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News & ArtsMonday, January 30, 2012
Olympia The "Slow the Fuck Down on Neighborhood Streets" Bill Passes the State House
Posted by Eli Sanders on Mon, Jan 30, 2012 at 12:56 PM
We cheered this bill in our round-up of the The Good, the Bad, and the Fucking Nuts in Olympia this session:
HB 1217: Slow the fuck down on neighborhood streets
Turns out the state makes it very expensive to lower a speed limit—who knew?—and this bill, technically, just makes it a lot cheaper to do so. But HB 1217's broader impact could be huge for cyclists and pedestrians, says Craig Benjamin, director of policy and government affairs for the Cascade Bicycle Club, because "lots of cities would love to lower their speed limits on nonarterial streets, but right now they have to do a costly state-approved engineering and traffic study first." By eliminating that study requirement, this bill would help spur cash-strapped cities (like Seattle) to build more bicycle-friendly greenways. Which is great for everyone because, as Benjamin points out, a person who gets hit by a car going 20 miles per hour has a 5 percent chance of dying, while at 30 miles per hour, that chance of dying spikes to 45 percent.
And today it passed the state house unanimously.
However, as we noted: "This bill died in the senate last year." HOWEVER, as we also noted: "This year, with more senate support and even AAA behind the measure, backers—including Cindy Ryu (D-32) and Jamie Pedersen (D-43)—smell victory."
If you want to help make that victory happen, get in touch with the Bicycle Alliance of Washington.
1
most bikers who get hit by cars probably deserved it for pretending they are the only people on the road
4
It's not just cyclists & pedestrians who will benefit, but car-owning residents as well. My car has been hit at least three times in the six years I've lived on a narrow residential street by speeders who use it as a short-cut to avoid stopping at the intersection a couple of blocks away. In each case, they just kept going, never stopping to leave a note, so all of them were classified as hit-and-run. Most insurance companies will cover the repairs under those circumstances, but it's still costing someone, not to mention the inconvenience of having ones vehicle in the shop for several days - or more.
7
And where you find a road on a hill, you will see cyclists flat out ignore the speed limit. Time to install red light cameras on Pike, Pine and Boren ave.
9
The chances of dying after being hit by someone going 30 in a 20 zone, however, are probably the same as the chances of dying after being hit by someone going 30 in a 30 zone.
(I'd love it if people slowed down on non-arterials, too, but I have a hard time believing that changing the speed limits on them is actually going to do it.)
(I'd love it if people slowed down on non-arterials, too, but I have a hard time believing that changing the speed limits on them is actually going to do it.)
10
How many pedestrians and cyclists have been killed on residential streets in Washington by non-impaired drivers traveling at the 25 MPH speed limit? And how many of the assholes who drive 35 MPH down such streets actually get ticketed? I would be surprised if the answer to either question were statistically significant, but it's not like that has ever stopped someone from shouting "there ought to be a law...".
13
Caltrops are very effective and cheap solution to unwanted wheeled traffic. Pea-gravel if it's just those damn skater kids...
14
“that chance of dying spikes to 45 percent.”
That’s so negative. They should point out that the person has a 55 percent chance of LIVING!!
See, much better.
That’s so negative. They should point out that the person has a 55 percent chance of LIVING!!
See, much better.
15
This is such bullshit. Pedestrians, cyclists, and parked cars for that matter, get hit when people are driving too fast for the amount of attention they are paying. Making it easier to pay less attention doesn't make the problem go away, but it does give the aforementioned obstacles a false sense of security and punish those of us who concentrate on driving safely.
16
@4,
Have you looked into asking SDOT to put in speed bumps on your street? I have no idea what the process is in getting that done, but there are a number of residential streets, especially in Ballard off 15th, that have had them installed.
I would hope that documentation of damage to your car could sway SDOT into putting them in. Although it wouldn't surprise me if it takes them a looonnngg-ass time to get around to it.
Have you looked into asking SDOT to put in speed bumps on your street? I have no idea what the process is in getting that done, but there are a number of residential streets, especially in Ballard off 15th, that have had them installed.
