Ventura to Increase Speed Limits on 20 Streets

Ventura officials will raise speed limits on about 20 streets to comply with a court ruling that calls for higher limits if most motorists are traveling faster than the posted limit.

Some of the higher limits--mostly from 30 to 35 m.p.h.--will be posted within the next three weeks, said Nazir Lalani, city transportation engineer. The other streets will get new signs next year.

Although it has not been decided which streets will get signs, “very few are in residential neighborhoods, if any,” Lalani said.

Streets expected to see higher limits are Poli, Main, and Ralston streets; Victoria Avenue; Telegraph Road, and Thompson Boulevard, according to the city.

The posted speed limit on non-residential streets in a city must be between 25 and 55 m.p.h., Lalani said. If radar is used to catch speeders, the limit must be based on the speed at which 85% of the cars are traveling, according to the court ruling.

The new speed limits are not expected to lead to more accidents because most motorists on the affected streets are already traveling faster than the posted limits, Lalani said.