{"id":494,"date":"2012-01-03T20:42:00","date_gmt":"2012-01-03T20:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wabikes.org\/2012\/01\/03\/paving-the-way-for-safer-neighborhood-streets-in-2012-shb-1217\/"},"modified":"2012-01-03T20:42:00","modified_gmt":"2012-01-03T20:42:00","slug":"paving-the-way-for-safer-neighborhood-streets-in-2012-shb-1217","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2012\/01\/03\/paving-the-way-for-safer-neighborhood-streets-in-2012-shb-1217\/","title":{"rendered":"Paving the Way for Safer Neighborhood Streets in 2012: SHB 1217"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Fresh from the holiday break, the State Legislature is slated on January 9 to head into its sprint of a 60-day legislative session. Washington Bikes will be lobbying on behalf of bicyclists statewide with its list of legislative priorities for 2012. At the top of that list includes continuing legislation from 2011 \u2013 substitute house bill (SHB) 1217: the Neighborhood Safe Streets Bill. <\/span><\/div>\n
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Sponsored by Representative Cindy Ryu (D-Shoreline), the legislation counts 17 co-sponsors and last year it passed 92-0 in the House of Representatives. The Neighborhood Safe Streets Bill\u2019s supporters include a growing list of cities, organizations, and individuals from across the state.<\/span><\/div>\n

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This legislation paves the way for local governments\u00a0 – specifically cities and towns \u2013 to make safer streets and neighborhoods by allowing them the authority to set speed limits to 20 miles per hour on non-arterial streets. It does not mandate any change, it simply provides cities and towns the local control to do so.\u00a0 <\/b><\/span><\/div>\n

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Wait. Can\u2019t cities and towns set speed limits below 25 miles per hour now?<\/span><\/div>\n

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In a word: no. Current Washington law prohibits municipalities from setting speed limits lower than 25 miles an hour except in very limited areas, such as school zones. If cities and towns do hope to go below this state-mandated minimum, they are required to conduct and administer an engineering and traffic study \u2013 a process requiring staff time and money. <\/span><\/div>\n

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Given the stresses of reduced budgets and staffing for transportation in cities and towns across Washington, the Neighborhood Safe Speeds Bill removes a hurdle in time and cost for local governments<\/b> who want to create safer streets in our neighborhoods, residential business districts, parks, and to schools across the state. <\/span><\/div>\n

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The list is long for what the Neighborhood Safe Speeds Bill can do for cities and towns in Washington:<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n

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