HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-12-17 Meeting PacketAgenda
Transportation Commission
City Of Edina, Minnesota
VIRTUAL MEETING
Thursday, December 17, 2020
6:00 PM
I.Call To Order
II.Roll Call
III.Approval Of Meeting Agenda
IV.Approval Of Meeting Minutes
A.Approval of Minutes - Regular Meeting of November 19, 2020
V.Reports/Recommendations
A.Draft Local Speed Limit Public Engagement Report
B.Draft Travel Demand Management Policy
C.Draft Tra,c Impact Study Policy
D.2020 Work Plan Updates
VI.Chair And Member Comments
A.Street Funding Task Force Update
VII.Sta2 Comments
VIII.Calendar Of Events
A.Schedule of Upcoming Meetings and Events as of December 11,
2020
IX.Adjournment
The City of Edina wants all residents to be comfortable being part of the public
process. If you need assistance in the way of hearing ampli6cation, an
interpreter, large-print documents or something else, please call 952-927-8861
72 hours in advance of the meeting.
Date: December 17, 2020 Agenda Item #: IV.A.
To:Transportation Commission Item Type:
Minutes
From:Andrew Scipioni, Transportation Planner
Item Activity:
Subject:Approval of Minutes - Regular Meeting of November
19, 2020
Action
CITY OF EDINA
4801 West 50th Street
Edina, MN 55424
www.edinamn.gov
ACTION REQUESTED:
Approve the minutes of the Transportation Commission regular meeting of November 19, 2020.
INTRODUCTION:
See attached draft minutes.
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Draft Minutes, November 19, 2020
Draft Minutes☒
Approved Minutes☐
Approved Date:
Minutes
City Of Edina, Minnesota
Transportation Commission
WebEx
November 19, 2020
I. Call To Order
Chair Richman called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m.
II. Roll Call
Answering roll call were Commissioners Ahler, Johnson, Lafferty, Plumb-Smith, Richman, Khariwala.
Late: Commissioners Kane, McCarthy, Scherer, Clark
Absent: Commissioner Atri
Staff present: Transportation Planner Andrew Scipioni
Commissioner Clark arrived at 6:04.
III. Approval Of Meeting Agenda
Motion was made by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Plumb-Smith to
approve the agenda. All voted aye. Motion carried.
IV. Approval Of Meeting Minutes
Motion was made by Commissioner Ahler and seconded by Commissioner Plumb-Smith
approving the October 22, 2020 meeting minutes. All voted aye. Motion carried.
V. Reports/Recommendations
Commissioner Scherer arrived at 6:08.
Commissioners Kane and McCarthy arrived at 6:23.
A. Traffic Safety Report of October 22, 2020
The Commission reviewed the Traffic Safety Report of October 22, 2020.
Item B3: Requesting signage for bicyclists or motorists at West Shore Dr and sidewalk connection
to Aspasia Cir.
Motion was made by Commissioner Scherer and seconded by Commissioner Kane to
recommend the Traffic Safety Committee consider signage for pedestrians and
bicyclists to indicate that cross traffic does not stop. All voted aye. Motion carried.
Motion was made by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Ahler to
approve the Traffic Safety Report of October 22, 2020 with the added recommendation.
All voted aye. Motion carried.
Draft Minutes☒
Approved Minutes☐
Approved Date:
B. 2020 Work Plan Updates
• #1 CloverRide – No update.
• #2 Traffic Impact Studies – Staff shared TISs for 6600 and 7001 France Ave development
proposals for comment. Commissioners discussed the review process and suggested
improvements for future reviews.
• #3 Travel Demand Management – Staff will present draft policy in December for review
and comment.
• #4 TIS Framework – Np update.
• #5 Educational Activities– Initiative is completed, Commissioners suggested an article
reminding residents to plow sidewalks and discourage salt use.
• #6 Traffic Safety Reports – Commission reviewed TSR of Oct 27, 2020; recommended TSC
reconsider signage for sidewalk connection between Aspasia Cir and West Shore Dr.
• #7 CIP/PACS – No update.
C. 2021 Work Plan Update
Staff Liaison Scipioni provided a summary of City Manager Scott Neal’s comments to the Commission’s
proposed 2021 work plan. Manager Neal presented these comments to City Council at their November
4 work session and Council will vote to approve all Board and Commission work plans at their
December 1 regular meeting. Scipioni also updated the Commission on the interest from Minnetonka
High School’s VANTAGE advanced professional studies program to assist with the proposed organized
trash initiative next year.
VI. Chair and Member Comments
A. Street Funding Task Force Update
Commissioner Scherer informed the Commission that the Task Force presented three funding options
to City Council at their November 17 work session. Scherer noted that all three options transition
away from special assessments to some degree and all involve removing subcut excavation from special
assessments. The Task Force has also discussed other costs associated with roadway reconstruction
project funding, including retaining walls, street lighting, and restoration of private items installed within
the public right-of-way (irrigation, pet fences, landscaping, etc.). Scherer noted that there will be an
opportunity in the future for the public to comment on the proposed funding options.
Commissioner Ahler attended a review session for Hennepin County’s climate action plan and will share
with the rest of the Commission when the next opportunity to participate will be. Ahler also shared that
Our Streets Minneapolis is looking into making it easier to cross county roads and Minneapolis and some of
this work may be applicable to county roads in Edina, such as France Avenue.
Commissioner Lafferty wished the rest of the Commissioners a happy Thanksgiving.
Commissioner Richman clarified the updated procedure for submitting and sharing Commissioner
comments on traffic impact studies. Richman also asked staff when construction on France Avenue is
Draft Minutes☒
Approved Minutes☐
Approved Date:
scheduled to be completed and when the traffic signal at West 58th Street will be turned on; staff will check
with the project team and follow up.
VII. Staff Comments
• The final layer of asphalt on West 58th Street is anticipated to be installed by the end of this week.
Restoration work for this project is expected to continue in Spring 2021.
• The City has received a petition against the proposed sidewalk on Beard Avenue in the Creek Knoll
roadway reconstruction project.
• Staff has discussed the proposed West 56th Street sidewalk with several concerned residents but
have not received a formal petition against the project.
• The public comment period for the local speed limit evaluation has closed. Almost 130 comments
were received;
o 53% were supportive of the recommendation
o 14% were supportive of 20 mph speed limits (like Minneapolis)
o 23% were unsupportive of the recommendation
• Staff met with a representative from HourCar to discuss a possible partnership with the City.
Commissioner Clark left at 7:40 p.m.
VIII. Schedule of Meeting and Events as of November 13, 2020
For information purposes only, no discussion.
IX. Adjournment
Motion was made by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Plumb-Smith to
adjourn the November 19, 2020 meeting at 7:43 p.m. All voted aye. Motion Carried.
Draft Minutes☒
Approved Minutes☐
Approved Date:
TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION ATTENDANCE
J F M A M J J A S O N D # of Mtgs Attendance %
Meetings/Work Sessions 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11
NAME
Ahler, Mindy 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10 91%
Johnson, Kirk 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 82%
Kane, Bocar 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 100%
Lafferty, Peter 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 100%
McCarthy, Bruce 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10 91%
Plumb-Smith, Jill 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10 91%
Richman, Lori 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 100%
Scherer, Matthew 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 82%
Atri, Nihar (s) 1 1 2 67%
Clark, Anna (s) 1 1 1 3 100%
Khariwala, Anand (s) 1 1 1 3 100%
Olson, Larry 1 1 Term Expired 2 N/A
Ruthruff, Erik 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Resigned 9 N/A
Erickson, Tayden (s) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Term Expired 7 N/A
Venell, Simon (s) 1 1 1 1 1 Term Expired 5 N/A
Date: December 17, 2020 Agenda Item #: V.A.
To:Transportation Commission Item Type:
Other
From:Andrew Scipioni, Transportation Planner
Item Activity:
Subject:Draft Local Speed Limit Public Engagement Report Discussion, Information
CITY OF EDINA
4801 West 50th Street
Edina, MN 55424
www.edinamn.gov
ACTION REQUESTED:
Review and comment on the draft public engagement report for the local speed limit evaluation.
INTRODUCTION:
See attached draft report and supporting documents.
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Draft Public Engagement Report
A. Existing Speed Limits
B. Technical Analysis
C. Proposed Speed Limits
D. Feedback Form Submissions
E. Map Submissions
F. Direct Correspondence
July 10, 2020
Transportation Commission
Andrew Scipioni, Transportation Planner
Local Speed Limit Evaluation [DRAFT]
Executive Summary
This report is a summary of the analysis conducted to direct the City of Edina’s approach to setting speed
limits on local streets in accordance with City policies and recent State legislation. The current speed limit
on most streets owned by the City of Edina is 30 miles per hour (mph), which is the statutory urban speed
limit set by the Minnesota State Legislature. Effective August 1, 2019, cities have the authority to set speed
limits on streets they control.
The recommended speed limits on local streets are as follows:
30 mph on four-lane major streets
25 mph on two-lane major streets
20 mph on major streets within School Zones (no change from current restriction)
20 mph on minor streets
15 mph on minor streets within School Zones (no change from current restriction)
10 mph on alleys (no change from current restriction)
Speed limits on streets owned by other jurisdictions will remain as they are, unless changed by their
respective agencies. These include streets owned by the Minnesota Department of Transportation,
Hennepin County and private streets.
These new speed limits are recommended based on the findings from detailed technical analysis, including:
Lower speeds reduce the likelihood and severity of motor vehicle crashes.
Utilizing the 85th-percentile to set speed limits prioritizes motor vehicle traffic over the safety of all
modes of transportation, including pedestrians and cyclists.
REPORT / RECOMMENDATION Page 2
Lower speed limits promote public health and safety and support the goals established in the
Comprehensive Plan and the Living Streets Plan.
A tiered approach to local speed limits is most appropriate for Edina given the wide range of traffic
volumes and percentage of non-local traffic on city streets. This approach is consistent with that
implemented by other cities that strive to accommodate all modes of transportation.
Background
In 2006, Edina’s Transportation Commission recommended that City Council adopt a resolution
recommending a 25-mph speed limit policy in residential areas. City staff, at the time, instead recommended
that Council adopt a resolution supporting lowering the statutory urban residential speed limit from 30 to
25 mph. Council subsequently passed Resolution 2006-64, which stated that “the City of Edina does hereby
strongly support a statewide lowering of the speed limit from 30 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour on
local, residential roadways.” Rationale provided in the resolution included:
“Drivers traveling at high speeds are less aware of their surroundings and have less time to notice
and react to pedestrians and bicyclists.”
“Relatively small increases in vehicle speed can greatly increase the chances that a pedestrian will die
in a vehicle-to-pedestrian crash.”
“Experts on street design say that 20 to 25 miles per hour is the maximum safe speed for residential
streets.”
“The City of Edina supports ensuring speed limits maximize safety for all roadway users including
drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists.”
In 2008, Council adopted Resolution 2008-27, requesting State Representative Ron Erhardt sponsor
legislation granting permission to form a Speed Limit Task Force to begin a state-wide study of the feasibility
of 25 mph speed limits and that said study be completed before the start of the 2009 legislative session. The
2008 Comprehensive Plan also included the following policy statements:
“Support state legislation to decrease statutory urban speed limits from 30 to 25 miles per hour.”
“Complete speed zone studies and establish speed zones for Safe Routes to School.”
In 2009, the City received Safe Routes to School (SRTS) funding for implementation of a city-wide school
speed zone study. This study was prepared by WSB & Associates, Inc. and evaluated conditions near six
elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school and three private schools in Edina. The purpose of
the study was to “determine and implement school speed zones adjacent to each school” and to “provide
safe conditions to encourage students to walk and bike to school.” Council subsequently adopted Resolution
2009-66, adopting the Edina Schools Speed Zone Study and authorizing implementation of the
recommended signage plan. New signage was installed prior to the start of the 2009/2010 school year.
In 2012, the Transportation Commission wrote an advisory communication to Council recommending that
the City revise its speed limit policy to be more consistent with current state legislation and “accurately
communicate the authority the City has to reduce speed limits.” The Commission noted that the City had
REPORT / RECOMMENDATION Page 3
previously lowered speed limits on some local streets with bike lanes to 25 miles per hour and had
established reduced speeds in school zones as permitted by state statute.
Between 2013 and 2015, the City developed and adopted the Living Streets Policy and Plan. Living Streets
balance the needs of motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians and transit riders in ways that promote safety and
convenience, enhance community identity, create economic vitality, improve environmental sustainability,
and provide meaningful opportunities for active living and better health. Living Streets principles that guide
the City’s approach to speed limits include:
“Living Streets are high-quality transportation facilities that meet the needs of the most vulnerable
users such as pedestrians, cyclists, children, seniors and the disabled.”
“Living Streets provide access and mobility for all transportation modes while enhancing safety and
convenience for all users.”
“Living Streets will improve the current and future quality of life of the public.”
These principles are further echoed in the draft 2018 Comprehensive Plan, which notes that today’s primary
transportation planning focus includes increasing safety and ensuring that the transportation needs of all
users will be considered and all modes will be appropriately accommodated.
Between 2011 and 2019, the City’s biennial Quality of Life survey asked residents to assess traffic concerns
in their neighborhoods. About 40% of residents have consistently expressed that speeding is a moderate-to-
extreme problem in their neighborhood.
In May 2019, the Minnesota Legislature passed and Governor Tim Walz signed legislation granting cities the
authority to set speed limits on streets they control:
“A city may establish speed limits for city streets under the city’s jurisdiction other than the limits
provided in subdivision 2 without conducting an engineering and traffic investigation. This subdivision
does not apply to town roads, county highways, or trunk highways in the city. A city that establishes
speed limits pursuant to this section must implement speed limit changes in a consistent and
understandable manner. The city must erect appropriate signs to display the speed limit. A city that
uses the authority under this subdivision must develop procedures to set speed limits based on the
city’s safety, engineering, and traffic analysis. At a minimum, the safety, engineering, and traffic
analysis must consider national urban speed limit guidance and studies, local traffic crashes, and
methods to effectively communicate the change to the public.”
- Minnesota Statues, Section 169.14, Subd. 5h
Existing Conditions
The current speed limit on most local streets in Edina is 30 mph, which is the statutory urban speed limit for
the State of Minnesota. The speed limit on Hennepin County roads in Edina varies between 30 and 40 mph.
The speed limit for Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) trunk highways in Edina is 55 mph.
Figure 1 shows all existing speed limits within Edina.
REPORT / RECOMMENDATION Page 4
Figure 1: Existing Speed Limits (as of January 2020)
REPORT / RECOMMENDATION Page 5
National Research and Guidance
National Transportation Safety Board
In 2017, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) published “Reducing Speeding-Related Crashes
Involving Passenger Vehicles,” a safety study examining causes, trends and countermeasures to prevent these
types of crashes. The findings of this study include:
“Speed increases the likelihood of serious and fatal crash involvement, although the exact
relationship is complex due to many factors.”
“Speed increases the injury severity of a crash.”
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) guidance for setting speed limits in
speed zones is based on the 85th percentile speed, but there is not strong evidence that, within a
given traffic flow, the 85th-percentile speed equates to the speed with the lowest crash involvement
rate on all road types.”
“Unintended consequences of the reliance on using the 85th-percentile speed for changing speed
limits in speed zones include higher operating speeds and new higher, 85th-percentile speeds in the
speed zones, and an increase in operating speeds outside the speed zones.”
“The safe system approach to setting speed limits in urban areas is an improvement over
conventional approaches because it considers the vulnerability of all road users.”
Among the recommendations of this report is for a revision to the MUTCD to “incorporate the safe system
approach for urban roads to strengthen protection for vulnerable road users.”
National Association of City Transportation Officials
The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) identifies two different approaches for
setting urban speed limits.
Citywide
Under this approach, a city designates a speed limit that applies to all roadways within their
jurisdiction. NACTO recommends a 25-mph speed limit for this strategy. “Setting or lowering
default citywide speed limits is an inexpensive, scalable way to quickly improve safety outcomes, and
establish a basis for larger safety gains. Default citywide limits also provide consistent expectations
and messages about speed across the jurisdiction, which is easy for drivers to follow.”
Category of Street
Under this approach, a city develops a tiered system of speed limits. NACTO recommends the
following tiered system:
25 mph on Major streets. “Major streets feature a combination of high motor vehicle traffic
volume, signalization of major intersection, and an inherently multimodal street
environment.”
REPORT / RECOMMENDATION Page 6
20 mph on Minor streets. “Minor streets include physically small streets where low speeds
are often already present, as well as low-vehicle-volume streets with few or no transit
stops.”
10 mph on alleys and shared streets
“Citywide speed limits are generally easier to implement and may be easier for driver to follow. However, in
cities where there is clear differentiation between major arterial streets and local or minor streets, setting
speed limits based on category of street can sometimes allow cities to lower speed limits on a large number
of streets below what would be allowable citywide (i.e. 20 mph on minor streets vs. 25 mph citywide). If
cities have the authority to set default speed limits, they should decide whether to implement citywide limits
or category limits based on what makes sense given the local conditions.”
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), published by the Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA), defines the standards used to install and maintain traffic control devices on public
transportation systems. The current MUTCD includes the following standards and guidance related to speed
limits:
“Speed zones (other than statutory speed limits) shall only be established on the basis of an
engineering study that has been performed in accordance with traffic engineering practices. The
engineering study shall include an analysis of the current speed distribution of free-flowing vehicles.”
“The Speed Limit sign…shall display the limit established by law, ordinance, regulation or as adopted
by the authorized agency based on the engineering study. The speed limits displayed shall be in
multiples of 5 mph.”
“State and local agencies should conduct engineering studies to reevaluate non-statutory speed
limits on segments of their roadways that have undergone significant changes since the last review,
such as the addition or elimination of parking or driveways, changes in traffic control signal
coordination, or significant changes in traffic volumes.”
“When a speed limit within a speed zone is poster, it should be within 5 mph of the 85th percentile
speed of free-flowing traffic.”
“Other factors that may be considered when establishing or reevaluating speed limits are the
following:
A. Road characteristics, shoulder condition, grade, alignment, and sight distance;
B. The pace;
C. Roadside development and environment;
D. Parking practices and pedestrian activity; and
E. Reported crash experience for at least a 12-month period”
The National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTD) recently recommended changes to
the current MUTCD guidance related to speed limits to the FHWA. These recommendations included:
Removing the standard that “the engineering study shall include an analysis of the current speed
distribution of free-flowing vehicles.”
REPORT / RECOMMENDATION Page 7
Upgrading and revising the considerations for establishing speed zones to read “Factors that should
be considered when establishing or reevaluating speed limits within speed zones are the following:
A. Speed distribution of free-flowing vehicles (such as current 85th percentile, the pace, and
review of past speed studies)
B. Reported crash experience for at least a 12-month period relative to similar roadways
C. Road characteristics (such as lane widths, curb/shoulder condition, grade, alignment,
median type, and sight distance)
D. Road context (such as roadside development and environment including number of
driveways and land use, functional classification, parking practices, presence of
sidewalks/bicycle facilities)
E. Road users (such as pedestrian activity, bicycle activity).
Revising the guidance statement regarding the posted speed limit being made within 5 mph of the
85th percentile speed to apply only “on freeways, expressways, or rural highways.”
The FHWA will consider whether to incorporate these recommendations into the next edition of the
MUTCD. MnDOT utilizes a slightly different version referred to as the MN MUTCD. Both documents are
identical in language related to speed limits. If the MUTCD is updated, it is anticipated that the MN MUTCD
will be updated accordingly.
Safety Implications
Vehicle stopping distance is an important factor in the likelihood of a crash. Figure 2 shows the correlation
between vehicle speed and average stopping distance as calculated by the American Association of State
Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). For example, a reduction from 30 to 20 mph results in an
additional 85 feet (or about 5 car lengths) of stopping distance.
Figure 2. Average Stopping Distance vs. Speed (AASHTO)
80
112
151
197
247
301
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
15
20
25
30
35
40
Average Stopping Distance, feetVehicle Speed, mph
REPORT / RECOMMENDATION Page 8
Exact stopping distance calculations vary depending on specific reaction times and braking speed, but when
controlling for those variables, higher speeds always result in longer stopping distances.
