Survey results in adjustments of some city speed limits

By Doug Spoon, Editor

The City of Menifee will post signs with updated speed limits at several locations throughout the City in the coming weeks.

An ordinance approved by the City Council last week called for a decrease in the speed limit in 24 locations. Ten other locations will see an increased speed limit and 65 locations will stay the same, according to the ordinance. The changes were approved after a traffic study conducted by STC Traffic Carlsbad.

The California Vehicle Code requires cities to conduct a traffic survey at least every five years and make adjustments as indicated in speed limits. Menifee’s last traffic survey was conducted in 2017. Public works director Nick Fidler, who along with Menifee PD Captain Chris Karrer presented the ordinance to City Council, said he would like to see such a survey conducted every two or three years in Menifee.

The survey was conducted by recording the speed of 100 cars passing each location at “free flow” speeds, not “peak flow”, Karrer explained. The surveyor then computed 85 percent of the average speed to determine a “baseline travel speed” for use in the survey. From that baseline, cities round the speed to the nearest 5 mph increment, then adjust it either up or down 5 mph.

The only exceptions to those adjustments is allowed by AB 43, which provides for more adjustments in consideration of children, seniors or those with disabilities present in the affected areas.

One of the adopted decreases in speed limit was the section of Newport Road from Menifee Road east to the city limits, which is basically at the top of the hill on what becomes Domenigoni Parkway at that point. The speed limit there will be reduced from 55 mph to 50 mph.

There have been several serious and fatal traffic accidents on that stretch of road in recent years. Karrer said additional “traffic calming” methods could be considered – including additional police enforcement at that location. However, the most the speed limit could be reduced according to the traffic survey was 5 mph.

Speed limits on other sections of Newport Road were established as:

-- West city limits to Murrieta Road – 55 mph (no change)

-- Murrieta Road to Bradley Road – 50 mph (speed isn’t currently posted)

-- Bradley Road to the 215 Freeway – 45 mph (decreased 5 mph)

-- 215 Freeway to Menifee Road – 45 mph (no change)

The only change on Menifee Road was a 5 mph decrease to 50 mph between Simpson Road and Aldergate Drive – a section previously without a roadway and referred to as the Missing Link. The speed limit on Bradley Road will be reduced to 30 mph between McCall Boulevard and Cherry Hills Boulevard; and reduced to 40 mph between Potomac Drive and Newport Road.

One change questioned by Mayor Bill Zimmerman was an increase of 10 mph – from 25 to 35 mph -- on Sun City Boulevard between McCall Boulevard and McLaughlin Road. That extra increase occurred because the difference between the previous posted speed limit and the surveyed traffic flow was higher than in other areas.

Zimmerman cited the number of golf carts used on that road by residents living there with driveways accessible to the street. He believes that the higher speed limit would effectively eliminate the use of golf carts by residents trying to back out of their driveways into faster traffic.

“I sense you will have resistance from Sun City residents who enjoy a certain lifestyle,” Zimmerman said. “I don’t want the City to make it so they can’t use golf carts to visit friends and go to places like the grocery store. I’d like to see if we can use AB 43 to adjust that number.”

Fidler said that City officials would take a look at that situation. Once signs with new speed limits are posted, there will be a 30-day grace period before Menifee PD will issue citations for speeding.

To see the complete list of roads and their speed limits, visit the City of Menifee website, go to the agenda for the Nov. 3 City Council meeting and click on the documents for item 12.1.