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Local Speed Limit Reduction
During its 2019 special session the Minnesota State Legislature adopted a bill that allows limited authority to cities to set speed limits on streets under their jurisdiction. The legislation allows cities to maintain a statutory 30 miles per hour (mph) speed limit on roadways within an urban district, adopt a 25 mph statutory speed limit on residential streets, and/or adopt other speed limits on roadways under their jurisdiction after the appropriate level of engineering study, implementation planning, and public education are performed.
Neighboring cities like Minneapolis and St. Paul have adopted polices to reduce speed limits on most local streets to 20 mph. The City of St. Louis Park is working to adopt a similar policy but would categorize streets based on traffic volume, with the less busy streets being 20 mph and the busier streets 30 or 35 mph.
Virtual Open House
The City asked residents to watch the virtual open house and provide feedback via survey; to learn more, View the Survey Results (PDF).If you have immediate questions, contact the City's Engineering Department at 763-583-8030 or by email
Eligible Streets (Local)
Residential Streets: Most likely the street you live on in Golden Valley; see Functional Classification Map (PDF).
Possibly Eligible Streets (Collectors)
Non-Residential Local Streets:
- General Mills Boulevard
- Betty Crocker Drive
- 10th Avenue N
- Rhode Island Avenue N
Non-Eligible Streets (Principal Arterials, Minor Relievers & Minor Augmenters)
- State Highways:
- Trunk Highways 55, 100, 169
- Interstates:
- Interstate 394
- County Roads:
- Winnetka Avenue (156)
- Douglas Drive (102)
- Duluth St (66)
- Golden Valley Road (66)
- Glenwood Avenue (40)
- Medicine Lake Road (70)
- Minneapolis Park Board Streets:
- Theodore Wirth Parkway
Determining the Right Speed Limits
City of Golden Valley Speed Limit Study
In 2020, City staff worked with consulting traffic engineer SEH Inc to perform a speed limit study. The report provides background for the consideration of potential speed limit changes and serves as the required traffic safety study should the City wish to implement speed limits other than the statutorily allowed 25 mph on residential streets.
For more information, view the Speed Limit Study Report (PDF).
Local Crash Map 2011 to 2020
Crash data dating back 10 years was compiled into a map (2011 to 2020). View the Crash Data for Local Streets (PDF), which breaks down crashes based on their contributing factors.
Speed Data From 2011 to 2020
Speed data dating back over the same 10-year period, from 2011 to 2020, was also compiled, including 163 speed counts over the past 10 years on local residential streets. The average speed in the data collected was 20 mph. The 85th percentile speed was 27 mph.
The 85th percentile speed, often associated with the national standard for setting speed limits on roadways, represents a speed at which 85% of the traffic is at or below. That speed or lower is the speed at which most drivers are comfortable on the road.
Perceived Speeding Video, City of Crystal
The City of Crystal performed a speed experiment where a vehicle travels down a local roadway and a camera records the vehicle as it passes by. The vantage point of the camera varies from a front yard, to a sidewalk, to behind the wheel. The purpose of this video is to show how fast different speeds feel to residents who live on a local street. The City of Crystal has shared the video with Golden Valley and it can be seen via the City of Crystal website.
AARP Traffic Calming Information
View the AARP Traffic Calming Information (PDF).