Batavia considers lowering side street speed limits

Batavia is investigating whether to lower the speed limit on side streets to 25 mph, at the request of some residents and an alderman.

The city council this week directed city administrators to find out what, if anything, is required by the state to make a change.

"I think people want it moved up on the prioritization schedule," Alderman Marty Callahan said.

Blaine Street resident James Gorski asked the city council in late May to lower the speed limits in his neighborhood and angrily criticized the council earlier this month for not doing or saying anything about his request since then. Callahan agreed with him then.

Gorski said people are driving faster than 30 mph on Blaine, even on his block where the road dead-ends.

"There is more to it (lowering the limit) than one thinks," City Administrator Bill McGrath said.

For instance, he said, state law would forbid the city from issuing tickets that are based on radar-gun speed measurements unless the stop is made within 500 feet of a speed-limit sign. Like many towns, Batavia doesn't post speed limit signs on every block of every side street.

"There could be a huge expense to signing the city," McGrath said. " ... I'm not saying that to be negative about the project at all. I'm just telling you it is more complex." He also said an engineering study may have to be done.

Callahan, a former police officer, noted that New York City is lowering its speed limits to 25 mph, starting next week, and talked about studies that show pedestrians are more likely to survive a 25-mph crash than one at 30 mph.

Alderman Dave Brown, a 17-year member of the council, said that in the past when speed limit changes were requested, engineering and police studies found that the fast drivers were the complainants' neighbors.

The city does post speed trailers and displays throughout town, informing passing motorists how fast they are driving. Gorski said those have been used in his neighborhood, but drivers are still driving fast.

"We are promoting in this town a pedestrian- and bicycling-friendly community," Callahan said. "And people already think it is 25 (mph)."