03/14/2007: "35 MPH? CC To Explore SJC Speed Limits"

Councilman Bob Myhr wants the County Council (CC) to "adopt a policy to allow any licensed vehicle to use county roads", and that includes "slow moving vehicles; specifically vehicles that are restricted to roads where the speed limit is 35 mph or less, such as "Neighborhood Electric Vehicles" (NEV).

This is not the first time Myhr has brought up this subject, and with more and more NEVs being purchased, the problem of where they can be driven has been a concern for the current owners, and perspective owners. (Past Story)

The problem of course is that San Juan Island's main roads are posted at 45 mph, and the other islands have some roads posted at 40 mph, and this restricts the use of the small electric cars -and other vehicles- that are not allowed by state law to be operated at speeds over 35 mph.

What to do? In response to Myhr's statement that "there is no place in San Juan County to go to in a hurry", Councilman Lichter suggested that this is a "good time for the County Council to take the lead in slowing things down in San Juan County". Councilman Ranker asked if there was some way to have two speed limits on the roads, using as an example the limits are not the same for trucks and cars on the freeways. Councilman Ranker suggested the council hear from SJC Prosecutor Randy Gaylord and Sheriff Bill Cumming.

Both Gaylord and Cumming pointed out some of the legal and administrative problems facing the Council in allowing NEVs. Gaylord said that when his office was asked to research the issue last year, they had reported back that because state laws apply to SJC roads, his opinion was that the only way to do what the Council wants to do, is to lower the speed limit to 35 mph. Sheriff Cumming said that it then becomes an enforcement and man-power issue.

Ranker reminded the council that in their last discussion on roads with Public Works, they were told that one of the criteria used to set speed limits is drivers expectations of how fast they should be allowed to drive on a road. Ranker suggested the council hold a work session on the subject with county staff and allow public input.

Myhr suggested that staff be directed to "look at creative ways to solve this". Councilman Rich Peterson reminded the Council that a change in law on use of state roads "rests with the State, not us", and "We need public input"

Councilman Gene Knapp, while not opposed to the concepts discussed, agreed that "we need to hear from the public". And noted there are 16 thousand people in SJC, and the Council needed to hear from others than just the ones who signed a petition. Councilman Rosenfeld said the topic had come up at a recent Chamber of Commerce meeting, and he was surprised that some people he assumed would be against lower speed limits, were in favor of them.

The Council agreed to ask County Administrator Pete Rose to come back to the Council with a report. Rose said he would "pull together three departments" -Prosecutor Attorney, Sheriff, and Public Works, to have a meeting on the subject.