City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: FEBRUARY 3, 2026 FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WARDS: 1 & 3 SUBJECT: INTRODUCE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 10, SECTION 10.76.010 OF THE RIVERSIDE MUNICIPAL CODE ESTABLISHING SPEED LIMIT ZONES ON FIRST STREET AND VICTORIA AVENUE FRONTAGE ROAD ISSUES:
Introduce an Ordinance amending Title 10, Section 10.76.010 of the Riverside Municipal Code to establish posted speed limits in the Recommendation section of this report.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council approve the introduction of an Ordinance amending RMC 10.76.010 to establish 25 MPH speed limits on both First Street from Orange Street to Main Street, and Victoria Avenue Frontage Road from Laramie Road to Arlington Road.
BOARD RECOMMENDATION:
The Transportation Board met on December 3, 2025, to consider the establishment of a 25 MPH speed limit zone on First Street from Orange Street to Main Street, and on Victoria Avenue Frontage Road from Laramie Road to Arlington Avenue Frontage Road. The Board unanimously recommended that the City Council approve the speed limit zone establishments.
BACKGROUND:
The Public Works Department performs speed surveys to establish appropriate speed limits on City streets including those classified as collector or arterial roadways and local roadways which do not meet the California Vehicle Code (CVC) definition of a “Residence District”. These surveys include consideration of prevailing speeds as determined by traffic engineering measurements, accident data, unusual conditions not readily apparent to motorists, residential density, and pedestrian and bicyclist safety. These surveys are performed in accordance with the CVC and California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD) and enable both establishment and enforcement of the posted speed limit on City streets.
DISCUSSION:
First Street
First Street from Orange Street to Main Street is a two-lane local roadway with a mixture of single family and multi-unit residential properties and commercial properties (one commercial property is vacant) situated along the street segment. There is currently no posted speed limit within this stretch of roadway and the street segment does not have the residential density to meet the California Vehicle Code (CVC) definition of a residential district to qualify for prima facie 25 MPH zone thus requiring a speed survey to determine the appropriate speed limit. To establish an enforceable speed limit, the Public Works Department conducted a Traffic and Engineering Survey which concluded the current 85th percentile speed to be 27 MPH. As a result of the survey findings, the Public Works Department is recommending establishment of a 25 MPH speed limit on this roadway segment.
Victoria Avenue Frontage Road
Victoria Avenue frontage road from Laramie Road to Arlington Avenue frontage road is a two-lane local roadway with residential properties situated along the west side of the street segment and a median along the east side of the street segment which separates the frontage road from Victoria Avenue primary street. There is currently no posted speed limit within this stretch of roadway, and the street segment does not have the residential density to meet the California Vehicle Code (CVC) definition of a residential district to qualify for a prima facie 25 MPH zone thus requiring a speed survey to determine the appropriate speed limit. To establish an enforceable speed limit, the Public Works Department conducted a Traffic and Engineering Survey which concluded the current 85th percentile speed to be 26 MPH. As a result of the survey findings, the Public Works Department is recommending establishment of a 25 MPH speed limit on this roadway segment.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact including the cost of sign removal, fabrication, and installation is estimated to be $800. Funding is available in the existing General Fund, Public Works-Street Maintenance, Signing Supplies account number 4110100-424143, to cover this cost.
Prepared by: Phillip Nitollama, City Traffic Engineer Approved by: Nathan Mustafa, Interim Public Works Director Certified as to
availability of funds: Julie Nemes, Interim Finance Director Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
Ordinance
First Street – Site Map
First Street – Aerial Map
Victoria Avenue Frontage Road – Site Map
Victoria Avenue Frontage Road – Aerial Map
Transportation Board Meeting Minutes (12/3/2025)
Presentation
Introduce Ordinance Amending Section 10.76.010 of the RMC to Establish Speed Limits – First St & Victoria Ave Frontage Road · Page 2