San Rafael Slows Down for Safety | Oakland News

San Rafael is rolling out new, lower speed limits on 18 roads outside downtown — part two of a citywide safety push that began last year. Signs will go up by fall, with enforcement kicking in after a month-long warning period in winter. This move is powered by a new state law, Assembly Bill 43, which gives cities the authority to set speed limits 5 mph below engineering recommendations — especially on roads with crash history or near vulnerable users like kids and seniors. Engineers analyzed crash data, pedestrian and bike traffic, future development, and public input, revealing a chilling statistic: a car going 20 mph has a 10% chance of causing a fatal crash, but that skyrockets to 80% at 40 mph. Streets like Andersen Drive and Point San Pedro Road are among those getting the new limits. The city’s also tweaking traffic light timing — like on downtown’s Second and Third streets — to encourage slower speeds and smoother traffic flow, even if it means fewer green lights for those who speed. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/7b8fb2be3ae20a20