San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee joined police, transit and school officials Thursday to announce that speed limits are being lowered to 15 mph on all one-lane streets near schools in the city.
The speed limits are being lowered from 25 mph to 15 mph at 213 public and private schools around the city, starting with Peabody Elementary School in the Richmond District where this morning’s announcement was made.
“The children of San Francisco are our most precious resource, and we need to make sure that they feel safe traveling to and from school,” Lee said in a statement.
The project, which includes the installation of about 1,000 new signs, costs $361,700 and is being paid for by local sales tax funds and San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency operating funds, according to the mayor’s office.
About 100 of those schools will receive the new signage during this school year, which started Monday, while the rest will be installed by December 2012.
San Francisco police will be providing education and enforcement in the areas with new speed limits, offering warnings at first and then citations.
“Slow down and don’t let yourself be distracted,” police Chief Greg Suhr said in a statement. “Slowing down and staying focused on your driving allows you to have more reaction time and keeps students safe.”
The change is part of the city’s effort to reduce serious and fatal pedestrian injuries by 25 percent by 2016, and 50 percent by 2021.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
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