20 segments of roadways are decreased each year, Gormley said.
In her 12 years on the job, she has never seen a speed limit increase.
Protected bike lanes, slow traffic
While the city has added sections of protected bike lanes to several streets (including Palm Avenue), those were not specifically included in the analysis, Gormley said.
A provision has been added to the state’s vehicle code that would allow the city to reduce posted speed limits along designated safety corridors, or on roads adjacent to high concentrations of bicyclists or pedestrians, but it isn’t expected to be utilized until next year, according to the department’s report to city council.
“When you narrow the roadways ... when you put things out there like parks cars or bike lanes, than the speeds are reduced almost naturally.”
The city’s speed limits are always a concern, councilmember Miguel Arias said during Thursday’s meeting, though it’s often in conflict with itself. Constituents want slower speeds through residential neighborhoods and at the same time want faster commutes to and from work.
His advice for those wanting to go faster from point A to point B:
“Use the freeways.”
Fresno road speed limits changes
At 25 miles per hour
Glenn Avenue, from Audubon Drive to Del Mar Avenue. A traffic signal and crosswalks are also going in soon.
Cornelia Avenue, from Santa Ana to Shaw avenues.
At 35 miles per hour
San Jose Avenue, from Cornelia to Salinas avenues (this is a new road)
G St, from El Dorado to Divisadero streets
Minnewawa Avenue, from Jensen to Grove avenues
Hughes Avenues, from Shields and Ashlan avenues
Clinton Avenue, from Van Ness to Blackstone avenues
Clinton Avenue, from Winery to McKinley avenues
At 40 miles per hour
Hayes Avenue, from Herndon Avenue to Veterans Boulevard
Parkway Drive, from Dakota to Ashlan avenues
Shaw Avenue, from Chestnut to Maple avenues
Fresno Street, from Sierra to Herndon avenues
Fresno Street, from Herndon to Alluvial avenues
Fresno Street, from Alluvial to Nees avenues
Fresno Street, from Nees to Friant avenues
Friant, from Fresno Street to Audubon Drive
At 45 miles per hour
Golden State Boulevard, from Belmont to Olive avenues
Golden State Boulevard, from Olive to McKinley avenues
Friant Avenue, from Audubon to Shepard avenues
