City Council approved this change on Tuesday evening during their meeting. The speed adjustment comes from a recommendation made from the newly formed Pedestrian Safety Task Force.
The need for both a task force and adjusted speed limit arose as a result of multiple fatalities involving drivers and pedestrians occurring in the past year. “Vehicle safety has always been a priority but this is a renewed focus on it,” said Adam Schleicher, Director of Public Works/City Engineer. As the City of Sun Prairie continues to experience substantial growth, so does the occupancy of its streets. Main Street sustains an approximate traffic volume of 16,500 vehicles per day. With the large amount of community growth, adjustments are needed to ensure the safety of drivers and pedestrians. Enforcement of the new speed limit will go into once the signage is updated. Delivery of all necessary signs and materials is approximated at 3 weeks. In order to emphasize and enhance education of the new speed limit, additional signage is being planned, adding flags to the signs, and installing radar feedback signage along the entire corridor.
The speed limit adjustment is one of the first steps in achieving the “Vision Zero” strategy regarding the safety of drivers and pedestrians. The ultimate goal is to achieve a road traffic system with no fatalities or serious injuries. Although it will take time to reach that goal, the City is committed to the safety of the community.
The task force’s 4th meeting was held on Tuesday, March 30th and they continue to meet weekly. Community involvement is very important to planning. A citizen engagement plan is being developed to offer residents the opportunity to have their feedback heard regarding the corridor as a whole and individual segments. The final plan will be presented to the Public Works Committee in April.
Follow along on the Pedestrian Safety Task Force’s webpage for updates and future engagement opportunities: https://cityofsunprairie.com/PedestrianSafetyTaskForce.