New speed limits coming to 55 Redlands streets after traffic safety study

REDLANDS, Calif. — Redlands is set to lower speed limits on 55 street segments across the city following a comprehensive speed study prompted by new state legislation.

Why it matters: The last major update to speed limits in Redlands occurred in December 2022 and followed the “85th percentile rule,” a method requiring limits to match the speed at or below which 85% of drivers naturally travel. A new state law, however, has given local governments, and specifically city engineers, greater discretion to consider pedestrian activity, cyclists and other safety factors when setting speed limits.

Details: City council held a public hearing on May 20 to review the proposed changes, which were made possible under Assembly Bill 43 (AB 43), a law that took effect on Jan. 1, 2025, granting cities more flexibility to set speed limits based on safety considerations.

Municipal Utilities and Engineering Director John Harris explained that the city quickly began restudying its corridors once AB 43 was in effect. The new speed study was presented to the Traffic and Parking Commission (TPC) on Jan. 23 and was followed by two poorly attended public open houses in February. The TPC ultimately voted 4–1 in March to recommend that the council adopt the new limits.

“We are not proposing any speed limit increases,” Harris emphasized. “There are a lot of street segments that will retain their existing speed limits, but there are 55 street segments where the speed limits will be lowered.”

The 2024 survey proposed reducing speed limits on several roads across the city, including:

• Alessandro Road (Crescent Avenue to Sunset Drive)
• Barton Road (Terracina Boulevard to Alabama Street)
• Brookside Avenue (Lakeside Avenue to Center Street)
• Cajon Street (Fern Avenue to Garden Street)
• Colton Avenue (Redlands Boulevard to Church Street)
• San Bernardino Avenue (University Street to Wabash Avenue)
• Portions of Palm, Cypress, and Fern avenues

What they’re saying: Some council members expressed appreciation for the opportunity to finally reduce speeds on problematic corridors, noting that outdated rules didn’t allow for commonsense safety measures. Still, questions were raised about whether further reductions could be made.

“We've taken every possible liberty to adjust the speed limits down as low as we can while complying with state law,” Harris said. 

Councilmembers also inquired whether the traffic study and related accident data could support additional safety measures like stop signs or crosswalks. Harris clarified that this particular study was focused solely on speed limits and that state methodology still focuses on measured driver behavior, not collision history.

Kevin Morningstar, Chair of the Traffic and Parking Commission, spoke during the public comment section as a resident, sharing concerns about the report’s lack of correlation between accidents and posted speed limits. Morningstar explained that accident data submitted to the state does not integrate into the city’s GIS systems, making it difficult to evaluate whether speed reductions are addressing the most critical safety issues. He cited his own independent analysis using state data, which showed that the majority of Redlands accidents stemmed from poor driving behavior—not necessarily excessive speed.

Still, city leaders view the new speed limits as an important step forward.

“The number one charge of elected officers or elected officials is to keep the city safe,” said Council Member Paul Barich. “So this is a good start.”

Moving forward: While the proposed ordinance introduces the new limits, a final vote will be held on July 1. If approved, the updated speed limits would take effect later that month, allowing time for signage updates and public outreach. The city plans to use changeable message signs and partner with the Redlands Police Department (RPD) on education efforts.

The full 2024 traffic study can be downloaded here: