Look for speed limits to go down to 20 mph near schools in Arlington County.
“The lowering of speed limits to 20 mph on streets on that meet proximity criteria to school zones across Arlington County provides a safer environment for our students, as well as teachers and staff as they travel to school,” Arlington Board Chair Christian Dorsey said after the County Board on Saturday approved the measure.
The streets where the speed limit will go down are within 600 feet of schools or school crossings.
Dorsey says the decision to broadly approve the change is consistent with Arlington County’s Vision Zero plan, which aims to eliminate traffic fatalities.
In 2022, Arlington County recorded 44 severe crashes through Nov. 23, the latest data available. Ten of those involved pedestrians. The county also had four four fatal crashes in 2022.
Implementing the 20 mph zones countywide will cost about $150,000 in equipment and labor over two to three years, county staffers estimate.
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