WESTFIELD, NJ — Westfield officials are backing a state bill they say could give municipalities "greater flexibility to lower speed limits on certain roads," said Mayor Jeremy Berman.
On Tuesday, the Council unanimously approved the resolution.
It states that the mayor and council recognize "the importance of pedestrian safety and the burdensome cost of traffic engineering studies," and are seeking ways to improve safety in high pedestrian areas, including commercial areas and school zones.
According to the resolution, the pending legislation, A5274/S4448 for the 2026-2027 session, would allow municipalities and counties to lower speed limits on certain roads without completing an engineering and traffic investigation.
The bill is sponsored by Assemblyman Andrew Macurdy, Assemblyman Vincent Keamey, and Senator Brian Stack.
The measure would apply to roads under municipal or county jurisdiction that currently have speed limits of 35 miles per hour or less, according to the resolution.
It also says municipalities must consider surrounding land use and context when using the authority in the bill, including whether a road segment is in a school zone or a high-pedestrian area.
The resolution says municipalities should prioritize commercial downtowns, transit corridors, school zones, and areas within a quarter to half mile of major transit facilities when deciding whether an area qualifies as high pedestrian.
It also sets limits on how the provision could be used.
According to the resolution, it could not be used more than once per roadway segment while a traffic study is underway, within one year after a speed limit was changed because of a traffic study, or to reduce a speed limit below 15 miles per hour.
The legislation would also require the appropriate agency, whether the Commissioner of Transportation, a municipality, or a county, to post signs notifying drivers of the reduced speed limit.
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