The Canton City Council voted Thursday to reduce the speed limit on East Main Street from near Interstate 575 through the downtown area after hearing concerns about pedestrian and driver safety.

The limit will be 25 mph from Brown Industrial Boulevard just west of the interstate to the Etowah River. Councilman Bill Grant said that currently the speed limit “goes up and down and up and down” through that stretch and should be consistent.

City manager Billy Peppers pointed out that the police department had recommended that the limit drop to 30 mph instead from Brown Industrial through Shipp Street, and then lowered to 25 mph through the core area. He said the lower limit could pose enforcement challenges.

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People join a rally in support for U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees on Tuesday afternoon, April 1, 2025, at the Atlanta headquarters after federal cuts triggered significant layoffs. (Photo: Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

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