The City of Sweet Home will be decreasing the speed limit on a portion of Long Street from Mountain View Road to 49th Avenue.
“We had some complaints about speed on Long Street, particularly right around Mountain View, Hawthorne school and everything east of there,” Police Chief Jason Ogden told City Council on Sept. 10.
He explained that the city contacted the Oregon Department of Transportation to conduct a speed zone study in that section several months ago, which resulted in a “change order” to drop the speed five to 10 mph. Currently, the speed zone between 100 feet west of Mountain View Road and 150 feet east of Mountain View Road is 35 mph; ODOT would like it to be changed to 25 mph. Going further east from that point to 49th Avenue, ODOT is now designating the speed to be 30 mph (from 35 mph).
“When ODOT issues a Speed Zone Order, it is legally binding and the new speed limits specified in the order must be implemented,” Ogden said. “The order is a result of ODOT’s formal engineering and traffic investigation, and it carries the authority of state law.”
The change will go into effect as soon as the city’s new signs arrive. Ogden said the new traffic officer will patrol the area to enforce the new speed limits.