Speed zone study is on the agenda
By Terry Murry on Monday, November 1st, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – The Walla Walla County Board of Commissioners meets today (Monday) at 10 a.m. and will hear a presentation by a consultant regarding speed limit suggestions for Taumarson Road, Prospect Avenue and Reser Road. The 4.4-mile corridor runs through the jurisdictions of the cities of College Place and Walla Walla, plus Walla Walla County.
The study, conducted by DKS Associates, began over citizen and local government concerns regarding the variations in speed zones throughout the corridor since the posted speed limit ranges from 20 miles per hour to 35 miles per hour.
DKS recommends raising the existing 25 miles per hour speed limit on Taumarson Road from State Route 125 to Justice Avenue to 35 miles per hour to be consistent with the suggested speed limit of 35 miles per hour on the other segments. DKS also recommends that the horizontal curve at the west end of Taumarson Road be evaluated to determine the need for advisory speed warning signs with the implementation of the recommended speed limit change.
The other segment, Reser Road from Cottonwood Road to Walts Lane, which is currently has two different speed limits (20 and 35 miles per hour) is being recommended to have a posted speed limit of 30 miles per hour. That section of corridor passes two schools – Prospect Point Elementary School and Walla Walla High School. The consultant found most drivers travel below the posted speed limit (35 mph), likely due to school speed zone signs and a speed radar sign along that section of corridor. Currently, there’s construction occurring at the high school which might have also impacted vehicle speeds and volume at the time of data collection.
According to DKS Associates, the next steps in the speed zone study is for all three agencies, the cities of College Place, Walla Walla, and Walla Walla County to approve the recommended posted speed limits, evaluate existing roadway geometric impacts such as curve signage and intersection sight distance, plus design and implementation of proposed speed signage modifications.
Commissioners have resumed in person public meetings, but also continue to host the meetings via WebEx. The access code is 146 784 0290.
