There's a trend towards lower speed limits in cities all over the world, but why is this happening? What is the research behind it? And what is the "correct" speed limit for cities, anyway?

all 15 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] 40 points 2 years ago (11 children)

Spoiler it is 30km/h. After that noise and injury risk/severity shoot up. It is the compromise speed.

  • source
  • hideshow 11 child comments
  • [–] 18 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    In the next city where i live and the smaller almost cities around it, all side roads are 30km/h for a few years now. Some people seem to really hate it, and i kinda get why, when you drive there or live there and out of habit go 50 and get fined, it's hella expensive. But i'm super happy with it. 30 is plenty

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Doing >30mph on side roads sounds reckless to me! Glad we've got 20 here.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 15 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    30km/h is about 18 mph. That's gonna be a hard sell in America.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [–] [S] 5 points 2 years ago*

    This would be restricted to city streets. If you want more speed, use the highways or bypass roads that (ideally) aren't anywhere near residential or city areas.

    And the additional speed actually slows things down on congested roads, because you need more traffic lights (among other reasons).

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 22 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    Most of his critiques are of US infrastructure, so it would have been nice to have the conversions in the video:

    30 km/h = 18.6 mph

    50 km/h = 31.1 mph

    60 km/h = 37.3 mph

    88.5 km/h = 55 mph

  • source
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 6 points 2 years ago

    Babe wake up, another NJB video just drop

  • source