Speed also impacts the severity of injury resulting from crashes, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists.
Figure 3 compares vehicle speeds to the likelihood of severe injury or death to a pedestrian in an accident.
This data is taken from the US Department of Transportation, though multiple other agencies have
conducted comparable studies with similar results.
Figure 3. Pedestrian Injury Risk vs. Speed
It’s also important to note that other factors contribute to the level of risk, including the age of the
pedestrian.
Speed Limit Changes by Other Cities
New York City, NY
The statutory urban speed limit in the State of New York is 30 mph. In 2014, New York City lowered the
majority of local speed limits from 30 to 25 mph. Some quieter residential areas, or “slow zones” were kept
at 20 mph and some larger streets have speed limits higher than 25 mph.
Seattle, WA
The statutory urban speed limit in the State of Washington is 25 mph. in 2016, Seattle adopted a tiered
system for local speed limits; 25 mph for arterial streets and 20 mph for residential streets unless otherwise
signed. In addition, Seattle has been lowering speed limits on busier streets in recent years, piloting the use
of the 50th percentile speed rather than the 85th to set speed limits. Following implementation of these
changes on downtown streets, Seattle experienced a 13% reduction in total crashes and a 20% reduction in
fatal and serious injury crashes.
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
20
30
40
Likelihood of Severe Injury or Death, %Vehicle Speed, mph
REPORT / RECOMMENDATION Page 9
Portland, OR
The statutory urban speed limit in the State of Oregon is 25 mph. Portland has also implemented a tiered
system for local speed limits between 2016 and 2018; 15-25 mph for residential districts, 20 mph for school
zones, business districts and arterial streets and 15 mph for alleys. Changes made to local speed limits
require approval from the Oregon Department of Transportation.
Boston, MA
The statutory urban speed limit in the State of Massachusetts is 25 mph. In 2017, Boston lowered speed
limits citywide from 30 to 35 mph. A study conducted in 2018 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
concluded that “lowering the speed limit in urban areas is an effective countermeasure to reduce speeds and
improve safety for all road users.”
Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
Earlier this year, the Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul announced plans to implement similar tiered systems
for local speed limits; 25 mph for major streets (mixed-use, commercial and downtown streets) and 20 mph
for minor streets (industrial and residential streets). Both cities intend for these changes to make streets
safer for all users and to support their Vision Zero goal of zero traffic deaths or severe injuries.
Local Traffic/Crash Analysis
Staff reviewed local traffic data collected between 2016 and 2019. This data was reviewed based on the
roadway classifications identified in the Living Streets Plan; Minor Arterial, Collector, Local Connector or
Local road (see Table 1).
Roadway
Classification
Average Daily
Traffic, vpd
Data
Points
85th Percentile
Speed Range, mph
Average 85th
Percentile Speed, mph
Minor Arterial 4,500 – 15,000 5 36.5 – 41.9 39.5
Collector 1,200 – 10,300 56 21.6 – 39.0 32.7
Local Connector 250 – 3,000 46 23.5 – 35.2 30.0
Local 30 – 1,200 64 17.9 - 32.5 25.4
Table 1: Local Traffic Analysis, 2016-2019
Relevant findings from this analysis include:
1. 85th percentile speeds tend to decrease as roadway classification and traffic volumes decrease.
2. The majority of drivers on Local and Local Connector roads obey the posted speed limit (most
of these roads are currently 30 mph).
3. Wider roads (Minor Arterials and Collectors) tend to have higher speeds than narrower roads
(Local Connectors and Locals).
REPORT / RECOMMENDATION Page 10
4. Highway frontage roads tend to have the highest recorded speeds (8 of the 10 highest observed
85th percentile speeds were on frontage roads adjacent to Highways 100, 169 and 494.
Crash data from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety was used to review local traffic accidents. This
analysis included reported accidents on County, Municipal State Aid and local roads in Edina over a 5-year
period between 2015 and 2019. Relevant findings from this analysis include:
1. Accidents were generally concentrated at intersections and along high-volume roads.
2. More than 50% of accidents on Municipal State Aid or local roads occurred at intersections.
3. Nearly all (96%) of accidents on Municipal State Aid or local roads occurred under a posted
speed limit of 30 mph.
4. Only one fatal crash was reported over this time period; a pedestrian was struck and killed on
France Avenue in 2016.
5. Proportionately, the severity of accidents was similar regardless of roadway type, with the
majority resulting merely in property damage (see Table 2).
Crash Severity Local Roads Municipal State Aid Roads County Roads
Property Damage 70.9% 67.9% 67.4%
Possible Injury 17.3% 16.9% 16.7%
Minor Injury 9.8% 13.6% 13.4%
Serious Injury 1.7% 1.4% 1.8%
Fatality - - 0.2%
Unknown 0.3% 0.2% 0.5%
Table 2. Local Crash Analysis, 2015-2019
6. Most accidents had no clear contributing action reported. Regardless of roadway type,
distracted driving, failing to yield the right-of-way, and running red lights were generally reported
more frequently than speeding.
7. Accidents involving pedestrians or cyclists were relatively rare (less than 10%) and generally
occurred along County or Municipal State Aid roads. The greatest concentration of these is in
the southeast quadrant of Edina, primarily along France Avenue and York Avenue.
8. Accidents involving a pedestrian or cyclist were more than three times as likely to result in a
minor or serious injury compared to overall crashes.
REPORT / RECOMMENDATION Page 11
Basis for Recommendation
Following review of the research and data included in this report, staff’s recommendation is based on the
following findings:
1. Lower speeds reduce the likelihood and severity of motor vehicle crashes.
2. Utilizing the 85th percentile to set speed limits prioritizes motor vehicle traffic over the safety of
all modes of transportation, including pedestrians and cyclists.
3. Lower speed limits promote public health and safety and support the goals established in the
Comprehensive Plan and Living Streets Plan.
4. A tiered approach to local speed limits is most appropriate for Edina given the wide range of
traffic volumes and percentage of non-local traffic on city streets. This approach is consistent
with that implemented by other cities that strive to accommodate all modes of transportation
(Minneapolis, Portland, Seattle and Boston).
Recommendations for City of Edina Speed Limits
Staff recommends a tiered approach to setting local speed limits in Edina. Table 3 summarizes the
recommended changes.
Category Recommended
Speed Limit, mph
Current Speed
Limit, mph
Percent of
Local Mileage
Major Streets – Arterial 30 30 – 40 7%
Major Streets - Collector 25 25 – 30 19%
Major Streets – Collector (School Zone) 20 20 1%
Minor Streets 20 30 72%
Minor Streets (School Zone) 15 15 1%
Alleys 10 10 -
Table 3. Summary of Recommended Speed Limit Changes
Major Streets – Arterial: These roads are categorized as Minor Arterials or Collectors in the Living
Streets Plan. They are generally four-lane Municipal State Aid roads with limited driveway access that
connect to County roads or State highways. The majority have no on-street parking, sidewalks on both
sides and carry transit service. Examples include West 50th Street between Grange Road and Wooddale
Avenue and West 78th Street between Gleason Road and Bush Lake Road.
Major Streets – Collector: These roads are categorized as Collectors or Local Connectors in the Living
Streets Plan. They are generally two-lane Municipal State Aid roads, highway frontage roads or roads within
commercial or industrial areas with medium-to-high driveway access. The majority have parking restricted
REPORT / RECOMMENDATION Page 12
on one or both sides, a sidewalk on at least one side and many carry transit service. Examples include
Olinger Blvd between Vernon Avenue and Tracy Avenue and West 66th Street between Ridgeview Drive
and Valley View Road.
Minor Streets: These roads are categorized as Local streets in the Living Streets Plan. They are generally
two-lane residential roads with high driveway access or roads within commercial districts that have high
pedestrian volumes. The majority have parking on both sides, no sidewalks and do not carry transit service.
Examples include Hansen Road between Vernon Avenue and Benton Avenue and Market Street between
Halifax Avenue and France Avenue.
School Zones: These are defined as portions of the street adjacent to school grounds where children have
access to the street. Seven of these zones currently exist in Edina, adjacent to Our Lady of Grace Catholic,
Highlands Elementary, Countryside Elementary, Normandale Elementary/Concord Elementary/South View
Middle, Creek Valley Elementary, Valley View Middle/Edina High, and Cornelia Elementary School. These
areas are proposed to remain at their existing 15- or 20-mph restrictions with a few minor changes to
further reduce speeds on other adjacent streets. One new 15-mph School Zone is recommended on
Inglewood Avenue, Grimes Avenue and West 42nd Street adjacent to Golden Years Montessori and Avail
Academy.
Alleys: These are public thoroughfares with less than 30 feet of allocated right-of-way. Section 169.14 of
the Minnesota Statutes and Section 26-7 of City Code currently restricts speed limits in alleys to no more
than 10 mph.
Figure 4 shows all recommended speed limits on local roads in Edina.
REPORT / RECOMMENDATION Page 13
Figure 4. Recommended Speed Limits
REPORT / RECOMMENDATION Page 14
The NTSB safety study previously mentioned in this report notes that “a comprehensive approach to
speeding typically involves multiple countermeasures.” Drivers are influenced by the geometric
characteristics of a roadway as well as the posted speed limit. In addition to these recommended speed
limits, staff recommends continuing to follow Living Streets design standards with pavement management
projects when feasible. These design standards include minimum roadway widths and reallocation of right-
of-way for pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. Physical changes to roadways will complement the lowered
speed limits to reduce vehicle speeds and improve safety for all modes of transportation.
Coordination
Internal partners – Public Works, Police
External partners – Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Hopkins, St. Louis Park, Minneapolis, Richfield, Bloomington,
Hennepin County, Metro Transit, Minnesota Department of Transportation
Next Steps
Communications and Education Plan
Signage Plan
Traffic Signal Plan
Enforcement Plan
Evaluation Plan and Future Modifications
BLAKE RDSCHAEFER RDVERNON AVEFRANCE AVE SXERXES AVE SCAHILL RD70TH ST W
66TH ST W
YORK AVE SINTERLACHEN BLVD
MALONEY AVE
4 4 T H S T W
50TH ST W
54TH ST W
58TH ST W
GLEASON RD70TH ST W
76TH ST W
DEWEY HILL RD
VALLEY VIEW RD
VALLEY VIEW RD
MINNESOTA DR78TH ST W HWY 100HWY 169HWY 169HWY 100HWY 62
HWY 62
City of EdinaExisting Speed Limits /
Engineering DeptJuly 2020
Other Jurisdiction
55 mph
40 mph
30 mph
25 mph
20 mph (School Zone)
15 mph (School Zone)35 mph
Technical Analysis
Background
In 2006, Edina’s Transportation Commission recommended that City Council adopt a resolution recommending a
25-mph speed limit policy in residential areas. City staff, at the time, instead recommended that Council adopt a
resolution supporting lowering the statutory urban residential speed limit from 30 to 25 mph. Council
subsequently passed Resolution 2006-64, which stated that “the City of Edina does hereby strongly support a
statewide lowering of the speed limit from 30 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour on local, residential roadways.”
Rationale provided in the resolution included:
“Drivers traveling at high speeds are less aware of their surroundings and have less time to notice and
react to pedestrians and bicyclists.”
“Relatively small increases in vehicle speed can greatly increase the chances that a pedestrian will die in a
vehicle-to-pedestrian crash.”
“Experts on street design say that 20 to 25 miles per hour is the maximum safe speed for residential
streets.”
“The City of Edina supports ensuring speed limits maximize safety for all roadway users including drivers,
pedestrians and bicyclists.”
In 2008, Council adopted Resolution 2008-27, requesting State Representative Ron Erhardt sponsor legislation
granting permission to form a Speed Limit Task Force to begin a state-wide study of the feasibility of 25 mph speed
limits and that said study be completed before the start of the 2009 legislative session. The 2008 Comprehensive
Plan also included the following policy statements:
“Support state legislation to decrease statutory urban speed limits from 30 to 25 miles per hour.”
“Complete speed zone studies and establish speed zones for Safe Routes to School.”
In 2009, the City received Safe Routes to School (SRTS) funding for implementation of a city-wide school speed
zone study. This study was prepared by WSB & Associates, Inc. and evaluated conditions near six elementary
schools, two middle schools, one high school and three private schools in Edina. The purpose of the study was to
“determine and implement school speed zones adjacent to each school” and to “provide safe conditions to
encourage students to walk and bike to school.” Council subsequently adopted Resolution 2009-66, adopting the
Edina Schools Speed Zone Study and authorizing implementation of the recommended signage plan. New signage
was installed prior to the start of the 2009/2010 school year.
In 2012, the Transportation Commission wrote an advisory communication to Council recommending that the City
revise its speed limit policy to be more consistent with current state legislation and “accurately communicate the
authority the City has to reduce speed limits.” The Commission noted that the City had previously lowered speed
limits on some local streets with bike lanes to 25 miles per hour and had established reduced speeds in school
zones as permitted by state statute.
Between 2013 and 2015, the City developed and adopted the Living Streets Policy and Plan. Living Streets balance
the needs of motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians and transit riders in ways that promote safety and convenience,
enhance community identity, create economic vitality, improve environmental sustainability, and provide
meaningful opportunities for active living and better health. Living Streets principles that guide the City’s approach
to speed limits include:
“Living Streets are high-quality transportation facilities that meet the needs of the most vulnerable users
such as pedestrians, cyclists, children, seniors and the disabled.”
“Living Streets provide access and mobility for all transportation modes while enhancing safety and
convenience for all users.”
“Living Streets will improve the current and future quality of life of the public.”
These principles are further echoed in the draft 2018 Comprehensive Plan, which notes that today’s primary
transportation planning focus includes increasing safety and ensuring that the transportation needs of all users will
be considered and all modes will be appropriately accommodated.
Between 2011 and 2019, the City’s biennial Quality of Life survey asked residents to assess traffic concerns in their
neighborhoods. About 40% of residents have consistently expressed that speeding is a moderate-to-extreme
problem in their neighborhood.
In May 2019, the Minnesota Legislature passed and Governor Tim Walz signed legislation granting cities the
authority to set speed limits on streets they control:
“A city may establish speed limits for city streets under the city’s jurisdiction other than the limits
provided in subdivision 2 without conducting an engineering and traffic investigation. This subdivision
does not apply to town roads, county highways, or trunk highways in the city. A city that establishes
speed limits pursuant to this section must implement speed limit changes in a consistent and
understandable manner. The city must erect appropriate signs to display the speed limit. A city that uses
the authority under this subdivision must develop procedures to set speed limits based on the city’s
safety, engineering, and traffic analysis. At a minimum, the safety, engineering, and traffic analysis must
consider national urban speed limit guidance and studies, local traffic crashes, and methods to effectively
communicate the change to the public.”
- Minnesota Statues, Section 169.14, Subd. 5h
National Research and Guidance
National Transportation Safety Board
In 2017, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) published “Reducing Speeding-Related Crashes Involving
Passenger Vehicles,” a safety study examining causes, trends and countermeasures to prevent these types of
crashes. The findings of this study include:
“Speed increases the likelihood of serious and fatal crash involvement, although the exact relationship is
complex due to many factors.”
“Speed increases the injury severity of a crash.”
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) guidance for setting speed limits in speed zones
is based on the 85th percentile speed, but there is not strong evidence that, within a given traffic flow, the
85th-percentile speed equates to the speed with the lowest crash involvement rate on all road types.”
“Unintended consequences of the reliance on using the 85th-percentile speed for changing speed limits in
speed zones include higher operating speeds and new higher, 85th-percentile speeds in the speed zones,
and an increase in operating speeds outside the speed zones.”
“The safe system approach to setting speed limits in urban areas is an improvement over conventional
approaches because it considers the vulnerability of all road users.”
Among the recommendations of this report is for a revision to the MUTCD to “incorporate the safe system
approach for urban roads to strengthen protection for vulnerable road users.”
National Association of City Transportation Officials
The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) identifies two different approaches for setting
urban speed limits.
Citywide
Under this approach, a city designates a speed limit that applies to all roadways within their jurisdiction.
NACTO recommends a 25-mph speed limit for this strategy. “Setting or lowering default citywide speed
limits is an inexpensive, scalable way to quickly improve safety outcomes, and establish a basis for larger
safety gains. Default citywide limits also provide consistent expectations and messages about speed
across the jurisdiction, which is easy for drivers to follow.”
Category of Street
Under this approach, a city develops a tiered system of speed limits. NACTO recommends the following
tiered system:
25 mph on Major streets. “Major streets feature a combination of high motor vehicle traffic
volume, signalization of major intersection, and an inherently multimodal street environment.”
20 mph on Minor streets. “Minor streets include physically small streets where low speeds are
often already present, as well as low-vehicle-volume streets with few or no transit stops.”
10 mph on alleys and shared streets
“Citywide speed limits are generally easier to implement and may be easier for driver to follow. However, in cities
where there is clear differentiation between major arterial streets and local or minor streets, setting speed limits
based on category of street can sometimes allow cities to lower speed limits on a large number of streets below
what would be allowable citywide (i.e. 20 mph on minor streets vs. 25 mph citywide). If cities have the authority to
set default speed limits, they should decide whether to implement citywide limits or category limits based on what
makes sense given the local conditions.”
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), published by the Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA), defines the standards used to install and maintain traffic control devices on public transportation systems.
The current MUTCD includes the following standards and guidance related to speed limits:
“Speed zones (other than statutory speed limits) shall only be established on the basis of an engineering
study that has been performed in accordance with traffic engineering practices. The engineering study
shall include an analysis of the current speed distribution of free-flowing vehicles.”
“The Speed Limit sign…shall display the limit established by law, ordinance, regulation or as adopted by
the authorized agency based on the engineering study. The speed limits displayed shall be in multiples of
5 mph.”
“State and local agencies should conduct engineering studies to reevaluate non-statutory speed limits on
segments of their roadways that have undergone significant changes since the last review, such as the
addition or elimination of parking or driveways, changes in traffic control signal coordination, or
significant changes in traffic volumes.”
“When a speed limit within a speed zone is poster, it should be within 5 mph of the 85th percentile speed
of free-flowing traffic.”
“Other factors that may be considered when establishing or reevaluating speed limits are the following:
A. Road characteristics, shoulder condition, grade, alignment, and sight distance;
B. The pace;
C. Roadside development and environment;
D. Parking practices and pedestrian activity; and
E. Reported crash experience for at least a 12-month period”
The National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTD) recently recommended changes to the
current MUTCD guidance related to speed limits to the FHWA. These recommendations included:
Removing the standard that “the engineering study shall include an analysis of the current speed
distribution of free-flowing vehicles.”
Upgrading and revising the considerations for establishing speed zones to read “Factors that should be
considered when establishing or reevaluating speed limits within speed zones are the following:
A. Speed distribution of free-flowing vehicles (such as current 85th percentile, the pace, and
review of past speed studies)
B. Reported crash experience for at least a 12-month period relative to similar roadways
C. Road characteristics (such as lane widths, curb/shoulder condition, grade, alignment, median
type, and sight distance)
D. Road context (such as roadside development and environment including number of
driveways and land use, functional classification, parking practices, presence of
sidewalks/bicycle facilities)
E. Road users (such as pedestrian activity, bicycle activity).
Revising the guidance statement regarding the posted speed limit being made within 5 mph of the 85th
percentile speed to apply only “on freeways, expressways, or rural highways.”
The FHWA will consider whether to incorporate these recommendations into the next edition of the MUTCD.
MnDOT utilizes a slightly different version referred to as the MN MUTCD. Both documents are identical in language
related to speed limits. If the MUTCD is updated, it is anticipated that the MN MUTCD will be updated accordingly.
Safety Implications
Vehicle stopping distance is an important factor in the likelihood of a crash. Figure 1 shows the correlation
between vehicle speed and average stopping distance as calculated by the American Association of State Highway
and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). For example, a reduction from 30 to 20 mph results in an additional 85 feet
(or about 5 car lengths) of stopping distance.
Figure 1. Average Stopping Distance vs. Speed (AASHTO)
Exact stopping distance calculations vary depending on specific reaction times and braking speed, but when
controlling for those variables, higher speeds always result in longer stopping distances.
80
112
151
197
247
301
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
15
20
25
30
35
40
Average Stopping Distance, feetVehicle Speed, mph
Speed also impacts the severity of injury resulting from crashes, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists. Figure 2
compares vehicle speeds to the likelihood of severe injury or death to a pedestrian in an accident. This data is
taken from the US Department of Transportation, though multiple other agencies have conducted comparable
studies with similar results.
Figure 2. Pedestrian Injury Risk vs. Speed
It’s also important to note that other factors contribute to the level of risk, including the age of the pedestrian.
Speed Limit Changes by Other Cities
New York City, NY
The statutory urban speed limit in the State of New York is 30 mph. In 2014, New York City lowered the majority of
local speed limits from 30 to 25 mph. Some quieter residential areas, or “slow zones” were kept at 20 mph and
some larger streets have speed limits higher than 25 mph.
Seattle, WA
The statutory urban speed limit in the State of Washington is 25 mph. in 2016, Seattle adopted a tiered system for
local speed limits; 25 mph for arterial streets and 20 mph for residential streets unless otherwise signed. In
addition, Seattle has been lowering speed limits on busier streets in recent years, piloting the use of the 50th
percentile speed rather than the 85th to set speed limits. Following implementation of these changes on downtown
streets, Seattle experienced a 13% reduction in total crashes and a 20% reduction in fatal and serious injury
crashes.
Portland, OR
The statutory urban speed limit in the State of Oregon is 25 mph. Portland has also implemented a tiered system
for local speed limits between 2016 and 2018; 15-25 mph for residential districts, 20 mph for school zones,
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
20
30
40
Likelihood of Severe Injury or Death, %Vehicle Speed, mph
business districts and arterial streets and 15 mph for alleys. Changes made to local speed limits require approval
from the Oregon Department of Transportation.
Boston, MA
The statutory urban speed limit in the State of Massachusetts is 25 mph. In 2017, Boston lowered speed limits
citywide from 30 to 25 mph. A study conducted in 2018 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety concluded
that “lowering the speed limit in urban areas is an effective countermeasure to reduce speeds and improve safety
for all road users.”
Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
This year, the Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul implemented tiered systems for local speed limits; 25 mph for
major streets (mixed-use, commercial and downtown streets) and 20 mph for minor streets (industrial and
residential streets). Both cities intend for these changes to make streets safer for all users and to support their
Vision Zero goal of zero traffic deaths or severe injuries.
St. Louis Park, MN
The City of St. Louis Park is considering implementing a tied system for local speed limits similar to that of
neighboring Minneapolis with a default speed limit of 20 mph.
Local Traffic/Crash Analysis
Staff reviewed local traffic data collected between 2016 and 2019. This data was reviewed based on the roadway
classifications identified in the Living Streets Plan; Minor Arterial, Collector, Local Connector or Local road (see
Table 1).
Roadway
Classification
Average Daily
Traffic, vpd
Data
Points
85th Percentile Speed
Range, mph
Average 85th Percentile
Speed, mph
Minor Arterial 4,500 – 15,000 5 36.5 – 41.9 39.5
Collector 1,200 – 10,300 56 21.6 – 39.0 32.7
Local Connector 250 – 3,000 46 23.5 – 35.2 30.0
Local 30 – 1,200 64 17.9 - 32.5 25.4
Table 1: Local Traffic Analysis, 2016-2019
Relevant findings from this analysis include:
1. 85th percentile speeds tend to decrease as roadway classification and traffic volumes decrease.
2. The majority of drivers on Local and Local Connector roads obey the posted speed limit (most of
these roads are currently 30 mph).
3. Wider roads (Minor Arterials and Collectors) tend to have higher speeds than narrower roads (Local
Connectors and Locals).
4. Highway frontage roads tend to have the highest recorded speeds (8 of the 10 highest observed 85th
percentile speeds were on frontage roads adjacent to Highways 100, 169 and 494.
Crash data from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety was used to review local traffic accidents. This analysis
included reported accidents on County, Municipal State Aid and local roads in Edina over a 5-year period between
2015 and 2019. Relevant findings from this analysis include:
1. Accidents were generally concentrated at intersections and along high-volume roads.
2. More than 50% of accidents on Municipal State Aid or local roads occurred at intersections.
3. Nearly all (96%) of accidents on Municipal State Aid or local roads occurred under a posted speed
limit of 30 mph.
4. Only one fatal crash was reported over this time period; a pedestrian was struck and killed on France
Avenue in 2016.
5. Proportionately, the severity of accidents was similar regardless of roadway type, with the majority
resulting merely in property damage (see Table 2).
Crash Severity Local Roads Municipal State Aid Roads County Roads
Property Damage 70.9% 67.9% 67.4%
Possible Injury 17.3% 16.9% 16.7%
Minor Injury 9.8% 13.6% 13.4%
Serious Injury 1.7% 1.4% 1.8%
Fatality - - 0.2%
Unknown 0.3% 0.2% 0.5%
Table 2. Local Crash Analysis, 2015-2019
6. Most accidents had no clear contributing action reported. Regardless of roadway type, distracted
driving, failing to yield the right-of-way, and running red lights were generally reported more
frequently than speeding.
7. Accidents involving pedestrians or cyclists were relatively rare (less than 10%) and generally occurred
along County or Municipal State Aid roads. The greatest concentration of these is in the southeast
quadrant of Edina, primarily along France Avenue and York Avenue.
8. Accidents involving a pedestrian or cyclist were more than three times as likely to result in a minor or
serious injury compared to overall crashes.
BLAKE RDSCHAEFER RDVERNON AVEFRANCE AVE SXERXES AVE SCAHILL RD70TH ST W
66TH ST W
YORK AVE SINTERLACHEN BLVD
MALONEY AVE
4 4 T H S T W
50TH ST W
54TH ST W
58TH ST W
GLEASON RD70TH ST W
76TH ST W
DEWEY HILL RD
VALLEY VIEW RD
VALLEY VIEW RD
MINNESOTA DR78TH ST W HWY 100HWY 169HWY 169HWY 100HWY 62
HWY 62
City of EdinaProposed Speed Limits
Other Jurisdiction
15 mph (School Zone)
30 mph
25 mph
20 mph
20 mph (School Zone)
/
Engineering DeptOctober 2020
Feedback Form Submissions
This is a ridiculous proposal. I would require that anyone on the council actually try driving within Edina at the
proposed 20 mph limit.
I’m not sure this proposal addresses the actual problem. If speed limits aren’t enforced on city streets, what does it
matter if the posted speed limit is 25 or 30?
I would like to know how you are going to police this change? I don't see much of ANY police presence on our
residential streets. What difference does the speed limit matter if no one is there enforcing it? Seems like it will be
money wasted on new speed limit signs that will still be ignored my most people driving down the residential streets
with zero enforcement.
SPeed limit of 30 mph is fine. I see no need to change it.
I am not in favor of changing almost every street in Edina to a 25 mile an hour limit. People always think everyone
drives too fast no matter where you are, and on main thoroughfares it's ridiculous to have them that slow.
No, no, no!!!
The City of Edina should have 30+ mph speed limits on all streets that are not directly adjacent to schools.
We are a town of people on the go, doing things and making things happen. We need to get to where we are going
in a reasonable amount of time, otherwise people speed.
Speeding tickets are a way for this "progressive" city to raise revenue. It is wrong to fine people for driving at a
reasonable speed, which is 30 mph in the city.
The City is hell-bent on packing people into this city via high rises, urbanizing our collective environment and
generating more tax revenue for the City to feed off of. The City needs to get real with the associated costs of
volumes of people - these people travel the streets in their cars and need to get to where they are going in an
efficient manner.
Lowering the speed limits across the city just raises the blood pressure of travellers and causes road rage. Children
need to be taught to stay out of the streets and bikers need to obey traffic laws - all of which will reduce the chance
of a hazardous encounter between cars and non-cars on the roadways, if that is your stated goal. The burden of
safety needs to be shared between car drivers and non-car drivers, and not weighed more heavily toward car
drivers.
30 mph on city streets is a standard speed limit across the United States. It is a reasonable city speed limit and
should remain for the City of Edina!!! I propose NO speed limit changes to reduce car travel speeds in the City of
Edina.
I favor retaining current limits. Different limits cause confusion for drivers and require thousands of ugly signs
No changes are necessary...
It is extremely hard to keep your car, truck, school busses at such a low speed, especially if you are trying to go up a
hill, going down hill all you do is ride your brakes. I am more concerned with bikers the don’t follow biking rules.
They are more a problem.
Too many streets at 25mph This should be for neighborhoods only not connectors.
Would love for more residential streets to be 25 mph instead of 30
I very much welcome a change of speed limit- Especially on West Shore Dr. There are many speeders on this road
with NO SIDEWALKS. I am concerned to have my 3 children walk or ride bike on our road. I hope this passes.
I would also like to petition for consideration of a stop sign at West Shore Dr and Dunham Dr. My husband's parked
car was hit on West Shore Dr with such force that it was totaled. If there was a stop sign I believe this hopefully
wouldn't have happened.
I also worry about the hidden sidewalk that comes out from Aspasia Lane onto West Shore Dr. There have been too
many close calls with kids on bikes and cars driving too fast down West Shore Dr.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
I support the lower local speed limits proposal as presented in the interactive map.
I'm good with 25 mph on largely residential areas, but I think there are a few exceptions where 25 is a bit excessive.
For example: 25mph on Cahill between 70th and 78th. I think thru streets at 25 mph unnecessarily slow. On 70th
between France and 100 I frequently get tailgated for driving the speed limit.
Hello My Name is Joe Burke and we are long time residents. I appreciate slower speed limits in our neighborhood
and have previously, and unsuccessfully brought this up before o I am glad it is resurfacing. I also think that in
addition to slower speeds, the city should add two 4 way stops on Mirror Lakes Drive. One at Ayrshire and 1 at
Northwoods. There are a ton of young kids in this neighborhood so let's keep speeds down.
Thank you,
Joe
Go for it!!!!
Yes! Lower the speed limit. But before you bother with that, enforce the law that tells people to stop at stop signs.
So many people run stop signs and never get a ticket.
I live just off 78th Street. I walk along 78th Street often and I bike in the area as well. I'm trying to understand why
the speed limit is proposed to be 30 instead of 35.
If we are unable to reduce the speed limit on 50th Street, we should at least consider reducing the lanes down to one lane going in each direction, with adequate accommodations for the safety of pedestrians and cyclists.
I am 100% in favor of lowering the speed limit to 25 MPH. We have a lot of walkers and children in our
neighborhood and cars drive too fast on Chantrey as they are cutting thru from Vernon Ave. to Interlachen Blvd.
My family lives in a residential area and we routinely see drivers speeding down the roads in our neighborhood. In
particular, I have witnessed and have read many Nextdoor reports of young people trying to “lay rubber” on our
roads and speeding. I am surprised that, as far as I’m aware, there has not yet been a serious accident. Families and
children are routinely walking and biking our neighborhood. I have myself experimented with driving at 30 and at 25
here, and as a result, chosen to stick with a 25 mph limit. At that speed, I can more clearly see what’s going on
around and ahead of me and have been grateful to have avoided more than one potential accident. I fully support
and endorse the city’s plan to change our speed limits as laid out in the plan, and thank you for finally getting to this
overdue change.
I live at 5829 Creek Valley Road. Our street in a hill. While driving 25mph at the top of the hill may be ok, people
speed up with the momentum of the hill and by the time they reach my house at the curve 25mph is way to fast to
safely make the turn. I would suggest 20mph. We are also considering speed bumps. We appreciate Chad’s prior
efforts. I do not think the overturned past proposal would have helped the speed issue on our once quiet and now
busy (because of field drop offs) street.
I live on Barrie Road, a curving street with heavy traffic, no continuous sidewalks and cars in many places parked on
both sides of the street. I often see seniors using walkers and single parents with two children or a stroller walking
in the street. At night, the lighting is inadequate and I often are surprised to see a pedestrian in the street right after
I turn onto Barrie off of 66th.
With higher speeds, more auto and pedestrian accidents happen with more severe injuries and property damage. If
the lower limit saves the life of one child, and it will, it is justified.
Additionally, when the city streets are covered on snow, drivers should be encouraged or required to drive no faster
than 20 mph. Additionally, a limit of 20 mph should be placed on any streets where construction eliminate traffic
lanes, or blocked sidewalks force people to walk in the street. In this situation, the city should install temporary
speed limit signs in the construction zone. Frankly, I have often seen no warning of construction zones, and just as
on highway in construction, speed limits should be lowered.
Of course, for city streets with traffic lights the timing needs to be adjusted for new speed limits. For example if one
drives the speed limit on France, you can literally be stopped at every light, a very frustrating thing. Once any new
law is in place, it make sense to have the police out, but also put up additional lights that tell you your speed. In a
two way single lane road, one person driving the limit can effectively calm traffic. Those who currently exceed a
higher speed limit are really not going to like this. In terms of education, it is important to communicate how little
time is added to trips within Edina with a speed limit reduction of only 5 miles per hour.
Yes lower the speed limits to 25 mph
I do nor feel that the speed limits should be lowered, NOR do I feel that the City will have enough resources to
properly enforce these limits.
I live on west shore drive and people regularly drive over 40 mph down the street. On a speed study a few years ago
one driver was found driving over 60 mph! Earlier this summer I watched an adult biker nearly get hit by a car in our
road as the driver refused to slow down and veered around a child and then almost hit the adult. Children are
always playing and biking in our neighborhood and they need to be safe.
I definitely support lower speed limits on roads Edina has control over. The more the better.
I'm not in favor, and encourage against the change.
I think a lower speed limit would be great. And more PSA about road safety,making full stops, & pedestrian in
crosswalks, etc. We frequently are almost run over in crosswalks or walking across street at corners, because a car
may stop for us,but they then rush through before our 5 year old & us are at other side. I've been clipped a few
times & our child almost run over because she stopped to pick up her mitten in middle of road.
Drivers in Edina are entitled, rude & violate laws majority of the time. We feel safer living in London or Madrid.
Also, in overseas the speed limit is only 15MPH in city & residential zones.
So, yes please reduce the speed limit & enforce it. Thank you!
I strongly support the speed limit proposal throughout the City. The pandemic has brought many more people out
walking, including elderly people and families with children. This is a great thing and I hope it continues! Large
areas of Edina still have no sidewalks. Reducing the speed limit will make Edina a safer, healthier city.
When residents complain about speeding are they concerned about speeds in excess of 30 MPH or do they think
people traveling at the posted speed limits are going too fast? If it's the former, it seems like the solution is
enforcement. If the latter, then perhaps lowering the limits is the right intervention.
It's an excellent idea to lower the speed limits; however, enforcement will be a challenge. So many drivers disregard
the existing limits anyway.
70th street is currently 25MPH from 100 to France, with a school zone. It is brutal driving on a main street at
25MPH. Cahill Road and Dewey Hill Road are generally a 40MPH effective speed today. I understand overall safety,
but what problem is Edina trying to solve? Main streets don't have children playing in them today, and truly
residential streets don't have that much traffic. Are there any statistics for how many people are hit today because
of a 30MPH speed limit? The only time I get tailgated and honked at on 70th are by residents. The same people that
petitioned to make it a 25MPH street.
Have you considered any impact on miles-per-gallon? It seems to me when I am driving in stop and go and slower
situations, my car gets worse mpg than when I am at 30 mph. If this is true, it could have an impact on air
quality/climate change issues. But I have no idea what the science says about it.
I am very happy the city is planning to make this change. How will it be enforced?
I am totally against lowering speed limits on Edina's city streets. First you cut the number of lanes on important
streets and now you want to lower the speeds. NO!
It is getting harder and harder to navigate Edina by car with all the new traffic due to the wave of new hi-density
apartment buildings. Why don't you start enforcing the existing traffic laws on bicyclists who glide right through stop
signs and routinely take other serious risks on streets? And what about traffic noise? The crowd that likes to let
everyone know of their presence with those special non-mufflers, and the
motorcyclists that ignore noise ordinances need to be reminded that people live within 30-50 ft. of city streets.
Hwy. 100 sounds like the Indianapolis Speedway with all of the noise violations. NO to lowering the speed limits.
Focus on facilitating the movement of traffic through the city, not causing congestion.
Very happy with the proposed reductions in speed limits. We live on Wooddale and would love to see the limit
reduced to 25 mph.
I am strongly in favor of the new proposal to decrease local speed limits!!
Thank you for considering this serious concern, and for asking for input.
In reviewing the speed limits, they are quite reasonable.
Unfortunately, people drive much faster.
To achieve the end result of slower driving please consider speed bumps, stop signs, whatever the experts
recommend as ways to increase effectiveness of speed limits.
Please address the problems in Brookview Heights
Please do something about compliance in ENTIRE neighborhood.
There are SO many speeders and SO many little kids running around the entire neighborhood, honest to goodness,
we daily witness the horrifying posssibilities.
Abercrombie/Ridgeview from 66th to 70th is an especially treacherous stretch of road. Several speed bumps? Stop
signs?
Stop signs are needed at Tifton/Rabun, blind intersection /hill, and another at the intersection of Tifton/Everett,
where it is difficult to see who is coming and people are flying through without even looking.
THANK YOU!
Rita Younger
I am behind the proposal as presented & would like 25 mph designation. Today 30mph seems to mean 35-40 for
many. Maybe 25 mph will bring some reality to 30 mph!
Safety and quality of life are important to me as an Edina resident. Thanks!
I agree with the proposed local speed limits. If drivers would adhere to 30 mph and USE CAUTION, I would be happy
with 30 mph. However there are too many drivers who speed on city streets. I like to walk and bike. In order to get
to a sidewalk or bike trail I have to use the city streets. I endorse the proposed speed limits!
My wife and I both think this is a great idea. I use a wheelchair and she uses a walker. Anything the city can do to get
cars to slow down and make it safer for us pedestrians is a welcome thing.
reduced speed limit in residential neighborhoods is long overdue.
Are bicyclists considered pedestrianism Edina?
How many of the 50% increase in pedestrian deaths are bicyclists?
Please change all "side streets' to 20 mph. "20 is plenty" should be our watchword. I walk my dogs alot in our
Countryside neighborhood, and on those streets without sidewalks, it can be unnerving to have cars zoom past us.
The wind shear from speeding cars pushes our 6 month old golden retriever into my legs when we are walking on
Olinger Blvd to get into Bredesen Park from Jeff Place. Maybe people think Olinger Blvd is 40 mph like Vernon Ave?
I think lowered speed limits and then enforcing those speed limits makes for a safer community for our children and
pedestrians. Will speed bumps be used? I know other traffic calming measures such as narrow streets have been
used as well. Busier through streets should still be 30mph but residential streets I support being lower.
I wholeheartedly agree with these proposed changes. I live on Wooddale Avenue. I am very concerned with the high
speeds drivers are operating on my street and surrounding neighborhood streets.
I have never understood why the limit on Wooddale
South of 70th is 30 MPH and 25 MPH on 70! Due to walking/busing limits set by the district, my kids do not receive a
bus and walk to school. They have to cross/walk on Wooddale where people drive way too fast in my opinion. There
are many kids in our neighborhood in this situation. No sidewalk and fast cars!
I’m very happy to see a decrease in speed limits, however would like to 20 mph on all residential streets.
We walk dogs daily and observe many people surpass the speed limits regularly. Lowering them may help getting
closer to a required speed.....also for those of us whose streets have no sidewalks and are required to walk in the
street, a lower speed would protect us better.
Yes!! Please please lower the speed limits for the sake of our kids! People drive much too fast on residential streets
and unlike Minneapolis, much of Edina does not have sidewalks. People are regularly walking in the street.
I think some neighborhoods need a 25 miles per hour, but some main streets should stay 30 or 40. The issue is a few
chronic violators in the neighborhoods... maybe the police can act on calls complaints about a specific person??
By not taking a more nuanced approach to lowering speed limits to 20 in residential areas and 25 on streets with
lane markings, the city is giving up one of its most useful tools in controlling traffic flow. The city needs to take an
approach that limits speeds to 20 mph on residential roads and makes use of some 25mph roads to direct traffic. For
example, the city needs to use every tool they have to direct traffic down streets like 44th which are wider and have
houses set back from the road and away from streets like Sunnyside which have numerous crosswalks. Even at 25
mph, it is simply not possible for cars to observe and safely stop for pedestrians.
