SB559

We need to be able to slow down traffic in our neighborhoods.

I live in a residential neighborhood where people are walking by all day with their dogs, small children or just getting some exercise. I’ve lived here for 10 years and within the last 2 to 3 years the amount of people using our street as a cut through has increased dramatically. Cars don’t slow down if there are people walking or kids riding bikes. This used to be wonderful family friendly neighborhood where kids and adults played in the streets daily. Sadly it just isn’t safe anymore. Even the school buses seem to just not care about the residents they are driving by. People are constantly complaining and yelling at vehicles to slow down. The police have been called several times but havent really deterred anyone. In the fall a neighbor of ours was hit and killed with his dog and this bill would give more options for areas where speeding and pedestrian safety is a problem.

I run a local advocacy group called Strong Towns Seacoast. We routinely advocate for safer streets in the Sea Coast region of New Hampshire. One of our major points of advocacy is that speeds along streets where walking, biking, and multimodal transportation is expected or intended need automobiles to be traveling at a compatible speed, specifically 20MPH or less. Biking, walking, riding, scooters, and other forms of transportation all feel safer and more comfortable at these speeds. This feeling of comfort and safety is not misplaced. Studies routinely show that speed is a major factor in crash survivability. If an automobile collides with a pedestrian, the chance of fatality at 20 miles per hour is 5%. As you go upwards in speed, the chance of fatality dramatically increases by the time that you get to 30 miles per hour, the chance of fatality is 50%. To make matters worse, higher speeds increase the distance that drivers need to successfully respond to a pedestrian, which increases the likelihood of crashes. One of the obstacles that we have consistently come up against is city staff of Dover, New Hampshire telling us that they cannot do speed limits lower than 25MPH. They say they cannot enforce anything lower than 25MPH, and even 25MPH requires effort and studies just to implement. Therefore, the result is typically 30MPH speed limits on almost all residential streets, including streets that have schools on them. 20MPH is plenty of speed for cars to move through a space safely that does not disrupt walking, biking, or other forms of transportation. Street safety is so important to building a strong town, a town that fosters community, a town that is financially resilient, and a town that feels like a place that you're proud to live in. Please vote to lower the speed limits that are allowed to be posted to 20MPH.

I fully support letting municipalities reduce speed limits to 20 MPH on roads where such speeds are supported by engineering studies. This can have positive effects on pedestrian and bicycle access and safety that municipalities should be permitted to explore.

Hanover benefits from flexibility in setting speed limits to fit the local road needs. A slow speed fits several locations now. Bill Young Bike Walk Committee

The number of pedestrian and bicycle deaths in our state is unacceptable — this bill allows for local control to create safer streets for all. Lowering speed limits when appropriate can make our towns safer— it would be absurd to prevent safer streets.

Slower speeds keep neighborhoods safe!

This is an important bill for the safety of our children, pedestrian, and bicyclists. I am in favor of the 20mph bill.

Empowering towns to set lower speed limits on streets where that makes sense will improve safety and save lives. This bill provides more options and is the right thing to do.

I am exhausted listening to my city's traffic engineer call the city's posted 20 mph speeds (by ordinance) not allowed and refusing to take measures to design streets to a 20 mph standard. This is a necessary improvement over yet another piece of car centric nonsense from the 1950s.

How dare children cross the street to get to school! They are taking the risk and should jump out of the way of cars! Why should a driver have to slow down just to be sure he doesn't hit a child? Sooooooo inconvenient! That driver might need to get to work! It's not like a sign can say when the speed limit applies! Although, as I recall, there was a sign in front of School Street school in Lebanon, NH that said the slower speed only applied from about 7:30am - 3:30pm. No matter. I guess States' Rights only applies to the State and the deciders in Concord and not the local people who might need to cross the street to get to City Hall to pay taxes. Cars and people can co-exist as long as people in cars are not inconvenienced in any way. But, all snark aside, please trust local communities to set their own speed limits even if those limits are 20 mph. (I think there is a place for 15 mph in certain places like parking lots.). Many of our schools and towns have main roads running through them. Pedestrians, whether locals, neighbors, or tourists, need to be able to feel safe when crossing the street. They also may make mistakes while doing so, like grabbing a running child or restraining a dog that sees a squirrel. Between schools, walkers, farms, pets, bikers and strollers driving a slower speed can give drivers more time to see what is going on close by. After all, it would be inconvenient for a driver to feel awful YEARS after an accident! Thank you for your consideration.

Daily commutes are more dangerous than ever before. Please help us keep the roads safe for everyone.

Safer speeds matter to me, my family, and my community. We are a small city with many local roads carrying over 15,000 ADT daily. Even with increasingly adequate sidewalk facilities, we face regular pedestrian-vehicle conflicts due to larger and larger vehicles, vehicle speeds, and lack of traffic calming due to poor road geometry (e.g. not enough ped crossing bumpouts and similar visibility enhancements), etc. Beyond Lebanon: * New Hampshire, like the rest of the U.S., is facing an epidemic of traffic deaths, and speed is a major factor. * Lower, context-sensitive speed limits make streets safer for people walking, biking, rolling, and driving. * Research from national transportation and safety agencies shows that lower speed limits alone can reduce speeds and crashes, even without additional engineering changes. * SB559 doesn’t force any town to change speed limits—it simply gives local officials more flexibility to set safer speeds where it makes sense. In short: slower speeds save lives, especially for vulnerable road users. I **support** SB559 and request that you all do as well. Thank you.

