City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: CONSENT CALENDAR
Lead Department: Transportation
Meeting Date: November 10, 2025
Report #:2509-5204
TITLE
FIRST READ: Adopt an Ordinance Amending PAMC Chapter 10.56 (Special Speed Zones) to Update Speed Limit Studies for Nine Streets and Approve the 2025 Traffic Survey; CEQA status – categorically exempt.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Approve the 2025 Engineering and Traffic Survey (Attachment A), and
2. Adopt an ordinance re-establishing posted speed limits for nine streets pursuant to the California Vehicle Code (Attachment B).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report presents the results and recommendations of the engineering and traffic survey that was conducted as Phase 2 in 2025 for nine street segments (Attachment A). This updated survey was intended to serve as the basis for the establishment and enforcement of speed limits for certain street segments within the City of Palo Alto. These enforceable speed limits incorporate the provisions of recent legislative changes from Assembly Bill (AB) 43 and AB 1938.
Based on the results of the Engineering and Traffic Survey (E&TS), existing posted speed limits on nine street segments would either continue to be, or would be newly justified by the survey, and these street segments would therefore be eligible for enforcement by use of radar.
BACKGROUND
Speed limits in California are governed by the California Vehicle Code (CVC), including § 627, 22348 through 22413 and 40802. In conformance with these state laws, vehicle speed laws can only be enforced using radar when speed limits are determined by an engineering and traffic survey that verifies the 85th percentile speeds (the speed below which 85% of drivers operate in free flow conditions).
On September 8, 2025 City Council considered the E&TSs for 23 Palo Alto streets (Phase 1) that had expired. Based on these surveys, Council adopted an amendment to PAMC Chapter 10.56 at
a second hearing on September 29, 2025. As a result, the Police Department is now able to enforce the speed limits using radar on those approved 23 segments.
Based on CVC §40802, posted speed limits of 25 mph have been established on designated local streets in Palo Alto that are less than 40 feet in width.
In 2016, Engineering and Traffic Surveys were conducted for all arterial and collector streets in Palo Alto's Street Network system (a total of 70 street segments, not including the 16 segments that were validated in 2014). The 2016 survey validated the existing speed limit for 56 locations and recommended an increase in existing speed limit for 14 locations.
In 2021 and 2022, Assembly Bill (AB) 43 and AB 1938 were enacted which changed how speed limits are set and enforced in California. The new laws (CVC § 22358.6 and 22358.7) authorize local authorities to round down the recommended speed to the lower 5 mph increment, when it would otherwise be rounded up, and then lower the recommended speed by an additional 5 mph under certain conditions including if the corridor is a designated safety corridor.
Both the 2024 and 2025 E&TS efforts (Phase 1 and Phase 2 respectively) include consideration of AB 43 and AB 1938 which give cities more flexibility to lower speed limits on certain roads, particularly in business districts and areas with high pedestrian or bicycle traffic. AB 43 also allows for speed reduction on the basis of roadway designation as a “safety corridor.” On June 2, 2025, Council adopted the Palo Alto Safety Action Plan, which identified the City’s high injury network. This network also serves as the City’s “safety corridors” as defined in the CA- MUTCD. Among other corridors, the designated corridors include segments of Alma Street, Charleston Road, Embarcadero Road, Middlefield Road, San Antonio Road, and Quarry Road.
ANALYSIS
Engineering and Traffic Surveys were completed in 2025 by the consulting firm TJKM for the nine roadway segments listed in Table 1. These surveys were performed in accordance with the requirements of the CVC and the most current version of the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA-MUTCD).
In order to collect sample speeds on selected street segments, a radar gun was used on days with fair weather, clear visibility, and dry pavement conditions. The radar speed survey data was compiled and analyzed to determine the 50th percentile speed, the 85th percentile speed, the average speed, the speed range, the 10-mph pace speed, and the percent of vehicles observed within the 10-mph pace. Average daily traffic (ADT) counts for all study segments were also collected using tube counts along the segments.
The counts were used to determine the collision rates for each segment, which in turn was used as a factor in determining the appropriate speed limit for each segment. Other information that factored into the determination of recommended speed included designation as a safety corridor as well as location within a business district or residence district as defined in the CVC.
After initial calculation of a recommended speed limit, a final field check was conducted by driving each study segment to confirm that the recommended speed of traffic was reasonable based on engineering judgment and the 85th percentile speed.
Based on the results of the survey, posted speed limits on nine street segments would be justified by the engineering and speed survey, and are therefore eligible for enforcement by use of radar. 23 street segments from Phase 1 and nine street segments from Phase 2 are highlighted in the attached map. (Attachment C).
Table 1: 2025 City of Palo Alto Engineering & Traffic Survey Segments No. Street Survey Limits Roadway
Type
85th
Percentile
Speed
(mph)
Existing
Speed
Limit
(mph)
Recommen
ded Speed
Limit
(mph)
1 Alma Street University Avenue
to Lincoln Avenue
Major
Arterial
36 25 25
2 Birch Street California Avenue
to Oregon
Expressway
Collector 23 25 25
3 Coyote Hill
Road
Page Mill Road to
Hillview Avenue
Collector 44 35 35
4 Embarcadero
Road
Embarcadero Road
to Highway 101
Major
Arterial
39 25 25
5 Embarcadero
Road
Highway 101 to
Middlefield Road
Major
Arterial
39 25 25
6 Embarcadero
Road
Middlefield Road to
Alma Street
Major
Arterial
34 25 25
7 Middlefield
Road
Oregon Expressway
to E Charleston
Road
Major
Arterial
34 25 25
8 Middlefield
Road
E Charleston Road
to South City Limits
Major
Arterial
33 25 25
9 University
Avenue
East City Limits to
Middlefield Road
Major
Arterial
33 25 25
Next Steps
Pending Council adoption of the attached ordinance, City staff will provide messaging to community members on enforcement; and add the above corridors to traffic enforcement patrols.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
The consultant fee for completing the engineering and traffic survey data collection, analysis and recommendation was $24,260 and was funded in FY 2024 and FY 2025 Adopted Budgets in the Transportation and Parking Improvements Capital Project (PL-12000). No additional funds are needed to adopt the ordinance.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
The process for establishing speed limits is defined under the CVC and CA-MUTCD.
Additionally, recent community engagement activities indicate strong support for this action.
Extensive stakeholder engagement was conducted as part of the Safety Action Plan, which identified a proactive Speed Management Program as a key step to creating a culture and climate of systemic safety. This action is one element of such an approach.
City staff will conduct additional community outreach to inform members of public that enforcement will be undertaken along these corridors.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Approval of this ordinance would not result in any new impacts to the existing environment. This project is considered as a minor alteration to the existing street system, and therefore categorically exempt (Class 1 Exemption, Section 15301) from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: 2025 Engineering and Traffic Survey
Attachment B: Ordinance Amending PAMC Chapter 10.56 to Establish Speed Limits Attachment C: Study Segments Phase 1&2
APPROVED BY:
Ria Hutabarat Lo, Chief Transportation Official