At the Town Talks meeting, 2 reasons were given for not following the tiered approach of Minneapolis. (1) The Edina
police might get confused about what the speed limit is and be unable to enforce it. This logic is an insult to the
Edina police! (2) The second reason given was cost savings. This reason is also unfounded, Every road does not need
a speed limit. Follow the standards set by nearly every city and set a default speed of 20 unless posted and then post
signs only on streets that have higher speed limits. Furthermore, the reduction in road maintenance from the 20
(compared to 25mph) would be sufficient to cover the slight cost increase of signs if there are any.
Finally, some residents might complain that lowering speed limits to 20 mph might increase traffic or slow
commutes. This is also unfounded. Many traffic jams are caused by the "traffic wave" due to cars slowing and
accelerating. By lowering speed limits, cars drivers can more easily adjust to disturbances without jamming on their
breaks propagating the slow down behind them. Furthermore, even if commutes are slowed slightly, drivers spend
only a few minutes on residential roads, so by adopting a tiered approach, the impact can be minimized.
Thank you for taking the time to read my comments,
M. Barach
The residential streets should have a maximum speed limit of 20 mph. Traffic usually tests the speed limit so in
actuality drivers tend to drive 5 mph over the speed limit. Minneapolis instituted a 20 mph speed limit several
months ago and their residents love this. I also request that traffic laws are enforced and tickets be given for drivers
who roll through stop signs. Please! and thanks.
Yes, all city streets should be reduced as proposed, signed with speed limits and enforced. All on-street bike routes
should be clearly marked with bike symbols in pavement, such as 44th & properly maintained as such.
I am in favor of lowering the speed limit.
Do not lower the limit on streets to 25. This is confusing and contradictory to other cities.
I support 25, but why not 20? I live on Valley View between 62/100 and it is currently 30 and we have people going
40+ regularly. If we set at 20, 40 becomes 30. The EPD would rather patrol 100 for speeders than the city streets.
Please leave speed limit at 30mph. Add button activated flashing lights at school crossings.
I really like the idea of lowering the speed limit on neighborhood streets. We get a fair amount of traffic through the
Country Club neighborhood and with so many kids and adults out walking and biking, I think the lower speeds would
be helpful.
There is also a lot of foot, bike and car traffic around 50th & France, so to lower the speed there also makes a lot of
sense to me.
It is a great idea to lower speed limits in Edina. I have small children and am always fearful of how fast people race
on Blake rd s, between Vernon and Interlachen. Any speed decrease would be greatly appreciated and supported.
We agree with the newly proposed speed limits, which favor 25mph instead of 30mph
There are already lower speed limits by schools where it matters. I’m a biker so I do want to be safe biking, but
lowering the speed limits makes no sense especially since police shouldn’t waste their time enforcing that when
there are more critical issues. It is also a waste of money to our up new signs when it could be spent on other more
critical needs. So, please do not change the speed limits.
I think in general the 25 mph speed limits on most streets are a great idea. On Interlachen specifically I think 30 mph
is appropriate, but it should be enforced. People routinely fly down it way over the speed limit, blowing through
marked crosswalks carelessly when I’m waiting to cross. I’m not sure what will solve that problem, but it definitely is
scary to think of kids crossing alone given people’s driving behavior.
I support a reduced speed limit on residential streets
Based on a comparison between the current and proposed speed limits, it appears that the change would be largely
an across-the-board reduction in the speed limits to 25 mph with few exceptions around schools and a small number
of other streets. This change is inconsistent with the stated goals to balance local and regional traffic and based on
traffic volume.
I support greater differentiation in speed limits between neighborhood streets that primarily serve just residents
along that street vs. the arteries feeding into and out of neighborhoods. For instance, I think that it would make
sense to have slightly higher speed limit on 'through' streets like 70th, 66th, Woodale, Willson, Dewey Hill, Blake,
etc. compared to the lower-traffic side streets in these neighborhoods. This will help maintain better traffic flow on
already busy streets while helping to discourage cut-through traffic into neighborhoods. I would advocate, for
instance, for more neighborhood streets to have a 20 mph speed limits while the through streets maintain higher
speed limits of 25 mph or 30 mph.
I also feel that a discussion about speed limits should also include discussion about opportunities to promote
adherence with the speed limits through either increased enforcement of speed limits or passive calming measures
like speed humps at the entrances to neighborhood streets.
Most changes are 5 mph decrease, seems we would spend more money to change road signs then it would make a
difference
What would be the cost to change all the signs to reduce the speed by 5mph? I do understand that Edina uses
speeding fines as a major income stream and am wondering if this is the real motivation. I do not believe this would
cut down on accidents.
I live on Golf Terrace. The street is wide enough that people fly down it! This is especially during the morning and
evening commute and before and after high school. I year or so ago, I believe you did a traffic study with the sensor
that lays on the road. Interestingly-people slowed down to go over that sensor! I very much think speed limits
decreasing to 25 would be an improvement. I would suggest that a speed bump or additional stop sign on Golf
Terrace would be an improvement. Of course, speed enforcement would be awesome! We have so many young
children on the street, I feel it is only a matter of time until something sad and bad happens.
I appreciate the recommendation to lower speed limits on most Edina streets to 25 MPH. I would like to see the city
follow the lead of some other cities like St Paul and Minneapolis in reducing the speed limits on residential roads to
20 MPH. The proposed 5 MPH reduction (from 30 to 25) seems too small to actually affect driver behavior to slow
drivers, whereas a 10 MPH reduction (from 30 to 20) would send a clear signal to all drivers that the city is
committed to improving safety on our streets. 20 MPH should be plenty fast when driving on most of our residential
streets, with a higher (25 or 30 MPH) limit on some of the larger through roads.
It is quite appropriate to reduce the standard speed limit to 25mph. Many neighborhood streets should be even
lower, in my opinion.
It looks like both of our neighboring cities, Minneapolis and St. Louis Park will be implementing 20 mph speed limits
on residential streets. I feel Edina should match these speed limits and make 20 mph the speed limit on residential
streets. Making a change from 30 to 25 mph won't affect our quality of life and safety for the increased amount of
walkers and bikers we have. Please consider 20 mph on residential streets. Thank you, Scott Busyn 4615 Wooddale
Avenue
Reducing speed limits on Edina streets would create a safer environment for residents of all ages to get around outdoors. The difference in pedestrian and personal safety between 30-35 miles/hr and 20-25 miles/hr is significant.
I would strongly support making this change wherever possible in the city.
Interlachen Blvd. should also be lowered to 25.
I agree the speed limits on residential streets like Gilford Dr should decrease. A neighbor’s dog was just hit by a car
yesterday evening. Alarming, and fortunate that it wasn’t a child. We have many young kids in the neighborhood.
Generally fast traffic through my neighborhood, south cornelia
70th St. Is our north property boundary. About 15 years ago, 70th was redeveloped with the purpose of slowing
down traffic and maintaining a neighborhood feel. Many fine improvements were made including lowering the
speed to 25 MPH. Hardly anyone drives 25. Cars accelerate coming off the traffic circle to our east and the east
bound traffic races towards France Avenue. Other than setting up regular police patrols, I am not sure what can be
done as rarely is the 25 MPH limit honored. Thanks for listening. Mark Mitchell. 7001 Heatherton Trail
The current speed limit is fine with me. Changing the limit still requires the same enforcement as the current one. I
would like to see more enforcement of the hands-free law which many are not obeying. And and overhaul of the
traffic control system which nearby cities have made, such as flashing yellow for left turns, and better sensors for
signal changes when traffic is light. I can drive to Eden Prairie from highway 100 and W 70th Street faster than
getting through Edina to Richfield.
I am not at all in favor of changing existing speed limits. I am in favor of doing a better job of enforcing existing
speed limits. I don't worry about cars traveling 30 mph on my streets. It's the cars going well over 30 mph that are a
concern. In 30-plus years, I have NEVER seen speed enforcement on my street or any other streets in my
neighborhood. Edina does speed enforcement on busy streets where they can make the most money. Lowering the
current speed limit will not improve speeding in neighborhoods. Speeders will speed. Leave current speed limit
alone.
As a family of 2 adults, 2 children years 11 and 8, and a puppy, we fully support a speed limit of 25 mph on the side
streets and generally reducing the speed limit on all Edina streets. We walk, run or bike every day in our Lake
Cornelia neighborhood and there are no sidewalks here. We have had several close calls with drivers zipping past us
going too fast.
While lowering the speed limit provides greater safety for all (drivers & passengers, pedestrians and bicyclists), I
doubt it will make much difference without enforcement. We have been asking for enforcement of the 30 mph
speed limit on Olinger Blvd for many years with almost no action. On this residential street where young children
live, rarely does anyone observe the limit. Not only do most cars drive closer to 40 mph, we have seen cars racing
down the street and cars being passed when going the speed limit. Not only are the speeding cars a danger to the
neighborhood children and the numerous pedestrians and bicyclists that use this street, but the cars trying to leave
their driveways, especially those near where the street curves.
I would like to know exactly how many accidents have occurred on these Edina City streets that may have been
prevented with a slower speed limit. Also, how many speeding tickets have been issued? If it hasn't been a problem
here, I don't think we need to spend tax money on making a change.
No need to change the speed limit. 30 is slow enough and very safe. You can twist the data to meet whatever
agenda your trying to accomplish. This does not make any sense cost-wise or safety-wise. Complete waste of time
for the council to review.
Thank you for requesting feedback from Edina residents regarding proposed speed limits. I am in favor of lowing
neighborhood speed limits to 25 mph.
For the ultimate safety, it is imperative that drivers slow down and be on the alert for pedestrians entering
crosswalks. Too often I witness drivers barreling down our two-block street, exceeding the posted 30 mph by 5-10
mph. We have so many small children that dart out into the street while playing their games. It's terrifying to see
cars, trucks and motorcyclists racing down the street -- with so many kids around.
My preference would actually be to lower the speed limit to 20 mph. I like the signs that I have seen recently "20 is
Plenty". It would be great if Edina lowered the speed limit to 20 mph in "high kid density" neighborhoods. I realize
that would be difficult to identify neighborhoods with that distinctive characteristic --but it would be outstanding!
I agree that the default speed limit should be 25 mph in Edina, except as noted om the map for other higher and
lower speed limits. I think the proposed school zone speed limits should apply only on school days and during school
hours and that the speed limit in school zones should be 25 mph at all other times.
Here is an article from a bicycling magazine from England that sets out the reasons for lower speed limits in urban
very well.
Road speed reduction in Cambridge (England)
From Newsletter 59 (April/May 2005)
Speed kills. 90% of pedestrians hit by a vehicle at 40mph die, 20% at 30mph and only 2.5% at 20mph (figures from
Which? Magazine, March 2005, p. 20). For cyclists hit by vehicles, the differential effect of vehicle speed is likely to
be similarly significant.
What do we know about speeding in the UK? In what follows, I draw on data assembled by Claire Corbett in chapter
six of her impressive and scholarly book Car Crime (Willan, 2003). It is well established that speed is a main
contributory factor in around a third of fatal road traffic crashes. In the year 2000 in England and Wales, around
1,100 avoidable deaths and more than 100,000 casualties resulted from exceeding limits and inappropriate speed.
Government figures compiled from a wide range of sites show that on urban roads with a 40mph limit the average
speed was 37mph with 25% of motorists exceeding 40mph. Where the speed limit was 30mph, the average speed
was 32mph with 66% exceeding 30mph. 38% of buses exceeded the 30mph limit. Higher speeds are associated with
both more serious collisions and with more frequent collisions. Reducing average speeds by just 1mph cuts average
collision frequency by around 5%- more on slower, urban roads. There is nothing unexpected about the fact that
speeding is dangerous. What is, for me, unexpected is that such small reductions in average speeds bring about such
disproportionate benefits.
https://www.camcycle.org.uk/newsletters/59/article8.html
We are so happy to hear about the plan to lower the speed limits. Cars drive way to fast on our neighborhood
streets that do not have sidewalks.
It is especially important now, during the pandemic, to reduce the speed limit because so many people are out on
walks and bike rides in the neighborhood. Drivers are going below 20 miles per hour when passing walkers. Being a
senior who walks, I count on drivers taking extra caution since I am not always steady on my feet, and need more
time to step up on a curb. When I must drive, I am super vigilant. Even before the pandemic, I drive 20 -25 mph on
neighborhood streets.
Lowering the speed limit is an excellent idea, making the streets safer for everyone. Thank you!
Please leave the speed limits at 30. Two comments:
How much will this change cost?
I’m also concerned this is another attempt to increase city revenue through speeding tickets.
Edina all ready leads the state in speeding tickets.
Everyone I know says watch out driving in Edina, they will give you a ticket for Driving 3 mph over the limit
Please review the speed on OLINGER BLVD. People fly down this road especially in am to school or work and again
in the afternoon. Having current posted speeds ENFORCED would go a long way. If the City reduces the speed limit
what does it matter if not enforced? Instead of speed traps up and down 100 and 62 use the City resources to
enforce the local streets speeds.
I live on Dakota Trail. We have over the years observed many cars speeding. It is a winding street without sidewalks.
Both my husband and I are strongly in favor of lowering the city street speed limit.
Wait for the technical report by LRRB.
If you decide not to wait for LRRB, keep all collectors at 30. 25 should only be on local roads, not collectors.
Enforce the existing limits. The problem isn’t the limit the problem is folks who don’t care.
I favor the lower speed limits for the streets in the Parkwood Knolls neighborhood. Many of these streets do not
have sidewalks (including in front of my home). With the increased emphasis on outdoor activity, walkers regularly
encounter vehicle traffic moving at speeds that are of concern.
I am in favor of reducing speed limits in Edina. More people are cutting through parts of the city (via streets like
Vernon) and are going way faster than the marked speed limits. Additionally, cars travel through neighborhood
streets so quickly that it can feel unsafe to walk—especially with children. I feel it is a problem that many of my
neighbors need to put “slow down for children” or “drive as if your children live here” signs in their lawns. Our
neighborhoods should feel safe and those signs should not be necessary.
I live on Park Terrace in Parkwood Knolls. As like most of Edina, we have almost no sidewalks here while we also
have a significant number of vehicles parked on the street. We also continue to have new and replacement home
building, home remodeling and landscaping projects that often make walking in the streets difficult. I believe a 20
MPH speed limit will make the neighborhood both safer and more inviting for walkers and families with small
children.
I am in support of this proposal and am happy to see this action being taken to lower the residential street speed
limits.
I think changing the speed limit for local streets to 25 mph makes a lot of sense for safety reasons!
As specified in the reasoning for speed limit changes: "the primary motivation is to improve safety for all road users.
The difference between 30 and 25 miles per hour may not seem like much to a driver, but it can mean a lot to a
pedestrian or cyclist"
This reasoning, I am in total agreement.
However, as I look at current and proposed speeds, there are issues that need to be considered.
For instance, the "current speed" on Gleason Road north from VV road is shown as 20mph, there is a rare vehicle
travelling at that speed on that portion of Gleason Road. North of 62, this speed changes to 30 mph currently.
Again, it is a rare vehicle that limits its speed to 30mph, but, instead exceeds even 40mph in this area.
Gleason Road, south of VV road to W78th street is actually ALREADY POSTED at 25mph. Obviously, this speed limit
is considered to be just a suggestion and again, it is a rare driver that follows the speed limits. This area of Gleason
Rd. has a long downhill portion, many curves and often, limited visibility. Many vehicles can be observed careening
around the curves and unable to maintain control within their traffic lane. This is especially dangerous when
affected by weather conditions. This area is highly used by pedestrians, runners and cyclists. The stop signs in this
area are well known to be blown through without stopping, or with the well known "Edina tap and go"
Another issue in Edina is that the speed limit signage is very limited, and unfortunately, unless noticed, the driver is
not going to be reminded of the actual legal speed. For instance, the speed limit signage on Gleason Road appears
maybe once for each section. And, as the trees mature, this signage is often obstructed. With limited availability of
speed limit signage and limited enforcement, driver speed becomes arbitrary and a decision based on driver
preference.
Another area of issue is with the traffic circles which are posted prior to the entrance to the traffic circle, with no
reminder at any other distance. The 15mph speed limit is so rarely observed, one wonders why the speed is posted
at all. Again - without enforcement, lawlessness is encouraged.
Unfortunately, habits are hard to break. Speed law enforcement will be necessary to change the current habits. I
have often observed city trucks and police vehicles travelling in excess of posted speeds which are a bit of an
invitation to Edina residents that speed limits don't really matter that much in Edina. This is unfortunate. I doubt
that just changing speed signage will provide much change at all.
I strongly feel the changing of speed limits is not going to make a difference in Edina unless the speed limits are
actually enforced.
I have been honked at on Gleason road by a driver who wanted to exceed the speed limit- and I have been passed in
a no passing zone on Interlachen Blvd when driving the speed limit.
The problem isn't with the speed posted on our streets, it is with the lawlessness that is rampant, not only in Edina,
but throughout MN and the nation as a whole.
I agree with lowering speed limits.
Thank you for your efforts to lower residential speed limits in Edina. It is an important step to increase the safety of
our streets. I would recommend that individual neighborhoods are allowed to apply for special consideration by the
Traffic Commission. Not all residential streets in Edina have the same circumstances.
Research has shown that neighbors tend to drive near the speed limit when driving in their own neighborhood. For neighborhoods with with mostly resident traffic, a 25 mph speed limit will likely be perfectly acceptable. For
neighborhoods, like Country Club, where over 50% of the traffic is non-resident, then speeds are a challenge. The
police chief has stated that they cannot fill the courts with traffic tickets less than 7 mph over the speed limit. This
means that a 25 mph speed limit will not be enforced until over 32 mph. This means that not all city neighborhoods
will benefit from the safety advantages of a 25 mph speed limit equally--mostly-resident-traffic neighborhoods will
likely see adherence to 25 mph, and cut-through neighborhoods will continue to see speeds above 30 mph without
any enforcement.
It would be most appropriate if the Traffic Commission would consider specific neighborhood applications before
the investment into signage across the community.
On the subject of signage, it would be ideal if the smallest allowable signage was utilized. While it's important for
drivers to be able to discern the speed limit. All this signage does congest the residential environment, especially in
neighborhoods with traffic diverters that require a lot of signage.
Thank you for your consideration.
I support the lower limit. There is a lot of cut through and speeding in the Country Club
I support lowering speed limits to 25 on neighborhood streets.
I am strongly in favor. A few mph slower gives a longer reaction time for avoiding pedestrians, bikes, people backing
out of driveways, etc.
Speeding in our neighborhood is a problem especially because of street parking and minimal visibility to see children
crossing the street or proceeding onto street from driveways or sidewalks.
We have a big problem in the Country Club neighborhood of drivers from Linden Hills using our neighborhood to cut
through to get to and from the 100 freeway. Many of them speed. We also have a problem with teenagers living in
our neighborhood driving recklessly fast, particularly on Bridge Ave that bisects the whole neighborhood. To me 25
mph is more than fast enough and I am strongly in favor of making this our speed limit. Thank you for your
consideration.
Definitely lower the speed limit in Country Club. People in general drive way too fast.
Country Club neighborhood should have a speed limit of 20 mph. I always thought it was 25. When I taught my boys
to drive, I stressed importance of how important it is to keep speed at or below 20 mph, that 25 was too fast
because of kids playing, pedestrians and other cars. The diagram I recently saw states that speed limit is 30 actually
which absolutely shocks me if accurate. Way way too fast. I am speaking of my neighborhood because I know it well.
I imagine all residential streets would also need to be kept to at least 25 mph or less.
Thank you for recommending lower speed limits in Edina. I heartily support this recommendation.
I vote for a speed limit of 25 mph or lower
20 is plenty. Its a no brainer.
I fully support reducing the speed limit to 25 in the Country Club neighborhood. We live on Browndale and cars
routinely speed and run stop signs as they cut through from 44th to 50th Street. Construction vehicles working on
the street are also a major issue with speeding and running stop signs.
