The City of Columbus has approved the reduction of the speed limit to 25 miles per hour on Downtown District streets to enhance safety for all forms of transportation.

The lower speed limit, authorized by the City Council on Monday, is a key Vision Zero Columbus strategy to reduce serious and fatal crashes on city streets, and to support safety as the top priority of the transportation system.

The Downtown District meets the Ohio Revised Code definition of a business district and gives the city jurisdiction to lower the speed limit on streets within it. The district is a core pedestrian area where many travel by walking, cycling, or using transit on streets that often have high vehicle traffic.

“Slower vehicle speeds on our Downtown streets will save lives,” said Mayor Andrew J. Ginther.

“This bold action advances our Vision Zero goal to eliminate all fatal and serious injury crashes on Columbus streets. The lower speed limit is especially supportive of safe and equitable travel by vulnerable road users who may not have access to a vehicle and must walk or bike to reach their destinations or a bus stop.”

Beginning later this month and into early March, the Department of Public Service, Division of Traffic Management will install 25 MPH Speed Limit signs throughout the Downtown District. Traffic signals will be retimed to support smooth traffic flow at the reduced speed limit.

In addition, the Leading Pedestrian Interval (LPI) safety feature is being implemented at seven Downtown signalized intersections to increase visibility of pedestrians crossing the street. LPI will give pedestrians a head starts in the crosswalk, with the WALK signal displayed up to seven seconds before motorists making left or right turns at the intersection get a green light.

“Implementation Downtown of the reduced speed limit and enhanced crosswalk safety features embraces the Vision Zero principles to shift our approach toward slowing speeds, and to accommodate every user with safe access along our city streets,” said Jennifer L. Gallagher, Director of the Department of Public Service.

LPI implementation is occurring at High St. at Rich St.; Broad St. at Cleveland Ave.; Mound St. at 3rd St.; 4th St. at Gay St.; Front St. at Mound St, Grant St. at Town St.; and High St. at Mound St. Additional intersections will be considered as the first locations are monitored.

“Reducing the speed limit Downtown prioritizes safety over speed and provides greater protection for those who are traveling on foot or by two wheels,” said City Councilmember Lourdes Barroso de Padilla, Chair of the Public Safety and Transportation Committee.

“When a vulnerable road user is in a crash, a difference of 10 miles per hour in the speed limit may also be the difference between life and death.”

Lowering the speed limit in Downtown is a safe streets strategy identified in the first Vision Zero Columbus Action Plan, adopted in 2021. Development of the second Action Plan is underway to identify and advance more strategies that prioritize safety on the city’s transportation system.

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