CLEVELAND — Drivers on the Cleveland and Lakewood border will soon have to slow down on one major street.
The speed limit along Lake Avenue will reduce from 35 miles per hour to 30 miles per hour. The reduction will stretch from West 75th Street to West 117th Street at the Lakewood border.
The changes follow a lengthy study process that included a review by the state.
Speed limits are set by state law, and safety studies are necessary to justify changes.
Traffic data collected along Lake Avenue found that most drivers were already driving around 30 miles per hour.
About 10% of drivers currently exceed 35 miles per hour in four of the five areas measured.
The City of Cleveland stated that it has witnessed four serious injury crashes along this stretch of road over the past four years, and it hopes this minor change will go a long way in saving lives and making the neighborhood safer.
"Those four serious crashes. Those are our friends. Those are our neighbors. Those are other Clevelanders impacted by the speeds on that street," Cleveland's Senior Active Transportation Planner Sarah Davis said. "The difference between 30 and 35 doesn't feel big to a lot of people, but in a situation where a car hits a pedestrian or a driver or someone on a bicycle, or even two cars crashing into each other, that's where you see the outcomes really start to change."
The city said the speed reduction is just one tool in its toolbox to make roads safer.
They have also enhanced their speed table program and plan to make further improvements for people biking and walking in the city.
The speed changes are expected to occur before the end of the year.