We live on Arden and have many Little ones I worry about. Non residents and residents use our street to avoid 50th
and France traffic if going north on France/LindenHills etc. The of speeds cars and construction trucks is shocking to
me. Before the pandemic I would have been at work and would not have noticed this issue. But it is terrible.
I think this is a FABULOUS idea. I am totally in favor of reducing speed limits in neighborhoods. I would like the speed
limit to go even lower -- 20 mph in residential areas.
I am strongly in favor of changing the speed limit to 25 MPH. 30 MPH is way too fast, especially for the Country Club
neighborhood.
I vote 20 or 25 mph for Country Club neighborhood. I wish we as a neighborhood would have voted to put in speed
bumps back when the sewer and water lines were replaced.
Speeds on cut through streets are excessive and coasting through stop signs
Yes, we've needed this. We are on Wooddale which is used as a thoroughfare thru the neighborhood. Though
Wooddale is narrow, a fair portion of those commuting through the neighborhood exceed the current speed limit.
So adjustment is quite appreciated.
Dear City of Edina,
Thank you so much for your recommendation to lower the speed limit in the historical Country Club district, as well
as on many other streets in Edina, to 25 MPH. For the safety of our children, as well as for others crossing the street,
I strongly support this action. Furthermore, I would ask that police increase enforcement activity related to these
speed limits, as people today routinely exceed the current limits on our street (Edina Blvd.).
We appreciate your diligence on this important matter, and thank you for your important work.
Sincerely,
A.R. Weiler
4512 Edina Blvd.
Edina, MN 55424
Without enforcement, behavior will not change. You will spend money on signage and it will be wasted. Traffic is
slowed by obstacles such as speed bumps or stop signs. My street was narrowed last year and it has done nothing for speed. In some ways it is worse because the street is narrower - speeding and less room to get out of the way.
Pls reconsider. Perhaps look at specific streets. Streets are not all the same and there isn't one solution for all.
This is Jeff and Virginia Sweitzer at 4514 Arden Ave So. As you know Arden is a narrow street with parking on one
side only. As traffic volume has increased on Arden from 50th to Sunnyside over the past 5 to 6 years so have the
speeds that morning and evening commuters are traveling on Arden Ave. As I'm sure you are aware Arden is a
convenient way to skirt the traffic at the 50th and France area. We observe folks typically traveling in excess of the
30 mph limit, sometimes what appears to be in excess of 50 mph.
Therefore we we would like to suggest a reduction to a posted limit of 20 mph knowing that maybe this will net
some folks traveling at a lower speed thus reducing the speed of folks following the slower cars.
We have inquired about speed bumps between the stop signs but have been told this interferes with the snow
plowing, understood.
Thank you for your review of the above in advance,
Sincerely, Jeffery Sweitzer AIA CID
Speed limits should remain the State default for unmarked roads.
Understanding the road widths and the ability to park on both sides of the road, I would ask that the evaluation
group consider a speed limit of 20 MPH for the Country Club neighborhood. With defined boundaries, establishing a
separate speed limit, lower than the rest of the city, is feasible. From a cost perspective, there are no speed limit
signs in Country Club (I've been looking) so adding a couple would be of minimal cost. Edina law enforcement would
have a set boundary to enforce a lower speed limit which should make it easier for them.
Thank you for relooking at speed limits. I think it is appropriate to have 30mph on the main streets (France,
Wooddale), but my perspective is 20 is plenty fast for the neighborhood roads. Edina is a community with a ton of
kids running & biking, and we should do all we can to keep them safe.
I think the speed limit on neighborhood streets should stay at 30 mph unless there are facts that support lowering
the speed limit (I.e., what problem are we trying to solve?) Is Edina just trying to be “progressive” or “cool” without
facts to support decision-making?
I appreciate that the City of Edina is visiting the issue of speed limits on roads under its jurisdiction.
First, a correction to the existing speeds map: Parts of Hwy 100 are now 60 mph, including north of Crosstown.
I live on the corner of W 49th St and France Ave S, on the Edina side of France Ave. The east side of France Ave is in
Minneapolis. Mpls adopted a citywide 20 mph speed limit, unless otherwise posted. Across the street from me,
49th St in Mpls is signed for 20 mph. Along the France Ave border, almost all the Mpls streets are signed for 20mph.
I would first like to discuss the matter of sidewalks in relation to our roads.
I love France Ave, and cannot imagine why anyone one would choose to not have sidewalks on France Ave, as I told
Edina’s then-City Engineer Fran Hoffman in advance of the 1990 France Ave Road Recon. France Ave moves a lot of
traffic.
49th St has sidewalk in front of 3 doubles—that’s all. Effectively, 49th St is a “Woonerf”, as are most of the
residential streets in Edina. 49th St is a shared space; that is a fact and a good concept.
There are no sidewalks on Highway 100, and it is not a shared space, and I think that is good, too.
Sidewalks change the character of a street. Some people see them as a positive. Some people see them as a
negative, and that a certain quality of life is lost. There are various impacts.
Sidewalks communicate and reinforce a negative concept, which is that roads are not a shared space, that roads are
for vehicles and not for pedestrians and bicycles.
Unarguably, pedestrians, for example, are safer when walking on sidewalks, rather than next to vehicles moving at
high speeds. Yet, they are only safe to a point, because ultimately, people go out into the street for a number of
reasons, and they need to feel safe, and should be able to be safe, when they are in the street. In other words, the
safety afforded by sidewalks is limited.
Sidewalks are an infrastructure, and are funded by increased taxes. In many locations where sidewalks have been
installed, retaining walls are also installed. Both the new sidewalks and the new retaining walls will have to be
periodically maintained with more taxation. Everything always looks so nice and promising when it is new, but just
wait until it all becomes aging infrastructure. Ask Minneapolis.
Sidewalks must be cleared of snow in the winter. This is a personal burden for residents, unless the City plows the
sidewalks, separately from the streets, with more taxes.
On some sidewalks, snow piles start to melt on winter days, causing runoff onto sidewalks, which freezes and
becomes slippery ice when the temperature inevitably drops. Sometimes, there is freezing rain. Winter events like
these can lead people to walk in the street to avoid slipping on icy sidewalks.
One option, for the party responsible for the sidewalks, is to apply and re-apply salt throughout the season as
needed. But that is another expense and an additional burden. Some facts: 1) sidewalks can be dangerous to walk
on at times during the winter, even though shoveled or plowed, 2) sidewalks need salt at certain times to be safe to
walk on, and 3) a system (personal or city) entirely separate from City road plows and salt trucks is required to clear
sidewalks and keep them safe.
There is hardly a road in Mpls that does not have sidewalks on both sides, and yet, sidewalks weren’t enough, and
Mpls has now lowered speed limits citywide. In other words, to some extent, the expansive and expensive sidewalk
(and related retaining wall) infrastructure is a failure. So, let’s not simply follow in Mpls’s footsteps.
I often go out into the street. I am accustomed to traffic, both on France and on 49th. There are drivers who utilize
49th St as a faster alternative to Market St. Residents on 49th and on Maple can describe speed issues along the
length. I would like to build on the 20 mph that Mpls has set for 49th St, east of France Ave, and make our side 20
mph, too.
During my 40 years at this location, just along my stretch of 49th St (the length of my property), cars have struck my
stair railings twice (once summer coming up from France, once winter heading down to France), vehicle ran into
snowbank, vehicle ran into apartment driveway retaining wall, vehicle parked on street was struck, vehicle did a 180
coming down the hill to France Ave.
The City of Edina is proposing a speed limit of 25 mph unless otherwise signed. If the Edina Police were requested to
enforce an area, what is the margin of error in speed enforcement? 5 mph? If so, then the enforced speed is 30
mph. If that is the case, then what is the benefit of the change from citywide 30 mph to citywide 25 mph?
What to do with Edina’s speed limits for this project?
1) The City of Edina did not post on Better Together the analytical data behind the proposed speed limit changes. I
would like the opportunity to review these data prior to the City Council taking action on the speed limit matter.
Could you post any of this data for the public?
2) Edina does not need to act in haste. Edina does not need to act on all streets at once.
3) Hold down our tax burden.
4) Take advantage of existing signage. If there is a speed limit already posted, just leave it at that speed for now.
The City can always assess any element at a later date. Wooddale, 50th west of Wooddale, 66th, Valley View, the
service road east of Hwy 100—these are a few examples of signed roads.
5) Take action on unsigned roads only. Make all unsigned roads 20 mph. I am guessing that most residents on most
unsigned roads (no posted speed limit) would be happier if drivers do not exceed 20 mph. 49th St is not signed. To
be clear, I am advocating for 20 mph on 49th St.
6) Assess exceptions. I can share a couple: a. A peculiar, one-block segment of Arden Ave. Very oddly, northbound Arden from 51st to 50th St is posted 30 mph
(!), in spite of the fact that it is the kind of residential road that is typically not signed in Edina. For uniformity,
remove the sign and allow it to be 20 mph, unless the residents are adamant that it remain 30.
b. Exception: 50th St from Wooddale to France, which is unsigned but carries 30 mph from the signed portion of
50th St west of Wooddale. 50th St is an important road for vehicular traffic. It should be faster than the
neighborhood internal roads. 25 mph seems reasonable only if the neighborhood interiors are 20 mph. East of
France Ave, 50th St is signed for 30 mph.
c. You are familiar with more Edina streets than I am. What other possible exceptions can you think of?
7) Get the word out, give it some time, receive feedback, make future adjustments.
8) Promote the shared-use concept! Celebrate as a positive the fact that most of Edina’s roads are Woonerfs.
Reducing most of those roads to 20 mph should help.
9) Assess citizen reports of road segments that have a particularly dangerous aspect, e.g. blind spots. People want
to be happy. They don’t want to feel like they are always “dodging the bullet”.
In some locations, pedestrians can try to be safe when crossing a road, for example, but safety is not truly possible
due to curves or hills causing blind spots.
In these areas, assess how many seconds a person has to react to traffic, and drivers have to react to a pedestrian.
For example, how many feet of roadway are visible in each direction. How many seconds of visibility does that
translate to at various speeds?
In these areas, limited length 10, 15, or 20 mph, “crosswalk ahead”, and/or blind spot road signs might be helpful,
similar to the blind spot sign for the Country Club service access driveway on the northbound service road on the
east side of Hwy 100.
10) Assess other alternatives. For example, in my area, reducing southbound France Ave from two lanes to one lane,
simply by striping the roadway, has reduced some of the chaos and danger of vehicles jockeying for lane position,
while still allowing vehicles to move quickly and efficiently at most times of the day, which is important because
France Ave is such an important road for getting from here to there, for handling high volumes of traffic, for being
an emergency route, and, as an emergency route, for being able to be plowed equally quickly and efficiently (e.g. no
messy, obstructive curb bump-outs).
In the past, it seemed like there was at least one crash every year at 49th and France. That is not the case now. As a
matter of fact, both north and south of 50th, I have observed more instances of polite conduct by drivers, which is
more effective in the context of fewer driving lanes, because there are fewer collaborators required for ensuring
safe road crossings, and by that I am referring to crossings by both pedestrians and vehicles.
I am well aware that France Ave is a County road and not under your jurisdiction, but wanted to mention this
because there have been some improvements without obstructing traffic.
11) Maintain financial support for the Edina Police so that they can continue to address such issues as impaired
driving and red light running.
I can mention that in the past year, I have observed on different days, during the daytime, drivers of a very
expensive car and a very expensive SUV run the red light at 50th & Halifax. Both 50th & Halifax have sidewalks. Red
light runners are a threat to other drivers as well as to pedestrians. No one is safe when drivers run red lights.
Equally dangerous, pedestrians should not step out into the street in front of a moving vehicle, as though the vehicle
were not there, simply because they are at a crosswalk. I have witnessed that, too. These are exceptions to normal
conduct, but they are a reality.
12) At what speeds are people actually driving? To assist in review and discussion, it might be helpful to publicly
post online, the data gained from speed studies. In order to get more accurate results, the police department speed
box should not be present while speeds are being assessed.
13) Keep apprised of future technologies on the horizon. Might some of today’s traffic concerns be reduced or
eliminated with some future technological changes to vehicles? How do we address speed and traffic issues now,
while being mindful that some issues might change in the future?
14) Keep in mind that the vast majority of vehicle trips each day result in no crashes.
Thank you.
I find it hard to believe that the speed limit on a busy road connected to a freeway (70th), has a lower speed limit
than the road where dozens of young children play (Gilford). Cars race by because it’s a straight shot with no stop
signs. Seems like the limit should at least be as low as 70th street.
I am writing in strong support of reducing the default speed limit in Edina to 25 mph. In my area of South Cornelia /
Lake Edina, I've witnessed numerous near-misses between fast-moving vehicles (going at or above the speed limit)
and children on foot or on bicycles. (There are about two dozen kids under middle school age on our street and a
similar number around the corner on Hibiscus -- the kids often travel between the two streets via West Shore Drive,
where there have been numerous scary incidents.)
Just a couple weeks ago, my 11yo son was helping try to lure a neighbor's wayward elderly dog home across Gilford
when a speeding vehicle hit the dog (while my son and the neighbor child were nearby). The sound was terrifying. I
knew it was just a matter of time before someone or something was hit given the speed that vehicles travel on
Gilford Drive.
(Coincidentally, Councilperson Fischer happened to walk by with his wife in the aftermath of the accident, though I
don't think he understood what was happening at the time. The driver who hit the dog was stopped in the middle of
the road. I had to walk into the street into the path of another car that was about to speed around the stopped
vehicle and potentially hit the dog a second time, which further illustrated for me the unsafe speeds people travel
even when pedestrians, bikes and other impediments are present.)
Thank you for this forward-thinking proposal and for the work being done to make Edina's streets more pedestrian-
and bike-friendly. We are greatly looking forward to the day when we may enjoy the safety and social benefits of a
sidewalk on Gilford Drive thanks to the Safe Routes to School plan. Thank you.
Living On a cup de sac near 70th where there is a crosswalk and stop sign- at Tracy. cars often do not even stop at
the stop sign or for pedestrians. Cars take off from the stop sign at high speeds- sometimes “peeling” out. We have
called many times to the city to complain. Not only lower speed limit but would love to see a permanent sign like on
interlachen blvd that shows the speed limit sign and the speedThe driver is currently driving somewhere on 70th.
Lots of local plus rush hour “cut through” traffic and HS drivers. Way to fast- oncoming cars sometimes don’t stop
for the bus with stop arm out!! Bus driver has to honk- mind u the Sri era are approaching an intersection with stop
sign and still blow past the bus! Please help!
Map Submissions
Street
Classification
Street Approximate Limits Current
Speed Limit
Recommended
Speed Limit
Pin Placed Comment
Local Division St Spur Rd to Oxford
Ave
30 25 This should be
20 mph.
Cars cut through going very fast on
Division between Interlachen,
through Cooper and
Brookside/44th. The city has done
a couple of speed gun monitors,
but there are even more kids
around since the last time a study
was done. This is truly an exercise
superhighway. There are no
sidewalks, and we have a lot of kids
on bikes and strollers/wagons
come through here. As cars and
SUVs speed down the Cooper hill
past Circle East, they don't slow
down and it is unsafe. Police only
enforce when we complain once
every couple of years. Please lower
the limit even more than 25 (which
is absolutely an improvement over
the 30 mph!). Todd Park is right at
the stop sign, but there are tons of
walkers and students crossing
Division St there as well. Thank you
for your consideration!
Local Sunnyside Rd Arden Ave to Grimes
Ave
30 25 This should be
20 mph.
Numerous children attempt to
make use of the crosswalks on
Sunnyside to access shops at 44th
and France as well as Kojetin Park.
The speed limit needs to be 20
mph, just so cars can see and stop
for the crosswalks.
Local Sunnyside Rd Townes Rd to Curve
Ave
30 25 This should be
20 mph.
Through the entire year (both
winter and summer) residents love
walking "the circle" made by
towned road, sunnyside and Arden
Rd. This area is without sidewalks
and is extreamly dangerous given
the curvy nature of the street.
Local Creek Valley
Rd
Valley View Rd to CDS 30 25 This should be
20 mph.
Creek Valley (off Tracy) road dead-
ins at the Edina High School,
Children use this road to access the
school. Currently the Edina Cross
Country teams use this road for
training runs.
MSA Olinger Blvd Colonial Way to Tracy
Ave
30 25 This should be
20 mph.
Drivers speed down Olinger Blvd at
35-40+ mph. I cross Olinger Blvd
from my home on Jeff Place at
least 3 times a day to walk my dogs
in Bredesen. It's harrowing
sometimes.
MSA W 58th St Abbott Ave to Zenith
Ave
30 25 This should be
25 mph.
Speeding has and is an issue on
58th. The residents around 58th
should not have to worry about
speeding drivers going to and from
work.
Local Creek Valley
Rd
Valley View Rd to CDS 30 25 This should be
20 mph.
This road dead ends into the school
property and is used by some
sports teams. Additionally, it IS
twisty and people ZOOM down it.
It should be reduced!
Local St. Johns Ave Valley View Rd to W
62nd St
30 25 This should be
20 mph.
St Johns is used as a means of
getting to many of the cul-de-sacs
further south and generates a
significant amount of traffic off
Valley View that often travels at
unsafe speeds through a residential
neighborhood.
Local Casco Ave Bridge St to Country
Club Rd
30 25 This should be
20 mph.
The country club steets are narrow,
have parked cars and are full of
kids playing. Only one car can drive
down a street at a time. There is no
safe way to ever drive these streets
at over 20 mph.
MSA Wooddale
Ave
Wooddale Ln to
Wooddale Gln
30 25 This should be
25 mph.
Please make Wooddale 25 mph.
Drivers routinely fly down our
street at speeds much higher than
30 mph. 25 mph would make our
street safer for everyone!
MSA Gleason Rd Gleason Cir to Scotia
Dr
30 25 This should be
30 mph.
Enforce existing. Main travel
corridor.
MSA Valley View
Rd
Lois Ln to Susan Ave 30 25 This should be
30 mph.
Valley View Rd. south of 62 should
stay at 30 mph
MSA Valley View
Rd
Grace Ter to Lois Ln 30 25 This should be
30 mph.
Keep existing. Heavy usage.
Monitor for speeders.
MSA Normandale
Rd
Eden Ave to Wind Rd 30 25 This should be
30 mph.
Frontage Roads should stay 30 mph
MSA Wooddale
Ave
W 53rd St to W 54th
St
30 25 This should be
30 mph.
Wooddale Ave between 50th and
Valley View should be 30 mps
MSA Blake Rd Saxony Rd to Jeffrey
Ln
30 25 This should be
30 mph.
Blake Road north of Vernon should
stay at 30 mph, which is reasonable
given the distance of this road
between Vernon and Interlachen
MSA Valley View
Rd
W 60th St to Ryan
Ave
30 25 This should be
30 mph.
Valley view from 60th to Hwy 62
should remain 30 mph. Again, this
needs to be slightly quicker than
"neighborhood streets" so that it
encourages vehicles to take the
main route.
MSA Valley View
Rd
St. Johns Ave to
Wooddale Ave
30 25 This should be
30 mph.
Valley View Rd should remain 30 to
encourage traffic to avoid the
neighborhood streets.
MSA W 66th St West Shore Dr to
Cornelia Cir
30 25 This should be
30 mph.
This road has minimal residential
and should stay at 30 mph
MSA Cahill Rd Amundson Ave to
Dewey Hill Rd
30 25 This should be
30 mph.
Cahill Road should stay at 30 due
to the lack of residential housing
MSA Dewey Hill Rd Shannon Dr to
Coventry Way
30 25 This should be
30 mph.
Dewey Hill should stay 30 mph as a
major throughway
MSA Hilary Ln Braemar Blvd to
Gleason Rd
30 25 This should be
30 mph.
Braemar Blvd and Dewey Hill Road
should stay at 30 mph as they are
wide streets and reasonable to
travel at that speed
MSA Hilary Ln Braemar Blvd to
Gleason Rd
30 25 This should be
30 mph.
Main travel corridor. Could be
better enforced for speeders.
MSA Wooddale
Ave
W 50th St to
Wooddale Ln
30 25 This should be
30 mph.
Wooddale Ave S from 50th to
Valley View should remain 30 mph.
