Slow Down Temecula! Speed Limits Decreasing On These City Streets

TEMECULA, CA — Watch your speed in Temecula.

Tuesday night, the Temecula City Council is expected to authorize slowing down traffic on several major streets by posting new, reduced speed limits.

The exercise is not unique to Temecula. California Vehicle Code requires cities to review, reaffirm, or adjust speed limits within their jurisdictions every seven years based on engineering and traffic surveys (though the code does, in some situations, allow cities to extend the survey period to 14 years).

Importantly, the survey's findings serve as the legal basis for enforcing posted speed limits.

To comply with state law, Temecula contracted Willdan Engineering to conduct the latest required traffic survey.

The survey analyzed 52 segments of 13 city roads: Anza Road, Commerce Center Drive, Deer Hollow Way, La Serena Way, Margarita Road, Meadows Parkway, Rancho California Road, Redwood Road, Sommers Bend, Temecula Parkway, Via La Vida, Wolf Creek Drive, and Wolf Valley Road.

The survey included reviewing prevailing speeds and accident statistics, as well as highway, traffic, and roadside conditions.

"These characteristics are all considered when determining a reasonable and prudent posted speed limit," according to city documents.

Speed traps, however, are illegal, the documents show.

The recent survey concluded that many existing speed limits in Temecula are just fine, but 14 spots were identified as too fast, so decreased posted speed limits were recommended.

On Feb. 10, City Council tentatively approved the survey findings and is expected to formally adopt the recommendations on Tuesday.

Here are the city slowdowns. Watch for newly posted speed limit signs, which are expected to be installed soon:

The Tuesday, Feb. 24, Temecula City Council meeting begins at 3 p.m. in Council Chambers, 41000 Main Street. See the full City Council agenda here.