Dalton Gardens to drivers: Slow down

The city of Dalton Gardens for years has kicked around the idea of lowering the statutory speed limit from 35 mph to 25 mph. 

Tonight, the City Council will consider an ordinance to do just that.

Some residents are unsure if a reduced speed limit alone will have the desired effect. Drivers routinely travel more than 40 mph in the area as they use Fourth and 15th streets to avoid the north-south traffic on U.S. 95 and Government Way.

“It doesn’t matter unless people actually slow down,” said John Richard, who lives just outside Dalton Gardens city limits.

Mayor Curt Jernigan presented safety concerns related to speed limit at a Nov. 20 workshop. He argued that “the 1907 public dedication for the streets was not designed with today’s traffic needs in mind,” according to the meeting notes.

Additionally, street parking can pose a crash hazard due to the narrow shoulders of the roads, and many driveways enter directly into roadways, creating additional crash hazards, Jernigan said.

Some residents shared Jernigan’s concerns and said they supported a decreased speed limit of 25 mph.

Robert Wuest pointed out that “braking distances increase exponentially as travel speed increases” during the public comment section of the Nov. 20 meeting.

Lowering the speed limit would reduce potential damage and increase survivability in the event of a crash, Wuest argued.

Council members considered other options for maintaining public safety, such as installing curbs and sidewalks, but concluded the city did not have the funds for that.

The council will consider the speed limit ordinance when it meets at 6 p.m. tonight at Dalton Gardens City Hall.