This will continue to serve as a
more "main thoroughfare" for
vehicles so that they will quit
"cutting through" the streets with
kids playing on them. There are
multiple stop signs on Wooddale to
help ensure speeds don't get out of
control.
MSA W 50th St Indianola Ave to
Halifax Ave
30 25 This should be
30 mph.
I believe the speed limit on 50th
should remain 30 mph from
Wooddale Ave S. east to Halifax
Ave S. The traffic along 50th is
already clogged and there are
lights at Wooddale and Halifax to
assist with pedestrian crossing. But
we LOVE the idea of reducing the
speed limit in/around
50th/France/Market/Halifax
shopping district where there are
so many pedestrians!
Local Casco Ave Bridge St to Country
Club Rd
30 25 This should be
20 mph.
The country club steets are narrow,
have parked cars and are full of
kids playing. Only one car can drive
down a street at a time. There is no
safe way to ever drive these streets
at over 20 mph.
Local Arden Ave Sunnyside Rd to
Bridge St
30 25 This should be
20 mph.
Arden is used as a cut through from
Grimes/Sunnyside to 50th and cars
fly down the street, including local
restaurant delivery vehicles. It
should be 20mph
Local W 49th St Townes Rd to France
Ave
30 25 This should be
20 mph.
W 49th has become a thoroughfare
for people seeking to bypass the
stoplight at France and 50th.
People are driving too fast on 49th,
which has a small hill and almost
no sidewalks. The result is an
unsafe situation that is
exacerbated when cars are parked
on the street. In addition to a lower
speed limit, 49th would benefit
from speed bumps and/or other
speed control measures.
Local West Shore
Dr
Dunham Dr to Gilford
Dr
30 25 This should be
25 mph.
West Shore Drive desperately
needs a sidewalk as well as a lower
speed limit. It is a main
thoroughfare for kids traveling to
and from school, from the various
surrounding parks and for dog
walkers and runners who wish to
access the Lake Cornelia area. It's
downright frightening to walk
along West Shore Drive even in
nice weather as there's enough
fast-moving traffic that pedestrians
need to often hop up into peoples'
yards to ensure safe distance. I beg
my kids to avoid it as much as
possible as cars regularly travel
much faster than 30 mph.
Local Gilford Dr Wooddale Ave to
Kellogg Ave
30 25 This should be
25 mph.
Gilford Drive is used as a cut-
through street during rush hours to
avoid 70th Street and shorten the
trip between the CPC area and the
intersection of 72nd and France.
There are many children (roughly
two dozen) middle school and
younger who regularly travel by
bike and on foot with friends. It
creates a very unsafe environment
where near-misses occur regularly,
particularly near the corner of
Gilford/Wooddale and
Gilford/Kellogg and
Gilford/Oaklawn.
Local Edina Blvd Sunnyside Rd to
Bridge St
30 25 This should be
25 mph.
25 MPH is a great start.
Enforcement -- initially with an
automated speed sign -- by Edina
Police should also accompany this
change
Local View Ln Schaefer Rd to
Vernon Ave
30 25 This should be
25 mph.
Cars heading in either direction
here tend to increase speeds
because of the distance between
intersections. I would also like to
see speed bumps installed to
enforce slower speeds.
Local Morningside
Rd
Ottowa Ave to
Oakdale Ave
30 20 This should be
25 mph.
It does not seem consistent to have
this small segment be 20 mph and
does not seem to be enforceable
when the rest of the street is
25mph
Local W 42nd St Ottowa Ave to
Oakdale Ave
30 20 This should be
25 mph.
Why is this tiny segment 20 mph
when the rest of the street is 25
mph?
Local Hansen Rd W 56th St to Grove St 30 25 This should be
30 mph.
Hansen Road should stay 30 mph
due to the lack of residential and
usage of this road.
MSA Tracy Ave Hwy 62 to Valley Ln 30 25 This should be
35 mph.
Tracy should remain 35 mph from
Highland Rd south up until the
entrance/exit to Hwy 62. It is a
more main road and this section is
far enough away from the schools.
Comments *
File Upload
By submttng ths form, I have read and agree to the Data Practces Advsory above.
Regardng speed mts on cty owned resdenta roads: Edna
shoud fo ow the ead of Mnneapo s and St Pau n ower ng the
speed mt on oca resdenta streets to 20 MPH and 25 MPH on
arter a streets. There s an obvous safety beneft n reducng
a owed speeds on resdenta streets. In a perfect wor d, I'd ke to
see the speeds on Creek Va ey Rd (east of the hgh Schoo, not
the one by Creek Va ey Eementary) as ow as 15 MPH as our
street s a wndy, h y, dead-end street wth mted vsb ty around
some turns. There are a coupe of stretches on our dead-end road
where cars speed up very rapdy after roundng a corner and wh e
they are probaby st under the current 30 MPH speed mt, they
acceerate very qucky to approach the current speed mt whch
creates obvous safety ssues for anybody on the road, partcuar y
the ncreasng number of resdents on our street wth very sma
ch dren.
Attachments allowed pdf jpg png
From:
To:Andrew Scipioni;
Cc:Chad Millner
Subject:Change in speed limits
Date:Friday, October 9, 2020 4:12:47 PM
EXTERNAL EMAIL ALERT: This email originated from outside the City of Edina. Do not click links or open
attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Hello,
My name is Anne Griffiths and I live at 4713 Hibiscus Ave. I am writing in strong support of the proposed speedlimit changes. As a pediatric pulmonologist at Children’s Minnesota and Gillette Children’s, I am sometimesinvolved in the care of pediatric trauma cases. I feel strongly that the decrease in speed limit in our neighborhoodwhich lacks sidewalks and is a major throughway (Hibiscus and West Shore) would be very helpful and prudent.Within 2 blocks we have no fewer than 31 children under the age of 10. There’s a strong sense of community amongthe parents of young children here but many drivers continue to be distracted for different reasons. The injury of achild would be catastrophic for this neighborhood, no matter what variables might have been involved, and it makessense to take what precautions we can to keep this place so special. Additionally, the “walker” zones and desire toavoid group bussing has lead to more young children walking to school. While I would imagine it was rare forsomeone years ago to drive impaired by alcohol in the morning, we know it isn’t rare for some people to text whiledriving today. Distraction is a problem but decreased speed would help pedestrians and bike riders to better react. Iwould also be in support of further consideration to widen the school zone for speed restriction.
Thanks very much for helping keep the children safe,
Dr. Anne Griffiths
From:
Cc:Chad Millner; Scott H. Neal; James Hovland; Kevin Staunton; Mary Brindle (Comcast); Mike Fischer; Ron
Anderson
Subject:Speed Limit Plan Feedback
Date:Friday, October 9, 2020 9:48:14 PM
EXTERNAL EMAIL ALERT: This email originated from outside the City of Edina. Do not click links or open
attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
To Whom it may concern in regards to Edina’s Reduced Speed Limit Plan.
A. Utterly Unenforceable, practically impossible to get a paramedic or fire let alone a police officer inNorth/Northeast Edina. See Consultants report of over a year ago.B. Utterly confusing for senior citizens who have to drive (which Edina has more than any other suburb) becauseyour commitment to mass transit that seniors could use such as a train on the Dan Patch or looking at streetcarsdown France Ave is non existent.C. I currently have to go under 20 mph to get home in my 2 ton Ford truck due to unaccompanied toddlers walkingdown 55th street or children in bicycles who were never taught or don’t care about the rules of the road. Watch howmany adult cyclists blow through the stop signs at 54th and Wooddale or 54th & Minnehaha Blvd.If Edina has a bike and street education program, I’ve never seen it in 35 years of living here but that might requirecommunity policing & we all know that’s never going to happen.
By the way Chad, why was the construction crew on 58th street working in the dark tonight when the contractorswere gone for two weeks over July 4th? 58th Street East of France still doesn’t even have its first layer of asphaltdown yet & my mom (who’s 70/senior citizen) has to go miles out of her way to come see her socially distantgrandson.
Thanks for piling on to a crap 2020 City of Edina staff & leadership
SincerelyAndrew Richard Brown5512 Park PlaceEdina MN 55424
35 year residentEHS class of 94UST class of 98
Sent from my iPhone
1
Andrew Scipioni
From:
Sent:Saturday, October 10, 2020 8:22 AM
To:Andrew Scipioni
Subject:Speed limits
EXTERNAL EMAIL ALERT: This email originated from outside the City of Edina. Do not click links or open attachments
unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
I would ask that the city have a plan to enforce. Those of us who drive on 70th , which has a 25 limit now, can share
stories of irritated drivers tailgating when we follow the 25 limit.
Sent from my iPhone
From:
To:ASciponi@edinamn.gov; Chad Millner
Subject:Correction to my Feedback form!-Proposed speed limits
Date:Sunday, October 11, 2020 10:05:51 AM
EXTERNAL EMAIL ALERT: This email originated from outside the City of Edina. Do not click links or open
attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Hi!
This is a P.S. to the Feedback Form I just submitted. I misread the little speed limit inset and thought it said our
limit is 25 miles an hour in Brookview Heights, and I said that is reasonable but people drive faster.
I now see the correct info-limit is actually 30 MPH, which IS too high. And people still drive too fast.
I am so sorry for the inconvenience to you. We are so glad you are looking at this problem and truly hope you can
make an impact for safety!
Thank you,
Rita Younger
From:
To:Andrew Scipioni; Chad Millner
Subject:speed limit
Date:Monday, October 12, 2020 6:07:37 PM
EXTERNAL EMAIL ALERT: This email originated from outside the City of Edina. Do not click links or open
attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Hi Andrew and Chad,
PLEASE lower the speed limit in as many areas as possible. We live four blocks from
Cornelia Elementary and can hardly cross 70th street even when we activate the flashing lightsat the crosswalk on Wooddale. People are driving 45-50 mph sometimes during rush hour.
Please have more speed traps. Can you use the cameras at the stop lights to measure speed and
mail tickets to people? That would be a deterrent.
It is very frustrating and dangerous how fast people are going and it is getting worse.
Thanks for all you do and hope things will slow down in Edina Paul Zdechlik
Virus-free. www.avg.com
From:
To:Andrew Scipioni
Subject:Proposed speed limit changes.
Date:Friday, October 9, 2020 7:08:56 PM
EXTERNAL EMAIL ALERT: This email originated from outside the City of Edina. Do not click links or open
attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Do not make changes.
Edina narrowed the width of streets for ‘green’ purposes. However this change also slowed traffic in my
neighborhood.
The reality is that drivers won’t slow to 25, so changes accomplish nothing.
Bad idea.
Bill
From:
To:Andrew Scipioni
Subject:Speed limit initiative by ‘city engineering Dept’
Date:Friday, October 16, 2020 4:05:24 PM
EXTERNAL EMAIL ALERT: This email originated from outside the City of Edina. Do not click links or open
attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Andrew
We spoke earlier this year about sidewalks and parking on Hibiscus Avenue.
Today I spotted the article in the Thursday October 15th sun current. This article states that
there is a draft recommendation fromThe city engineering department to use ‘bettertogetheredina’ to reduce the speed limit.
This is the opposite of what we should be doing.
When we talked about the through- neighborhood traffic around Corneila School and south of
70th I noted that the problem is that 70th is 25 mph and that the surface streets are 30 mph.
When he was on the city council, Josh Sprague- who lives right on 70th Street- demanded thatit be 25 mph from 100 to France Avenue. I have followed him up 70th and even he does not
keep below 25 mph.
At the better together curbside meeting I suggested moving 70th at least to 30 mph to detercut- through traffic on side streets.
Now that someone is pushing for lower neighborhood speed limits I say increase the speedlimit on 70th to 35 mph.
Leave the surface streets at 30 mph.
I attended SouthWest high school, walking or driving to school sometimes twice a day forathletic or band practices. I grew up bicycling on Linden Hills Boulevard, Lake Harriet and
all over the city of Minneapolis and speed limits are irrelevant. What that city has decided todo with speed limits is beyond belief.
Walking on the surface streets has expanded in my edina neighborhood. I walked daily all
summer. Drivers already drive slowly when pedestrians are present.
I dropped the kids off at edina schools for 15 years (four school years apart), so crossing townto both campuses- there are so few bicycles in and around EHS and also Southview Middle
School in the wintertime that the number is absolutely insignificant.
There was one bicyclist, a teacher, who used that same route through the winter weather (one.)
After all these years of driving 70th street I am confident that bicycle lanes and speed limitchanges do not help enough people to offset the inconvenience of creating them.
Please leave the speeds where they are or increase them to 35 mph.
Sincerely,
Peter Moe,7436 West Shore Drive
Sent from my iPhone
From:
To:Andrew Scipioni
Subject:Lowering the speed limit
Date:Saturday, October 17, 2020 12:16:59 AM
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attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Thank you, Andrew,
This is a good idea! 20 miles per hour would be even better!
We can do this!
Judith Felker
From:
To:Andrew Scipioni
Subject:Speed Limit Plan
Date:Wednesday, October 21, 2020 12:55:40 PM
EXTERNAL EMAIL ALERT: This email originated from outside the City of Edina. Do not click links or open
attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Hi Andrew:
I don’t see anything being proposed about Xerxes Avenue. It is posted 30 MPH, but most people
drive 40-50 MPH. Please consider doing something on Xerxes. It isn’t an Edina road, but perhaps
you can work with the county.
Thank you,
Gail Forsyth
6300 Xerxes Ave S
Edina, MN
From:
To:Andrew Scipioni
Subject:Traffic proposal question
Date:Wednesday, October 21, 2020 3:31:21 PM
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attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Hello,
I live at 5604 Dundee Rd, and I was very excited to see the proposed new speed limits! When
looking at the map, I saw that a major section of Vernon (including the one that our housebacks up to) is not included in the new proposal as it is marked as a different jurisdiction.
Would you please let me know who controls the speed limit on that section of Vernon?
Thank you,Sarah Beth Brust
From:
To:Andrew Scipioni
Subject:Stop signs in Country Club
Date:Monday, October 26, 2020 8:06:00 AM
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attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Hello,
Feedback is requested on proposed speed limit changes but in our neighborhood (Country Club) it would be best to
add stop signs at each/every intersection.
Currently it’s inconsistent where stop signs are placed and some intersections in our country club neighborhood
have them at 4 sides, some are just on two and it’s confusing to drivers. Nearly every time I’m driving in our
neighborhood I see drivers not knowing when and where to stop and miss signs.
Thank you.
Melissa
Sent from my iPhone
From:Nick Bauler
To:Andrew Scipioni
Subject:Speed Limit Submission
Date:Tuesday, October 27, 2020 12:29:47 PM
Attachments:image001.gif
Andrew,
A resident from 6933 Southdale Rd (Cathy) wanted to submit correspondence for the Speed Limit
Policy update but doesn’t internet access so I took her comments:
As she lives along Southdale Rd, she wants the speed limit to be lowered to 20 MPH at the two
curves.
She also wants all residential streets without a sidewalk to be lowered to 20 MPH in the Cornelia
School area, saying with more pedestrians using residential streets, speeds should be lower.
Would you be able to include this in the speed limit report?
Thanks!
Nick Bauler, Traffic Safety Coordinator
952-826-0349 | Fax 952-826-03927450 Metro Blvd. | Edina, MN 55439NBauler@EdinaMN.gov | EdinaMN.gov
Stay informed about the City’s response to COVID-19 at EdinaMN.gov/Coronavirus. Need a hand or want to help? VisitBetterTogetherEdina.org/COVID-19.
Share your thoughts and ideas with the City online! Visit www.BetterTogetherEdina.org.
From:
To:Andrew Scipioni
Cc:Scott H. Neal; James Hovland; Chad Millner; David Nelson
Subject:Re: Your response on Local Speed Limit Evaluation
Date:Tuesday, October 27, 2020 1:45:03 PM
Attachments:image004.jpgimage005.jpgimage001.gif
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unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
In any construct, the reduction of residential speeds will be a win for the community. Thank youfor your commitment to this important mission.
Rob
Get Outlook for iOS
From: Andrew Scipioni <ascipioni@EdinaMN.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2020 12:07:43 PM
To:
Cc: Scott H. Neal <sneal@EdinaMN.gov>; James Hovland <jhovland@hovlandrasmus.com>; Chad Millner
<cmillner@EdinaMN.gov>; David Nelson <DNelson@EdinaMN.gov>
Subject: RE: Your response on Local Speed Limit Evaluation
Rob,
Thank you for the email. We will consider your comments as we prepare our final recommendation.
Your email will be included in the staff report when it goes to the Transportation Commission and City
Council.
Regards,
Andrew Scipioni, Transportation Planner952-826-0440 | Fax 952-826-03927450 Metro Blvd. | Edina, MN 55439ascipioni@EdinaMN.gov | EdinaMN.gov
Stay informed about the City’s response to COVID-19 at EdinaMN.gov/Coronavirus. Need a hand or want to help? VisitBetterTogetherEdina.org/COVID-19.
Share your thoughts and ideas with the City online! Visit www.BetterTogetherEdina.org.
From: James Hovland <jhovland@hovlandrasmus.com>
Sent: Monday, October 26, 2020 12:42 PM
To: >
Cc: Scott H. Neal <sneal@EdinaMN.gov>; David Nelson <DNelson@EdinaMN.gov>; Andrew Scipioni
<ascipioni@EdinaMN.gov>
Subject: RE: Your response on Local Speed Limit Evaluation
From:Chad Millner
To:
Cc:Andrew Scipioni (ascipioni@EdinaMN.gov)
Subject:RE: Traffic on 44th St.
Date:Thursday, October 29, 2020 8:26:14 AM
Karen,
Thanks for the note about the potential changes to speed limits. We will include your comments in the review as wedevelop final recommendations for the city council.
Thanks,Chad
Chad Millner, Director of Engineering952-826-0318 | Fax 952-826-03927450 Metro Blvd. | Edina, MN 55439cmillner@EdinaMN.gov | EdinaMN.govStay informed about the City's response to COVID-19 at EdinaMN.gov/Coronavirus. Need a hand or want to help?Visit BetterTogetherEdina.org/COVID-19.
Share your thoughts and ideas with the City online! Visit www.BetterTogetherEdina.org.
-----Original Message-----From: Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 2020 4:15 PMTo: Chad Millner <cmillner@EdinaMN.gov>Subject: Traffic on 44th St.
EXTERNAL EMAIL ALERT: This email originated from outside the City of Edina. Do not click links or openattachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
I have lived on 44th St. across from Kjoetin Park since 1991, reducing the speed limit to 25 may help, but I believewe also need the pedestrian light up stop signs (they have them on 50th by City Hall, what a waste!). Our block islong and it’s like the Indy 500 during rush hour! Do something about it now! Karen Ferrara
Sent from my iPhone
From:
To:Chad Millner; Andrew Scipioni
Subject:Comments submitted in BT re Local Speed Limits
Date:Friday, October 30, 2020 4:56:06 PM
Attachments:R.Castellano BT Submittal@10-30-2020 LocalSpeedLimits.pdf
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attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Chad, Andrew,
This afternoon, I submitted comments re Local Speed Limits using the submittal form at BT. I wrote
my comments separately, then copied them into the submittal window. All the paragraph spacing
disappeared, so the submittal looks like one long paragraph—Not my intent!
I later returned to BT, to try re-entering my comments, hoping to see if I could get it to accept and
retain paragraph spacing while still in the submittal window, prior to clicking the submit button.
However, BT would not allow me to make a second submittal using the form.
Attached is a pdf of my comments with paragraph spacing.
Roberta Castellano
R. Castellano 10-30-2020, Page 1 of 4
I appreciate that the City of Edina is visiting the issue of speed limits on roads under its jurisdiction.
First, a correction to the existing speeds map: Parts of Hwy 100 are now 60 mph, including north of
Crosstown.
I live on the corner of W 49th St and France Ave S, on the Edina side of France Ave. The east side of
France Ave is in Minneapolis. Mpls adopted a citywide 20 mph speed limit, unless otherwise posted.
Across the street from me, 49th St in Mpls is signed for 20 mph. Along the France Ave border, almost all
the Mpls streets are signed for 20mph.
I would first like to discuss the matter of sidewalks in relation to our roads.
