Decatur drafting document on uniform speed limits

Georgia’s Department of Transportation appears open to helping Decatur establish uniform speed limits, according to Assistant City Manager David Junger. For several years the city’s examined the possibility of 25 miles per hour limits on most residential streets, and 30 to 35 mph in other areas. A major impediment has been the DOT’s 85/15 test, where a limit’s determined safe if 85 percent of the drivers adhere to the stated speed or go slower.

“We believe there has to be other criterion besides the 85 percentile,” Junger said. “In Decatur you also have to consider the street designs, the number of children in neighborhoods and the frequency of driveways.”

Junger said he’s drafting a document ‘justifying changing the speed limits on defined streets” that he’ll send to the DOT next week.