As a motorist, I strongly support this bill because it gives local communities an informed say in how fast drivers should be going on local roads that local towns know best. As a pedestrian, I strongly support this bill because I love to walk around town, but the speed limits on some of the roads make it dangerous at times. And as a human being, I wholeheartedly support this bill because I live near a school zone and many young people use the streets to get to school and they deserve to arrive safely.

Our family uses a car to do many errands around town, but we are able to do a lot on foot or by bike. It's alarming to be walking along a street where the speed limit is 25 mph and see cars race by much faster. Is it really advantageous for them to arrive at a stop sign or stoplight a few seconds earlier? Passing this bill would send a signal that we care about the safety of all citizens: walkers, cyclists, wheelchair users, motorcyclists, and motorists.

Please consider this bill. Lower speeds are the cheapest way to decrease crashes and fatalities on the streets, in times where cars are getting bigger, and drivers are getting more and more distracted.

This would make street crossings/busy roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists

I am writing in strong support of SB559-FN, which would allow municipalities to lower speed limits on locally controlled roads to 20 mph when supported by appropriate engineering or traffic studies. As a critical care nurse, I have firsthand experience treating patients with severe injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes. I have cared for individuals with life-altering conditions, many of which were caused or made significantly worse by excessive speed. These are not abstract statistics; they are real people whose lives, and families, are permanently impacted in a matter of seconds. Not only have I cared for these members of the community, I live near the site of where someone lost their life while walking their dog due to being hit by a car. I’ve learned through advocacy by his family that this happens far too often. This bill reflects a practical, evidence-based approach to improving roadway safety. Speed is a critical factor in both the likelihood of crashes and the severity of injuries when they occur. Even small reductions in vehicle speed can significantly increase a pedestrian’s chance of survival and reduce harm for all road users, including drivers. Local officials are best positioned to understand the unique conditions of their communities, whether that includes dense neighborhoods, school zones, areas with high pedestrian activity, or streets lacking adequate infrastructure. SB559-FN provides these leaders with the flexibility to make context-sensitive decisions grounded in data and professional analysis, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all standard. From a healthcare perspective, preventing these injuries in the first place is far more effective than treating them after the fact. Safer, slower streets reduce the burden on emergency responders and hospitals while sparing families the trauma of sudden, preventable loss or disability. Safer, slower streets also promote broader community benefits. They encourage walking and biking, improve quality of life, and help create more vibrant, accessible neighborhoods. This is especially important for vulnerable populations such as children, older adults, and people with disabilities. As someone who lives on a cul de sac that has some windy turns in the street, I would appreciate if the speed limit was decreased on my street to make my daily walks safer. Importantly, this bill does not mandate lower speed limits across the board; it simply enables them where justified by engineering or traffic studies. This balanced approach ensures that any changes are thoughtful, targeted, and supported by evidence. For these reasons, I urge you to support SB559-FN. It is a commonsense measure that prioritizes safety, empowers local decision-making, and helps build healthier, more livable communities. Thank you for your consideration.

I am in full support of Senate Bill 559 which would reduce the minimum allowable speed limit a municipality can set on a locally controlled road from 25 mph to 20 mph, based on an engineering or traffic study. An American Automobile Association report indicated that a pedestrian struck by an automobile traveling 23 MPH had a 1 in 4 chance of suffering a serious injury or death. Why should our state laws not allow a municipality to post a speed limit below 25 mph? Not only will the lower speed reduce the chance of serious injury or death to the pedestrian in a crash, it would likely even prevent the crash altogether. It might be okay to prioritize motor vehicles on our major highways like interstate highways and turnpikes but when it comes to roads passing through communities with pedestrians and bicyclist, including children, they, the vulnerable road user should be given priority.

To make our neighborhood streets safer for all users, we need the option to limit speeds below 25. This bill will let our city make this determination for itself. Please support this legislation.

I live on a street in Lebanon that is close to a corner on a steep hill. Children walk to and from school on this street. There are no sidewalks on this street. Vehicles turning onto our street can surprise pedestrians, drivers of other vehicles, and themselves quickly and need to exercise caution when driving thru the neighborhood. The majority of the vehicles driving on our street are going too fast. We have even observed a NH State Highway Patrol driving in on our street and going faster than the speed I consider safe. We have seen this Officer multiple times but we don’t think the officer lives in our neighborhood. Please help us slow these speeders before someone is hurt or worse, killed, by a speeding vehicle.

Safer streets matter to me because I and my daughter and son-in-law and 1-year old grandson all live on a residential street where drivers routinely exceed the posted speed. This includes a NH Highway Patrol car that routinely visits relatives of the driver who live in the neighborhood! Elementary age children walk to school in this neighborhood where only a portion of the streets have sidewalks. Daily I see children walking and biking to school and for recreation on my street with no sidewalks.

Research shows that serious injuries and fatalities increase with speed, and that 25mph is too fast for neighborhood roads. Cities and towns should be able to set lower speed limits to make our streets safer for everyone.

Speed is a major factor in traffic fatalities and injuries. Automobile speed impacts all road users: drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Some local roads are simply not designed for a 25 mph speed limit due to merging traffic, narrow lanes, poor visibility, and the presence of pedestrians and bicyclists. Please allow municipalities to set a lower speed limit where it is warranted. It will save lives!