I love France Ave, and cannot imagine why anyone one would choose to not have sidewalks on France
Ave, as I told Edina’s then-City Engineer Fran Hoffman in advance of the 1990 France Ave Road Recon.
France Ave moves a lot of traffic.
49th St has sidewalk in front of 3 doubles—that’s all. Effectively, 49th St is a “Woonerf”, as are most of
the residential streets in Edina. 49th St is a shared space; that is a fact and a good concept.
There are no sidewalks on Highway 100, and it is not a shared space, and I think that is good, too.
Sidewalks change the character of a street. Some people see them as a positive. Some people see them
as a negative, and that a certain quality of life is lost. There are various impacts.
Sidewalks communicate and reinforce a negative concept, which is that roads are not a shared space,
that roads are for vehicles and not for pedestrians and bicycles.
Unarguably, pedestrians, for example, are safer when walking on sidewalks, rather than next to vehicles
moving at high speeds. Yet, they are only safe to a point, because ultimately, people go out into the
street for a number of reasons, and they need to feel safe, and should be able to be safe, when they are
in the street. In other words, the safety afforded by sidewalks is limited.
Sidewalks are an infrastructure, and are funded by increased taxes. In many locations where sidewalks
have been installed, retaining walls are also installed. Both the new sidewalks and the new retaining
walls will have to be periodically maintained with more taxation. Everything always looks so nice and
promising when it is new, but just wait until it all becomes aging infrastructure. Ask Minneapolis.
Sidewalks must be cleared of snow in the winter. This is a personal burden for residents, unless the City
plows the sidewalks, separately from the streets, with more taxes.
On some sidewalks, snow piles start to melt on winter days, causing runoff onto sidewalks, which
freezes and becomes slippery ice when the temperature inevitably drops. Sometimes, there is freezing
rain. Winter events like these can lead people to walk in the street to avoid slipping on icy sidewalks.
One option, for the party responsible for the sidewalks, is to apply and re-apply salt throughout the
season as needed. But that is another expense and an additional burden. Some facts: 1) sidewalks can
be dangerous to walk on at times during the winter, even though shoveled or plowed, 2) sidewalks need
salt at certain times to be safe to walk on, and 3) a system (personal or city) entirely separate from City
road plows and salt trucks is required to clear sidewalks and keep them safe.
R. Castellano 10-30-2020, Page 2 of 4
There is hardly a road in Mpls that does not have sidewalks on both sides, and yet, sidewalks weren’t
enough, and Mpls has now lowered speed limits citywide. In other words, to some extent, the
expansive and expensive sidewalk (and related retaining wall) infrastructure is a failure. So, let’s not
simply follow in Mpls’s footsteps.
I often go out into the street. I am accustomed to traffic, both on France and on 49th. There are drivers
who utilize 49th St as a faster alternative to Market St. Residents on 49th and on Maple can describe
speed issues along the length. I would like to build on the 20 mph that Mpls has set for 49th St, east of
France Ave, and make our side 20 mph, too.
During my 40 years at this location, just along my stretch of 49th St (the length of my property), cars
have struck my stair railings twice (once summer coming up from France, once winter heading down to
France), vehicle ran into snowbank, vehicle ran into apartment driveway retaining wall, vehicle parked
on street was struck, vehicle did a 180 coming down the hill to France Ave.
The City of Edina is proposing a speed limit of 25 mph unless otherwise signed. If the Edina Police were
requested to enforce an area, what is the margin of error in speed enforcement? 5 mph? If so, then the
enforced speed is 30 mph. If that is the case, then what is the benefit of the change from citywide 30
mph to citywide 25 mph?
What to do with Edina’s speed limits for this project?
1) The City of Edina did not post on Better Together the analytical data behind the proposed speed
limit changes. I would like the opportunity to review these data prior to the City Council taking action
on the speed limit matter. Could you post any of this data for the public?
2) Edina does not need to act in haste. Edina does not need to act on all streets at once.
3) Hold down our tax burden.
4) Take advantage of existing signage. If there is a speed limit already posted, just leave it at that
speed for now. The City can always assess any element at a later date. Wooddale, 50th west of
Wooddale, 66th, Valley View, the service road east of Hwy 100—these are a few examples of signed
roads.
5) Take action on unsigned roads only. Make all unsigned roads 20 mph. I am guessing that most
residents on most unsigned roads (no posted speed limit) would be happier if drivers do not exceed 20
mph. 49th St is not signed. To be clear, I am advocating for 20 mph on 49th St.
6) Assess exceptions. I can share a couple:
a. A peculiar, one-block segment of Arden Ave. Very oddly, northbound Arden from 51st to 50th St is
posted 30 mph (!), in spite of the fact that it is the kind of residential road that is typically not signed in
Edina. For uniformity, remove the sign and allow it to be 20 mph, unless the residents are adamant that
it remain 30.
b. Exception: 50th St from Wooddale to France, which is unsigned but carries 30 mph from the signed
portion of 50th St west of Wooddale. 50th St is an important road for vehicular traffic. It should be
faster than the neighborhood internal roads. 25 mph seems reasonable only if the neighborhood
interiors are 20 mph. East of France Ave, 50th St is signed for 30 mph.
R. Castellano 10-30-2020, Page 3 of 4
c. You are familiar with more Edina streets than I am. What other possible exceptions can you think of?
7) Get the word out, give it some time, receive feedback, make future adjustments.
8) Promote the shared-use concept! Celebrate as a positive the fact that most of Edina’s roads are
Woonerfs. Reducing most of those roads to 20 mph should help.
9) Assess citizen reports of road segments that have a particularly dangerous aspect, e.g. blind
spots. People want to be happy. They don’t want to feel like they are always “dodging the bullet”.
In some locations, pedestrians can try to be safe when crossing a road, for example, but safety is not
truly possible due to curves or hills causing blind spots.
In these areas, assess how many seconds a person has to react to traffic, and drivers have to react to a
pedestrian. For example, how many feet of roadway are visible in each direction. How many seconds of
visibility does that translate to at various speeds?
In these areas, limited length 10, 15, or 20 mph, “crosswalk ahead”, and/or blind spot road signs might
be helpful, similar to the blind spot sign for the Country Club service access driveway on the northbound
service road on the east side of Hwy 100.
10) Assess other alternatives. For example, in my area, reducing southbound France Ave from two
lanes to one lane, simply by striping the roadway, has reduced some of the chaos and danger of vehicles
jockeying for lane position, while still allowing vehicles to move quickly and efficiently at most times of
the day, which is important because France Ave is such an important road for getting from here to
there, for handling high volumes of traffic, for being an emergency route, and, as an emergency route,
for being able to be plowed equally quickly and efficiently (e.g. no messy, obstructive curb bump-outs).
In the past, it seemed like there was at least one crash every year at 49th and France. That is not the
case now. As a matter of fact, both north and south of 50th, I have observed more instances of polite
conduct by drivers, which is more effective in the context of fewer driving lanes, because there are
fewer collaborators required for ensuring safe road crossings, and by that I am referring to crossings by
both pedestrians and vehicles.
I am well aware that France Ave is a County road and not under your jurisdiction, but wanted to
mention this because there have been some improvements without obstructing traffic.
11) Maintain financial support for the Edina Police so that they can continue to address such issues
as impaired driving and red light running.
I can mention that in the past year, I have observed on different days, during the daytime, drivers of a
very expensive car and a very expensive SUV run the red light at 50th & Halifax. Both 50th & Halifax
have sidewalks. Red light runners are a threat to other drivers as well as to pedestrians. No one is safe
when drivers run red lights.
Equally dangerous, pedestrians should not step out into the street in front of a moving vehicle, as
though the vehicle were not there, simply because they are at a crosswalk. I have witnessed that, too.
These are exceptions to normal conduct, but they are a reality.
R. Castellano 10-30-2020, Page 4 of 4
12) At what speeds are people actually driving? To assist in review and discussion, it might be
helpful to publicly post online, the data gained from speed studies. In order to get more accurate
results, the police department speed box should not be present while speeds are being assessed.
13) Keep apprised of future technologies on the horizon. Might some of today’s traffic concerns be
reduced or eliminated with some future technological changes to vehicles? How do we address speed
and traffic issues now, while being mindful that some issues might change in the future?
14) Keep in mind that the vast majority of vehicle trips each day result in no crashes.
Thank you.
From:
To:Andrew Scipioni
Subject:Local Speed Limit Evaluation
Date:Monday, November 2, 2020 10:11:51 AM
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Andrew,
My apologies, I know the public comment period has ended, but over this weekend, we had
several instances of people roaring down our street in our quiet neighborhood.
I'd like to suggest that any road with a cul-de-sac or no outlet have a speed limit of 20 mph. Iknow that there are a lot across the city of Edina, but the majority of these road types have
families and kids playing / running from house to house / crossing the street / riding bikes,etc.
Our neighborhood is filled with kids and every week our neighbors and I remind those driving
down our street making deliveries, picking up trash, etc that there's no need to speed throughour short / no outlet road. Whipping down our road at 30 and the proposed 25 is still WAY to
fast for a no-exit location.
We already have issues with drivers not stopping at our one stop sign, so to limit the speedwould be even more helpful.
Again, my apologies for this late feedback, but this rule would really help us keep our street
safe.
Thanks so much, Charlotte
From:Nick Bauler
To:Andrew Scipioni
Subject:RE: Speed Limit Submission
Date:Monday, November 2, 2020 1:12:25 PM
Attachments:image001.gif
Hey Andrew,
I received a voicemail Friday from the same resident who provided feedback for me mentioned
below. They wanted to include the same stretch of Southdale Rd has 18 kids who reside within the
area.
Passing that along! Let me know if you would need anything else or have any questions.
Thanks again,
Nick
Nick Bauler, Traffic Safety Coordinator
952-826-0349 | Fax 952-826-03927450 Metro Blvd. | Edina, MN 55439NBauler@EdinaMN.gov | EdinaMN.gov
Stay informed about the City’s response to COVID-19 at EdinaMN.gov/Coronavirus. Need a hand or want to help? VisitBetterTogetherEdina.org/COVID-19.
Share your thoughts and ideas with the City online! Visit www.BetterTogetherEdina.org.
From: Andrew Scipioni <ascipioni@EdinaMN.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2020 12:31 PM
To: Nick Bauler <NBauler@EdinaMN.gov>
Subject: RE: Speed Limit Submission
Yes, I will. Thank you.
Andrew Scipioni, Transportation Planner
952-826-0440 | Fax 952-826-03927450 Metro Blvd. | Edina, MN 55439ascipioni@EdinaMN.gov | EdinaMN.gov
Stay informed about the City’s response to COVID-19 at EdinaMN.gov/Coronavirus. Need a hand or want to help? VisitBetterTogetherEdina.org/COVID-19.
Share your thoughts and ideas with the City online! Visit www.BetterTogetherEdina.org.
From: Nick Bauler <NBauler@EdinaMN.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2020 12:30 PM
To: Andrew Scipioni <ascipioni@EdinaMN.gov>
Subject: Speed Limit Submission
Andrew,
From:
To:Andrew Scipioni
Subject:Lower speed limit PLEASE
Date:Monday, November 2, 2020 5:03:59 PM
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attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Hello Mr. Scipioni,
It’s my understanding Edina is considering lowering some/ all residential speed limits from 30mph to 25mph.
Please make this happen. In fact I’ll take it a step further and say residential streets without lane lines should be
20mph. I live on Aspen Road, which is a short cul de sac, no sidewalks. From the stop sign at the corner to the end
of cul de sac it’s the length of six homes... SIX!!! I would welcome a traffic study that would show me a scenario
where it would be appropriate to gun it to 30mph before slamming on the brakes to make the u-turn at the cul de
sac.
I’ll also add on this short stretch of Aspen Road (the length of six yards) there are 19 children. We regularly have to
yell at people to slow down (most delivery drivers who are lost and don’t realize it’s a dead end) City wide slowing
down to 20 mph is the only way to get people to actually wake up and realize how fast 30 mph really is. For once
let’s take a cue from Minneapolis and slow down to 20mph.
If you’d like to do a traffic study I know our neighborhood would welcome it. Please contact me anytime if I can
assist.
Leah Palazzolo
Sent from my iPhone
Leah
Sent from my iPhone
Leah
Sent from my iPhone
From:
To:Andrew Scipioni
Subject:Speed limit in Edina neighborhood
Date:Tuesday, November 10, 2020 3:56:43 AM
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attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Hi Andrew,
I have just been made aware of the new speed limit proposal in Edina neighborhoods. I apologize if mytiming may be delayed for commenting but I feel strongly that I need to reach out still.
I live on the corner of Tamarac and Aspen Road in Edina. Every single day I watch multiple cars andtrucks blow through the stop sign and race down our streets. I have tried to flag cars down, havesignaled to drivers to slow down, have run after and stopped cars and have put signs in my yard toremind cars to slow down. It still doesn't change the fact that people are whipping through ourneighborhood unsafely.
I have five young children under the age of 7yo and there are at least 40 other young children in ourneighborhood. As much as we try to teach them safety about cars and being in the street, we expectdrivers to drive safely and responsibly throughout our neighborhoods.
I am pleading with you to strongly consider limiting the speed to 20mph. We are a no-exit neighborhoodor cul-de-sacs-20mph is PLENTY.
Thank you!
Sincerely, Tricia Borg
Date: December 17, 2020 Agenda Item #: V.B.
To:Transportation Commission Item Type:
Other
From:Andrew Scipioni, Transportation Planner
Item Activity:
Subject:Draft Travel Demand Management Policy Discussion, Information
CITY OF EDINA
4801 West 50th Street
Edina, MN 55424
www.edinamn.gov
ACTION REQUESTED:
Review and comment on the draft travel demand management policy.
INTRODUCTION:
See attached draft policy and supporting document.
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Draft TDM Policy
ETC TDM Ordinance Recommendation
Travel Demand Management Policy [DRAFT]
Purpose
As stated in the Transportation Chapter of the 2018 Comprehensive Plan, the primary emphasis of travel
demand management (TDM) is to reduce the number of vehicular trips on congested roadways during peak
travel times. Strategies that promote TDM may include pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, utilization of
transit service, car/vanpooling, shared mobility and telecommuting. Since many or most of these trips are
commuter (work) trips, TDM strategies primarily involve places of employment and associated travel behavior.
The City of Edina currently requires developers proposing projects with the potential for significant traffic
impacts to submit a traffic impact study (TIS) as part of the plan review and approval process. The thresholds
currently in place to require such a study are projects that;
• Increase existing site density (in terms of residential units or building square footage)
• Require a parking stall variance
• Requite rezoning or a Comprehensive Plan amendment
• Are adjacent to an intersection operating at Level of Service (LOS) D or along a roadway corridor
operating at a volume-to-capacity ratio of 0.8 or higher.
As part of the traffic impact study, the City will require developers to submit a TDM plan to demonstrate that
new projects are designed in ways to support TDM.
Applicability
Recognizing development size and land use type directly affect automobile traffic congestion, the City has
established two levels of TDM program applicability:
1. A Tier 1 TDM program is required for developments/redevelopments which meet any of the following
criteria:
a. 50 or more residential units;
b. 100 or more automobile parking stalls required by City Code;
c. Flexibility sought from parking required by City Code; or
d. Other development/redevelopment as required by Council condition.
2. A Tier 2 TDM program is required for developments/redevelopments which meet any of the following
criteria (provided a Tier 1 TDM program is not required):
a. Over 5,000 square feet of floor area;
b. 10 or more residential units;
c. 20 or more automobile parking stalls required by City Code; or
d. Other development/redevelopment as required by Council condition.
TDM Plan Requirements
Tier 1
1. A TDM study prepared by a qualified traffic consultant that includes:
a. Strategies, implementation measures and timeline. The TDM measures may include, but are not
limited to, on-site transit facilities, preferential location for managed carpool and vanpool parking,
telework, on-site bicycle, scooter and pedestrian facilities and financial incentives. A minimum of five
(5) unique strategies must be identified for implementation.
b. Anticipated SOV trip reduction
c. Goals, including peak and total SOV trip reduction goals.
d. Evaluation measures and process to track implementation and determine the effectiveness of the
TDM strategies and progress toward achieving the SOV trip reduction goals.
e. Proposed total expenditures to implement the TDM strategies.
Tier 2
1. A TDM Plan describing:
f. Strategies, implementation measures and timeline. The TDM measures may include, but are not
limited to, on-site transit facilities, preferential location for managed carpool and vanpool parking,
telework, on-site bicycle, scooter and pedestrian facilities and financial incentives. A minimum of
three (3) unique strategies must be identified for implementation.
g. Proposed total expenditures to implement the TDM strategies.
Administration
The TDM plan must be approved by the City Engineer or the Engineer’s designee prior to granting a building
permit. Prior to obtaining a Certificate of Occupancy, the building owner must demonstrate that all structural
components of the approved TDM plan have been implemented (e.g., pedestrian/bicycle infrastructure, carpool
priority parking stalls, shared mobility infrastructure, etc.).
The City Engineer, or the Engineer’s designee will administer Tier 1 and Tier 2 TDM Plans, including, but not
limited to:
1. Reviewing and approving of TDM plans.
2. Maintaining files for approved TDM plans.
3. Recommending approval for Certificates of Occupancy.
4. Approving any amendments after the TDM plan has been approved.
1
City of Edina
Draft Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Ordinance 12/15/2019
Purpose and Intent
The purpose of Transportation Demand Management (TDM) is to maximize the potential for
alternatives to single occupancy vehicle (SOV) automobile transportation to reduce traffic
congestion, mitigate the impact of auto emissions on the environment, and promote health.
TDM is a combination of information, services, resources, incentives, facilities and actions that
promote alternatives to SOV automobile trips. The intent of this ordinance is to ensure that new
developments and redevelopments are designed in ways to support TDM.
Applicability
Recognizing development size and land use type directly affect automobile traffic congestion,
the City has established two levels of TDM program applicability:
A Tier 1 TDM program is required for all new developments and redevelopments consisting of:
1. Developments where the City Code requires the provision of more than 100 automobile
parking spaces.
2. Redevelopments where the resulting number of automobile parking spaces is more than
100.
3. Mixed use or multi-family residential housing developments greater than 50 units.
4. Developments or redevelopments seeking flexibility from the standard City Code
parking requirements.
A Tier 2 TDM program is required for:
1. Developments and redevelopments with over 5,000 square feet in floor area, provided a
Tier 1 TDM program is not required.
2. Developments and redevelopments consisting of 10 or more residential units or where
City Code requires 20 or more parking spaces, provided a Tier 1 TDM program is not
required.
TDM Plan Requirements
Mandatory TDM plan requirements for the two levels are as follows:
Tier 1 TDM Programs shall include:
2
1. A TDM study prepared by a qualified traffic consultant that includes:
a. The projected transportation and parking impacts of the development at full site
development, forecasts of SOV trips generated and the likely timing of those trips,
and anticipated parking demand. The traffic study must be conducted in accordance
with accepted methodology approved by the Community Development Director or
the Director’s designee. The traffic study must be prepared by an independent
traffic engineering professional, selected by the City, under the supervision of the
Community Development Director or the Director’s designee, and paid for by the
applicant.
b. Impact of other planned developments in the area consistent with the
Comprehensive Plan and approved Small Area Plans.
2. A Three-Year TDM plan, prepared by the property owner in the format specified in the TDM
Policies and Procedures Document maintained by the Community Development Director or
otherwise in a format approved by the Director or the Director’s designee, describing:
a. Goals, including peak and total SOV trip reduction goals.
b. Strategies, implementation measures, and timeline. The TDM measures may include,
but are not limited to, on-site transit facilities, preferential location for managed
carpool and vanpool parking, telework, on-site bicycle, scooter and pedestrian
facilities and financial incentives.
c. Anticipated SOV trip reduction
d. Compliance with Edina Code of Ordinances Sec. 36 – 1274 to provide off-street
bicycle parking and other required elements.
e. Evaluation measures and process to track implementation and determine the
effectiveness of the TDM strategies and progress toward achieving the SOV trip
reduction goals.
f. Proposed total expenditures to implement the TDM strategies.
3. A TDM plan agreement prepared by the City Attorney’s office, executed by the property owner and
the City, and filed by the property owner with the records for that property in the Registrar of
Title’s or Recorder’s Office of Hennepin County with proof thereof presented to the issuing
Authority prior to issuance of a building permit.
4. A Financial Guarantee in the amount established by the TDM ordinance based on the scope
of the project.
5. Periodic status updates, as required by the City (at least annually) in the format specified in
the TDM Policies and Procedures Document maintained by the Community Development
Director, or otherwise approved by the Director or the Director’s designee, hereinafter
referred to as the “Annual Status Report”.
3
Tier 2 TDM Program shall include:
1. A TDM Plan describing:
a. Goals, including SOV trip reduction goals.
b. Strategies, implementation measures, and timeline.
c. Compliance with Edina Code of Ordinances Sec. 36 – 1274 to provide off-street
bicycle parking and other required elements.
Tier 1 TDM Plan Financial Guarantee
To ensure compliance, when a Tier 1 TDM Plan is required, the property owner shall provide a
financial guarantee prior to the issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy.
1. The financial guarantee rate will be $100 per parking space for new developments and
$100 per added parking space for redevelopments. The financial guarantee may be
provided in the form of cash, bond or letter of credit at the discretion of the City.
2. The City will retain the cash payment, bond, or letter of credit for three years from the
date of issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy. This date shall hereinafter be referred
to as the “TDM Plan Implementation Date”.
Administration
Prior to granting a building permit there must be an approved TDM plan.
Prior to granting a Certificate of Occupancy the building owner must demonstrate that they
have complied with any structural elements of the TDM Plan required prior to occupancy unless
an extension has been granted at the discretion of the Community Development Director.
The Community Development Director, or the Director’s designee will administer Tier 1 and
Tier 2 TDM Plans, including, but not limited to:
1. Reviewing and approving of TDM plans.
2. Maintaining files for approved TDM plans.
3. Recommending approval for Certificates of Occupancy.
4. Monitoring progress toward implementation of TDM strategies and evaluating success of
efforts to achieve TDM plan goals.
5. Approving any amendments after the TDM plan has been approved.
6. Determining compliance in implementing a Tier 1 TDM plan as this relates to the release
or forfeiture of financial guarantees.
7. Holding and releasing TDM financial guarantees for Tier 1 TDM Plans.
4
Compliance
Tier 1
A property owner or its successors and assigns must:
1. Demonstrate compliance with the TDM Plan’s building and site structural elements and
a good faith effort to implement administrative and behavioral strategies described in
an approved TDM Plan.
2. Provide a TDM Annual Status Report within 30 days of the one-year, two-year and
three-year anniversary dates of the TDM Plan Implementation Date (or more frequently
if required by the City).
The Annual Status Report must include at least the following:
1. Documentation of the implementation of TDM strategies listed in the approved TDM
Plan.
2. Documentation of annual expenditures made to implement TDM strategies.
3. An evaluation of the success of planned strategies based on the measures in the
approved TDM plan or on alternative measures proposed by the owner and
approved at the discretion of the Community Development Director.
Tier 2
A property owner or its successors and assigns must:
1. Demonstrate compliance with the TDM Plan’s building and site structural elements and
a good faith effort to implement administrative and behavioral strategies described in
an approved Tier 2 TDM Plan.
Release of the Tier 1 TDM Plan Financial Guarantee
The financial guarantee, less 10% retained as administrative fees, will be returned after three
years (or any extension granted) if the TDM program has, in the opinion of the Community
Development Director or designee, been successfully implemented. The Community
Development Director will also have the discretion to release a portion of the financial guarantee
once structural elements have been completed and may extend the term of a Tier 1 TDM Plan
for up to one year.
The TDM financial guarantee will be released to the property owner within 10 working days
once released by the Community Development Director or the Director’s designee.
Forfeiture of the Tier 1 TDM Financial Guarantee
5
Failure to comply with the provisions of an approved Tier 1 TDM Plan after three years (or after
any extension granted) constitutes a violation of this Section of the City Code. The following
may, at the discretion of the Community Development Director, be considered a failure to
comply:
(1) Not satisfactorily implementing the TDM Plan’s building and site structural elements.
(2) Failure to submit timely Annual Status Reports.
(3) Not demonstrating a good faith effort to implement the approved TDM Plan strategies
set forth in their approved Tier 1 TDM Plan.
If the Community Development Director, or the Director’s designee, determines during the
review of the Annual Status Reports that the failure to implement the elements of the TDM
Plan is attributable to a lack of good faith effort on the part of the property owner, or its
successors and assigns, the financial guarantee will be immediately forfeited to the City.
Forfeited financial guarantees, less the 10% administrative fee, shall be distributed to
Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety Fund.
Date: December 17, 2020 Agenda Item #: V.C.
To:Transportation Commission Item Type:
Report and Recommendation
From:Andrew Scipioni, Transportation Planner
Item Activity:
Subject:Draft Traffic Impact Study Policy Discussion
CITY OF EDINA
4801 West 50th Street
Edina, MN 55424
www.edinamn.gov
ACTION REQUESTED:
Review and comment on staff's framework for the completion of traffic impact studies for proposed
development/redevelopment projects.
INTRODUCTION:
See attached draft policy.
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Draft Traffic Impact Study Policy
Traffic Impact Study Policy [DRAFT]
Introduction
The purpose of this document is to provide guidance to applicants and/or consulting engineers
assessing the potential transportation impacts of a new development or redevelopment project
within the City of which may result from related changes in zoning or Comprehensive Plan
amendments. A traffic impact study (TIS) is a document which assesses the effects that a
particular development/redevelopment will have on the transportation network in the
community. This study can be used to help evaluate whether the development is appropriate
for a site and what type of transportation improvements may be necessary. The TIS shall be
completed by a qualified Professional Traffic Operations Engineer (P.T.O.E.).
Development applications will not be deemed complete until a final approved TIS has been
received by the City. The following guidelines have been developed to provide for clear, orderly
and consistent analysis by establishing minimum standards for all studies. City staff and the
Transportation Commission will review the TIS based on these criteria specified in this
document.
1. Definitions
a. 85th percentile Speed – The speed at which 85% of free-flowing traffic drives at or
below. Observed 85th-percentile speeds are typically used to set roadway speed limits.
b. Average Daily Traffic (ADT) – The number of vehicles traveling on a roadway in a
24-hour period.
c. Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) – Published by the Transportation Research
Board, this is a guide for engineers and planners to assess traffic and environmental
effects of highway projects. This manual present the foundation of traffic analysis
procedures in the US.
d. Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) – An international educational and
scientific association of transportation professionals who are responsible for meeting
mobility and safety needs.
e. Intersection Delay – The average amount of time, usually expressed in seconds,
experienced by any vehicle traveling through an intersection.
f. Level of Service (LOS) – Qualitative measure of traffic operations related to the
amount of average delay experienced by drivers. Expressed in letter grades with LOS A
representing the best operations with little to no delay and LOS F representing the
worst operations with excessive delays and congestion.
g. Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) – Published by the Federal
Highway Administration, this document sets minimum standards and provides guidance
to ensure conformity of traffic control devices (such as messages, sizes, shapes, colors
and location).
h. Mitigation – Measures intended to reduce the impact of a development or improve an
identified traffic issue by either improving capacity (like adding vehicle lanes) or reducing
demand (like encouraging multi-modal transportation).
i. Multi-Modal – Refers to infrastructure that supports two or more transportation
methods (motor vehicles, transit, biking, walking or shared mobility.
j. Queue – Length of a line of cars waiting at an intersection of at a bottleneck in a
corridor, typically measured by each individual lane of traffic in feet or by number of
vehicles.
k. Travel Demand Management (TDM) Plan – A document that outlines strategies
to be undertaken to reduce the number of vehicular trips on roadways during peak
travel times and encourage alternate modes of transportation.
l. Volume-to-Capacity (V/C) Ratio – The number of vehicles through an intersection
or roadway segment in a specific amount of time divided by the expected capacity of the
road. Less than 1.0 indicates available capacity and above 1.0 indicates more vehicles
than can be accommodated.
m. Warrants – Criteria based on volumes, delays, queues, speeds or other performance
measures that determine when certain types of traffic controls should be installed
(including all-way stops signs, roundabouts and traffic signals).
When TIS is Required
A TIS is required for any project meeting any of the following criteria:
1. Any project increasing existing site density (in terms of residential units or building square
footage)
2. Any project requesting a parking stall variance
3. Any project requesting rezoning or a Comprehensive Plan amendment
4. Any project adjacent to an intersection operating at LOS D or along a roadway corridor
operating at a V/C ratio of 0.8 or higher
Study Area
The limits of the study area shall be determined by City staff. Generally, the study area shall include all
immediately adjacent roadways and intersections, including existing or proposed site accesses.
Additional roadways or intersections may be included at staff’s direction based on the size and location
of the proposed development/redevelopment.
Traffic studies from other development/redevelopment projects that have been approved by the City
in the last five years shall be reflected in new studies if the respective study areas border each other or
overlap.
What is Required
The TIS shall include the following;
Executive Summary 1. Summarize study findings and recommendations
Project Description 1. Describe proposed development
2. Provide site map
3. Provide existing traffic conditions within/adjacent to the site
a. ADTs
b. LOSs
Trip Generation 1. Estimate site-generated ADT and peak hour traffic using ITE and
local data, if available
2. Show estimated distribution of traffic on adjacent roadways
3. Pass-by trip assumptions
Capacity Analysis 1. Identify intersections/roadways to be analyzed
2. Estimate post-build LOS at study intersections
3. Estimate post-build V/C ratio on study corridors
4. Determine vehicle queue lengths at study intersections
5. Identify congestion or safety problems under full development with
recommended mitigation strategies
Parking Analysis 1. Calculate parking stall requirements per City Code
2. Estimate parking stall demand using ITE and local data, if available
Multi-Modal Facilities 1. Identify existing and proposed pedestrian facilities, including but not
limited to sidewalks, trails and other associated amenities
2. Identify existing and proposed bicycle facilities, including but not
limited to bicycle lanes, trails, parking stalls/racks and other
associated amenities
3. Identify existing and proposed transit facilities, including but not
limited to adjacent transit routes, bus stops/shelters, bus turnouts,
park-and-ride lots and other associated amenities
4. Identify existing and proposed shared mobility facilities, including
but not limited to bicycle-, scooter- or car-sharing services and
associated amenities
Travel Demand
Management Plan
1. Required components of Tier 1 or Tier 2 plan, as required (See
Travel Demand Management policy)
Appendices 1. Trip generation calculations, data and assumptions
2. Capacity analysis calculations, data and assumptions
3. Queue length analysis calculations, data and assumptions
4. Parking analysis calculations, data and assumptions
5. Provide other pertinent information that may be needed to explain
or justify data used in the report
Date: December 17, 2020 Agenda Item #: V.D.
To:Transportation Commission Item Type:
Other
From:Andrew Scipioni, Transportation Planner
Item Activity:
Subject:2020 Work Plan Updates Information
CITY OF EDINA
4801 West 50th Street
Edina, MN 55424
www.edinamn.gov
ACTION REQUESTED:
None; Commissioners will provide updates on the status of 2020 Work P lan initiatives (unless an item is
elsewhere on the current agenda).
INTRODUCTION:
See attached work plan.
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
2020 Work Plan Progress Report
Transportation Commission Approved by Council 12/3/19
2020 Work Plan
Initiative #1 Initiative Type Completion Date Council Charge
Continue Q3 3 (review and recommend)
Lead Commissioners Budget Staff Support
NA Staff Liaison, CTS
Review and Recommend
Review and evaluate performance of CloverRide circulator services
(North and South) and make recommendations to Council for future
service after contracts expire.Mindy Ahler
Progress Report:
Jan: Task Force met 1/20. South Loop ridership has grown, while North Loop is struggling to attract riders. Next Task Force meeting is 3/13.
Feb: No update.
Mar - May: MEETINGS CANCELLED
Jul: South Loop resumed regular route service last week; Commissioner Ruthruff recommended Task Force resume meetings virtually.
Jun: Service contract renewed for South Loop only; on-demand service is continuing due to pandemic.
Aug: Working to schedule a virtual Task Force meeting, obtain ridership data.
Sep: Task Force met 9/3. Ridership is down due to COVID, DARTS has implemented safety measures. Staff to reach out to properties to promote on-demand service.
Oct: Commissioner Ahler took over as Lead Commissioner. Staff sent letters to properties in Southdale to promote on-demand service.
Nov: No update.
Initiative #2 Initiative Type Completion Date Council Charge
Ongoing Q4 2 (review and comment)
Lead Commissioners Budget Staff Support
Staff Liaison
NA
Initiative #3 Initiative Type Completion Date Council Charge
New Q4 2 (review and comment)
Lead Commissioners Budget Staff Support
Staff Liaison
NA
Review and comment on traffic impact studies associated with proposed
developments.
Lori Richman
Jan: No update.
Jan: Work session scheduled for 4/7 to discuss TDM recommendation with Council.
Jun: Commissioners presented ordinance recommendation at City Council work session, staff is proceeding with policy recommendation for Council consideration.
Progress Report:
Review and Comment
Feb: No update.
Jun: No update.
Oct: 6600 and 7001 France Ave have submitted formal applications, staff will share traffic studies next week.
Sep: Staff will present draft policy in October.
Aug: No update.
Nov: TIS for 6600 and 7001 France Ave were reviewed, Commisioners discussed the review process and suggested improvements for future reviews.
Nov: Staff will present draft policy in December.
Progress Report:
Review and Comment
Review and comment on staff's recommendations for Travel Demand
Management policy / ordinance.
Bruce McCarthy, Kirk
Johnson
Feb: Commission reviewed parking assessment for 4500 France Avenue.
Mar - May: MEETINGS CANCELLED
Jul: Commission reviewed traffic and parking study for 4425 Valley View Road.
Aug: No update.
Sep: 6600 and 7001 France Ave have been in for sketch plan, traffic studies will be shared when formal applications are received.
Mar - May: MEETINGS CANCELLED
Jul: No update.
Oct: Staff will present draft policy in November.
Initiative #4 Initiative Type Completion Date
New Q4 2 (review and comment)
Lead Commissioners Budget Staff Support
Staff Liaison
NA
Initiative #5 Initiative Type Completion Date Council Charge
Continue Q4 4 (review and decide)
Lead Commissioners Budget Staff Support
Funds not available
Staff liaison, CTS
Review and Comment
Review and comment on staff's framework for the completion of traffic
impact studies conducted for proposed development / redevelopment
projects.Bocar Kane,
Jill Plumb-Smith
Progress Report:
Jun: No update.
Jun: No update.
Feb: Met 2 weeks ago, looked at existing policy, researching traffic study process of neighboring cities.
Progress Report:
Develop and coordinate up to six educational activities to inform the
community about transportation safety (which will include an annual
community event).Mindy Ahler
Kirk Johnson
Jill Plumb-Smith
Jan: No update.
Mar - May: MEETINGS CANCELLED
Feb: No update.
Jul: Commissioner Ahler requested another Commissioner assist or take over as lead on this initiative.
Sep: Commissioners created six posts that the City will share on social media platforms over the next few weeks.
Mar - May: MEETINGS CANCELLED
Oct: Staff developed five main components; Estimated Trip Generation, Capacity Analysis, Parking Analysis, Multi-Modal Facilities and TDM Plan (if applicable).
Oct: #TransportationTuesday posts continue on Facebook and Instagram; Commissioners were asked to like and share to expand reach.
Jul: No update.
Sep: No update.
Aug: Staff reviewing previously-completed traffic impact studies.
Nov: No update.
Nov: Initiative is completed, Commissioners suggested an article reminding residents to plow sidewalks and discourage salt use.
Aug: Commissioners Johnson and Plumb-Smith volunteered to assist; Commission discussed possible topics for future activities.
Jan: No update.
Review and Decide
Initiative #6 Initiative Type Completion Date Council Charge
Ongoing Q4 2 (review and comment)
Lead Commissioners Budget Staff Support
Funds not available Staff Liaison
Initiative #7 Initiative Type Completion Date Council Charge
Ongoing Q4 2 (review and comment)
Lead Commissioners Budget Staff Support
Staff Liaison
NA
Nov: No update.
Review and Comment
Progress Report:
Review and comment on monthly Traffic Safety Reports
Lori Richman
Feb: Reviewed and commented on the 2019 PACS Fund Summary report.
Progress Report:
Review and Comment
Review and comment on proposed Capital Improvement projects,
including roadway reconstructions and projects funded by the Pedestrian
and Cyclist Safety (PACS) Fund Lori Richman
Jan: Reviewed TSR of January 9; Recommended testing temporary parking restrictions on Grimes Ave (Item B1).
Feb: Reviewed and commented on 2019 Traffic Safety Summary Report. Reviewed TSR of January 28.
Mar - May: MEETINGS CANCELLED
Oct: Reviewed and commented on proposed 2021 roadway reconstruction projects.
Aug: Reviewed TSR of July 28.
Sep: Reviewed TSR of September 1; Recommended further communication with Edina Public Schools (Item B2).
Sep: Staff introduced 2021 roadway reconstruction projects; engineering studies will be presented for comment in October.
Jul: Reviewed TSR of June 30; Recommended "No Outlet" sign on Interlachen Blf (Item B2) and all-way stop at Beard Ave and W 57th St (Item B3).
Jul: No update.
Jun: No update.
Jan: The 2019 PACS Fund Summary Report will be presented on 2/20.
Jun: No update.
Mar - May: MEETINGS CANCELLED
Aug: Proposed 2021 roadway reconstruction projects will be introduced at the September meeting; staff will present engineering studies for comment in October.
Oct: Reviewed TSR of September 29.
Nov: Review TSR of October 27; Recommended further consideration of signage for sidewalk connection between Aspasia Cir and West Shore Dr (Item B3).
Parking Lot
Date: December 17, 2020 Agenda Item #: VI.A.
To:Transportation Commission Item Type:
Other
From:Andrew Scipioni, Transportation Planner
Item Activity:
Subject:Street Funding Task Force Update Information
CITY OF EDINA
4801 West 50th Street
Edina, MN 55424
www.edinamn.gov
ACTION REQUESTED:
None.
INTRODUCTION:
Commissioner Scherer will update the Commission on the latest meetings of the Street Funding Task Force.
Date: December 17, 2020 Agenda Item #: VIII.A.
To:Transportation Commission Item Type:
Other
From:Andrew Scipioni, Transportation Planner
Item Activity:
Subject:Schedule of Upcoming Meetings and Events as of
December 11, 2020
Information
CITY OF EDINA
4801 West 50th Street
Edina, MN 55424
www.edinamn.gov
ACTION REQUESTED:
None.
INTRODUCTION:
See attached schedule of upcoming meetings and events.
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Schedule of Upcoming Meetings and Events as of December 11, 2020
Transportation Commission
Schedule of Upcoming Meetings/Events (as of December 11, 2020)
Thursday Dec 17 6:00 PM Virtual (Webex) Regular Meeting
Thursday Jan 21, 2021 6:00 PM *City Hall, Community Room Regular Meeting
Thursday Feb 18, 2021 6:00 PM *City Hall, Community Room Regular Meeting
Thursday Mar 18, 2021 6:00 PM *City Hall, Community Room Regular Meeting
Thursday Apr 15, 2021 6:00 PM *City Hall, Community Room Regular Meeting
Thursday May 20, 2021 6:00 PM *City Hall, Community Room Regular Meeting
Thursday Jun 17, 2021 6:00 PM *City Hall, Community Room Regular Meeting
Thursday Jul 15, 2021 6:00 PM *City Hall, Community Room Regular Meeting
Thursday Aug 19, 2021 6:00 PM *City Hall, Community Room Regular Meeting
Thursday Sep 23, 2021 6:00 PM *City Hall, Community Room Regular Meeting
Thursday Oct 28, 2021 6:00 PM *City Hall, Community Room Regular Meeting
Thursday Nov 18, 2021 6:00 PM *City Hall, Community Room Regular Meeting
* Future meetings may be conducted virtually at the discretion of the City. Staff will continue to monitor the situation
related to COVID-19 and make decisions that prioritize the health and safety of residents and staff.