Not so fast! Southold may lower speed limit on town roads

Southold Town is considering lowering the speed limit on town-owned roads to 30 mph due to population increases over time and the need to improve pedestrian safety as a result.

Southold Councilwoman Sarah Nappa said the town's transportation commission has been discussing the idea for about two years after commission members made the recommendation.

Studies have shown the amount of time it takes for cars to stop for pedestrians or potentially dangerous road obstructions would be “tremendously” improved with a lower speed limit, Nappa said.

The speed limit would go down to 30 mph from 35 mph, according to town officials.

Southold Highway Superintendent Dan Goodwin said the commission gave his department the go-ahead last year to research speed limits for the town’s roads.

Highway officials spent nine months reviewing historical police speeding violation records in town dating back to the 1950s and found inconsistencies with speed limits in various parts of town. Some areas had higher speed limits than they should have, given their populations, and some areas weren't as problematic as they had thought, Goodwin said.

The change would affect most town-owned roads, with the exception of major roads and roads that cross into other towns — such as Sound Avenue, which connects to Riverhead. County Route 58 and Route 25 are outside the town's jurisdiction and wouldn't see any changes.

The speed limit in school zones and the 25 mph speed limit in Greenport Village also wouldn't change.

Goodwin estimated an area-wide speed limit adjustment would affect between 185 and 190 miles of the town’s 200 miles of roads.

“Our area is changing so drastically with the population,” Goodwin said, “so some of the speed limits need to be changed to reflect that.”

The town board has asked the commission to come up with a list of roads that would be exempt from the speed limit changes before the board decides on whether the proposal warrants a public hearing.

Joe Polashock, president of the New Suffolk Civic Association, said he thinks the speed limit changes are a good idea, especially in New Suffolk, which has narrow roads and an aging population.

“We’ve had a good number of intersection accidents,” Polashock added. “At 30 miles an hour, you have enough time to get out of the way."