I would hope that documentation of damage to your car could sway SDOT into putting them in. Although it wouldn't surprise me if it takes them a looonnngg-ass time to get around to it.
17
@7 - Cyclists can get a speeding ticket, just like a car.
And almost every single car breaks the speed limit on these long downhills. Check out Admiral going down to the West Seattle bridge, and good luck finding a driver going 30mph. You nearly hit 50mph just coasting.
Red light cameras would require a visible license in order to catch bike riders. I have no issue with that at all, as long as there's no huge fee/hassle to get one. I get around solely by bike, and am frustrated at the lawlessness of most riders. Not running a light is the exception rather than the norm for Seattle.
And almost every single car breaks the speed limit on these long downhills. Check out Admiral going down to the West Seattle bridge, and good luck finding a driver going 30mph. You nearly hit 50mph just coasting.
Red light cameras would require a visible license in order to catch bike riders. I have no issue with that at all, as long as there's no huge fee/hassle to get one. I get around solely by bike, and am frustrated at the lawlessness of most riders. Not running a light is the exception rather than the norm for Seattle.
18
The Stranger loves the dumbest causes. This bill is about letting grandstanding local politicians set speed limits, instead of rational traffic engineers. And letting greedy rednecks make up speed traps.
There's damn good reasons for having speed limits set by traffic engineers following a scientific process.
The thing is, the zeroes who write for the Stranger love the thought of whipping up hysteria and goading some city council member to drop the hammer of some ill conceived speed limits hither and yon around the city. It makes guys like Eli Sanders and Dominic Holden feel like they have power. Like how it would be if they'd done something with their lives.
They need to see a shrink or get one of those life coaches.
There's damn good reasons for having speed limits set by traffic engineers following a scientific process.
The thing is, the zeroes who write for the Stranger love the thought of whipping up hysteria and goading some city council member to drop the hammer of some ill conceived speed limits hither and yon around the city. It makes guys like Eli Sanders and Dominic Holden feel like they have power. Like how it would be if they'd done something with their lives.
They need to see a shrink or get one of those life coaches.
19
Wake me when they pass the law that punishes drivers who go the wrong way around roundabouts with beheading. People who don't understand basic traffic laws aren't going to improve their habits solely because the rest of us have to drive slower. Nice try though!
20
@19
You might want to go and actually read the law you think they're breaking and then get back to us.
You might want to go and actually read the law you think they're breaking and then get back to us.
21
@20
wsdot.wa.gov/safety/roundabouts
Yes? Are you saying that it's acceptable for a driver to make a left hand turn without going all the way around? That's...interesting.
wsdot.wa.gov/safety/roundabouts
Yes? Are you saying that it's acceptable for a driver to make a left hand turn without going all the way around? That's...interesting.
22
I'm not a traffic engineer, but I've taken some classes on the subject. Traffic engineers (as opposed to local police and community groups) who are serious about slowing down traffic know that it takes more than a sign with a new number on it (which requires massive spending increases to enforce): you can narrow the roadway (everywhere or just at intersections), you can add parking on the side, you can install speed humps or rumble strips. I hate to say it, but this is probably just a gift to the greedy rednecks with a penchant for speed traps.
23
@21 If you're talking about those dinky little neighborhood traffic circles, as opposed to a full-blown roundabout, then technically it's incorrect to make a left without going around, but for fuck's sake, get a grip. If there's no other traffic, I don't even think a ticket is warranted, let alone a beheading.
24
@23
In Seattle you're allowed to go around the dinky little traffic circles either way. Going the right way is encouraged, but you can legally go the wrong way if you feel like it. I think the nearest roundabout is in Snoqualmie, and I've never heard that going the wrong way around it was a problem, even with the tourists.
In Seattle you're allowed to go around the dinky little traffic circles either way. Going the right way is encouraged, but you can legally go the wrong way if you feel like it. I think the nearest roundabout is in Snoqualmie, and I've never heard that going the wrong way around it was a problem, even with the tourists.
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