PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The city of Portland started changing speed limit signs on side streets on Tuesday.
Portland City Council voted to lower the speed limit on residential streets from 25 mph to 20 mph last month.
“Five miles an hour may not sound like much to you, but when it comes to reducing the severity of crashes it’s actually very big,” Portland Bureau of Transportation Director Leah Treat says.
Reducing the speed from 25 to 20 makes it twice as likely a person will survive a crash, officials say.
“The stopping distance at 25 miles an hour and 20 miles an hour is an entire car length,” Portland Police Traffic Division Cpt. Mike Crebs says.
PBOT will first change signs on the east side and then move inwards, during a process that will take weeks. PBOT is also planning on installing 1100 new speed signs in addition to changing 900 existing ones.