General Road and Highway Discussion

[ijmorlan]

That would be absurd, and I did not and would never suggest that. Whether the best fix is to have a specific speed limit on that road segment or to re-classify it properly I cannot say.

I agree that setting a lower limit on actual local residential streets is a very reasonable thing to do. But not if it means that misclassified streets get caught up in a general rule that people then insist on applying everywhere, even where plainly inappropriate.

When I read your comment "As long as Glasgow St. counts as an arterial, with a limit of 50 or 60km/h, I’m OK with [reducing speed limits on residential streets] in general principal," I read it as you saying that. Sorry about that.

I think you have a case for Glasgow Street in particular, but I would say that there are probably many streets in the city that feel like actual local residential streets to the people living on them, but misclassified collectors or arterials on the people now enjoying driving 50+km/h down them.

One thing I can say: Glasgow Street residents are obviously particularly connected politically. I don't think there would be realistic hope of designating it an arterial to exempt it from new residential-only speed limits.

Yes, I definitely agree there are streets all over the city that look and act like medium-sized arterials but which are streets with houses and children playing. Some have been somewhat improved. For example, Keats Way and Davenport Road used to be 4-lane highways (even if officially not painted as 4-lane), but now have been re-structured to encourage more appropriate driving habits. This is especially true of Davenport, with the actual median strip. If the trees survive it will one day be almost like Union.

I think there is space for an in-between level of road which might apply to my examples: roads which provide access to substantial residential areas rather than just its residents, but which aren’t really meant for driving across the city.

Sadly, I think you’re right about the political issue on Glasgow: this is a locked-in bad decision.