- October 11, 2024
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The speed limit on three residential roads in Ormond-by-the-Sea has been reduced from 30 mph to 25 mph.
On Tuesday, June 20, the Volusia County Council unanimously approved a speed limit adjustment for Juniper Drive, Wisteria Drive and Camellia Drive after a county traffic study found that the majority of vehicles were traveling closer to 25 mph. The council approved the change through its consent agenda.
The traffic study occurred on April 5 and 6. County Councilman Troy Kent thanked the residents who brought the speeding concerns to the county.
"This is a huge step in the right direction," Kent said.
All three streets are county roads, and state statute allows the council to alter speed limits after an engineering study "determines such a change is reasonable and in conformity to criteria promulgated by the Department of Transportation," according to a county summary on the consent agenda item.
During the two-day study, traffic volumes averaged about 147 vehicles per day on Juniper Drive, 307 on Wisteria Drive and 113 on Camellia Drive, the study states.
The study found that the 85th percentile speed is 25 mph on Juniper Drive, 28 mph on Wisteria Drive and 24 mph on Camellia Drive.
"Speed limits should normally be set at or near the prevailing or 85th percentile speed of free-flowing, unimpeded traffic," the study states. "Artificially lowering speed zones from that level does not substantially change the actual speeds driven, creates the perception of a speed trap and generates disrespect for speed zones and other traffic control devices in general."
Kent said he wasn't sure if the speed limit adjustment would fix all of the speeding problems. One traffic control measure he is fond of in some residential areas, he said, is the speed table.
"It does address that traffic, especially like on Wisteria Drive where you've got a convenience store at the end of the street," Kent said. "It's a straight shot from the river, and they have a ton of speeding there."
Based on the traffic study, Wisteria Drive had the highest number of vehicles exceeding 30 mph.
