Speed Limits Could Be Increased On Major City Streets

For years if you've driven in parts of the city of Yakima and tried to do the speed limit you know it's not easy without being tailgated because other drivers speed. As a result Yakima city officials are thinking of adjusting speed limits in certain areas. City Manager Tony O'Rourke says the city wants people to respect speed limits on major city streets. "But if the speed limits are artificially low or even artificially high that throws people off. We want to make sure that traffic flows and that people are safe and secure but that limits are legitimate."
O'Rourke says he wants to talk about raising speed limits in specific areas of the city with the city public safety committee before presenting the proposal to the Yakima City Council.  Streets considered for increasing speed limits include Nob Hill between 48th and 72nd Avenues. Summitview between 72nd and 96th Avenues. 64th Avenue south of Nob Hill. Fruitvale and 29th Avenues. And Ahtanum from 16th Avenue to 27th Avenue. Speeds could be increased 5 miles an hour in all those areas before the end of the year.