SLOW DOWN: City to Explore Reduced Speed Limits

SARATOGA SPRINGS — City Mayor Ron Kim announced the city will begin to explore implementing a 25-mph speed limit in certain areas of the city. 

“Research has shown that faster driving speeds correlate to more serious injuries and fatalities for pedestrians in the event of a crash,” the mayor told the council on Oct. 2. 

The recommendation came from the city’s Complete Streets Advisory Board, citing the promotion of safety as a top priority and implementing a 25-mph speed limit within the city’s inner district. The recommendation, submitted to the city on Sept. 29 by CSAB Chair Ken Grey and Co-Chair Ted Orosz, specifically points to the area between West Ave and Henning Rd (east/west), Crescent Avenue and Route 50 (north/south) and west of route 50 to include Skidmore College. 

“This initiative can be refined based on neighborhood analysis. Reduced speed limits will also assist changing behaviors, including the slowing of truck traffic on Broadway and doing our part to become a climate smart community,” the SCAB letter states, and references communities in Seattle, Washington; Denver, Colorado; Kennebunkport, Maine, and New York City as having implemented reductions in speed limits and achieving positive outcomes. 

“In the Capital District the city of Albany and Town of East Greenbush are implementing these changes, and the Town of Malta is considering implementing them,” according to the CSAB. “We believe this is an important measure for enhancing the walkability, bike-ability and safety of Saratoga Springs.”

“The next step is we are going to retain an engineering study of our traffic and report back to the City Council,” Mayor Kim said Oct. 2 “We will have several Public Hearings where people can express their opinions (and) the hope is that in a few months we will be able to make a decision about this after public hearings and back-and-forth dialogue.”