SNOHOMISH — Lowering the speed limit on Second Street won’t automatically make it safer, City Council members heard at the March 18 meeting.
Using speed and crash data, city Public Works director Nova Heaton explained that there was little correlation between speeding and accidents on the corridor. More often, accidents could be attributed to distracted driving or other traffic violations, such as tailgating or failing to yield to pedestrians. Of the 110 crashes that occurred between 2019 and 2023, only five involved excessive speeding.
This data, however, was taken from police and only illustrates significant crashes. Fender benders where police were not called were not represented in the data.
Nevertheless, these numbers indicated that the key to safer streets might be more complicated than a speed limit reduction.
“I don’t believe the data I presented today supports that as the best option, but that doesn’t mean it’s a harmful option,” Heaton said to council members.
Second Street’s speed limit is 30 mph.
No one was against lowering the speed limit, but few said openly that they were convinced of its potential benefit.
Councilmember David Flynn was the sole vocal advocate to lower the speed limit. He spoke in favor of a universal speed limit across the city’s streets at the March 18 meeting.
This is not the first call for slowing down the streets of Snohomish. In 2019, the speed limit of North Pine Avenue was reduced to 20 mph at residents’ behest. This decision was viewed as a trial run for lowering speed limits around town. In 2021, city council members reached a consensus about lowering the speed limit on most of the city’s core roads, but this did not come to fruition.
Heaton expressed the utility of a multi-layered approach that uses safety features like crosswalk flags, flashing slow signs, and HAWKS (pedestrian-activated stoplights).
A discrete safety measure is already in place on Lincoln and Second: The crosswalk signal has a three-second delay, which has made pedestrians more visible to vehicles turning left.
The hope is that these more robust safety measures not only reduce the prevalence of accidents but allow pedestrians to feel safer when crossing the street.
These discussions of speed limits and pedestrian safety are happening as the Second Street Master Plan continues to seek funding. This revamp aims to address problematic driver behavior with safety features and visibility measures that are embedded into the street design. Until then, Heaton welcomes public feedback.
