KTLA

Speed limits to be reduced on 177 miles of L.A. streets

Sareen Habeshian and Ellina Abovian

More than 177 miles of Los Angeles streets will soon see a reduction in speed limits by 5 mph.

L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti signed the ordinance making it official on Monday, after it was approved by the City Council last month based on a study from the L.A. Department of Transportation. It will affect 77 stretches of road around the city, and is aimed at preventing deadly accidents.


The change was made possible following the passage of Assembly Bill 43, which took effect on Jan. 1, giving cities more control over their speed limits and making it easier to lower them in areas with safety concerns. 

Before the passage of AB43, cities were required to conduct a “speed survey” to measure the typical speed of the majority of vehicles in order to set an enforceable speed limit. During the last round of speed surveys completed in 2018, the city was required by the state to raise speed limits on roughly 94 miles, according to a news release from Garcetti’s office.

After signing the new ordinance, the city will have more autonomy to make its own decisions around speed limits, focusing on pedestrian, bicyclist and motorist safety, the release states.

“The City of Los Angeles was forced to increase speed limits across the city because of an arcane state law that allows speeders to set the speed limit,” said Assemblymember Laura Friedman, who led the passage of AB-43. “It’s a flawed policy that’s had devastating consequences. Recklessly fast driving has only increased, resulting in a 21% uptick in traffic fatalities in the city in 2021.”

Many of the streets affected by the new speed limits are locations where the city has seen the most traffic deaths and severe accidents.

“A person struck by a vehicle going 35 mph has a 68% chance of survival. The survival rate plummets to 35% if the vehicle is going 40 mph,” the LADOT said.

Here are the 77 stretches, which make up 177.2 miles of city streets, where speed limits will be lowered: