We’re calling on the city to enact and enforce a 20 mph limit on streets that include places where people live, work, play, shop or attend school or worship, with timely emphasis on routes connecting with schools and neighborhood byways.

Research from the more than 130 countries and American cities that have already adopted a 20 mph citywide speed limit shows this is a powerful way to save lives and promote walking, biking and transit.

But Salt Lake City’s ordinance (12.36.020(A)) sets the speed limit at 25 mph, which promotes dangerously high speeds in neighborhoods filled with people walking their dogs, children walking to school and people commuting by bike. The city also often allows speeds that are high enough to all but ensure death or serious injury in a crash, even on streets where it is likely for people to be in the street among moving vehicles.

Setting a default 20 mph speed limit on neighborhood streets would have very little impact on travel times by bus and car, but would have a huge impact on safety and livability.

The difference between a driver traveling 20 mph and drivers at higher speeds has huge effects on the chances of survival for someone hit by that car. The risk of death or serious injury increases exponentially with higher vehicle speeds.

Over 36,000 people were killed in traffic crashes in the U.S. in 2019, making this the leading cause of death for children aged 5-14, according to the National Association of City Transportation Officials.

But these deaths are preventable. Portland State University found that the number of people driving faster than 30 mph and above declined significantly in Portland after their City Council adopted a 20 mph speed limit in 2018.

Vehicle speeds through Salt Lake City neighborhoods are dangerously high. Together we can protect the most vulnerable among us and promote walkable, bikeable and inviting neighborhoods across our city. Join us in asking the City Council to lower the default speed limit to 20 mph because… 20 IS PLENTY FOR SALT LAKE CITY. #20isPlentySLC