Public Works and Natural Resources Committee, Bellingham City Council

**Changing the Framework for Setting Speed Limits** For more than 70 years, Bellingham and most U.S. jurisdictions set speed limits using the "85th percentile method," first developed in 1948. Under this approach, engineers measure the speed at which 85% of vehicles travel on a given road and set the speed limit at or near that figure. The methodology assumes drivers self-select an appropriate speed. Staff and the council acknowledged that this assumption breaks down in real-world conditions — actual driver behavior does not model the idealized "reasonable driver" the method presupposes — and it also fails to account for the presence and vulnerability of pedestrians, cyclists, and other non-motorized users. National engineering policy changed in 2024, now requiring engineers to take roadway context into account when setting speed limits. The city used this policy shift as the foundation for developing its own methodology beginning in early 2025. Staff evaluated several frameworks before settling on the NACTO (National Association of City Transportation Officials) "City Limits" methodology as the basis for Bellingham's own customized approach. That methodology focuses on crash potential relative to vulnerable road users and incorporates broader city transportation policies — including the comprehensive plan's stated first goal of creating greater safety in the transportation network. Staff applied the methodology to the entire city street network, developed initial recommended speed limits, and brought those recommendations to the Bellingham Traffic Safety Coalition — an informal multi-agency group including Bellingham Police, Fire Department, WTA (Whatcom Transportation Authority), school districts, WSDOT, Whatcom County, and Western Washington University. The Coalition gave unanimous support to both the recommendations and the methodology. Staff also obtained formal endorsement from the Transportation Commission in January 2026 and the Commission recommended adoption of the ordinance in April 2026. **The 20 MPH Default and What It Means** The ordinance's central provision sets a 20 mph default speed limit citywide for non-arterial streets. Staff explained that this is legally distinct from arterial street speed limits: state RCW language governing how cities may set speed limits treats non-arterials and arterials differently, and the 20 mph default for non-arterials takes effect automatically upon adoption without requiring individual street-by-street action. For arterials, the ordinance breaks out specific street segments grouped by their designated speed limits and codifies those limits in the BMC. A significant secondary effect of codifying arterial speeds is governance: prior to this ordinance, speed limit changes on arterials could be made administratively. Under the new framework, any changes to codified arterial speed limits would require going through a council process similar to this one, providing democratic accountability over future speed limit decisions. **Implementation Phasing** Staff described a three-phase, three-year implementation plan: - **Phase 1 (Summer 2026):** Public education and outreach campaign; installation of gateway signs at major arterial entry points reading "Citywide Speed Limit 20 MPH Unless Otherwise Posted"; formal designation of downtown core arterials at 20 mph (formalizing existing conditions, as downtown signals are already timed for 20 mph progression and downtown has the city's highest…

**Council Member Michael Lilliquist (Chair, Public Works and Natural Resources Committee)** Supportive of the ordinance. Provided opening context characterizing the proposal as the result of substantial work going back to at least 2024. Asked focused questions about implementation phasing, enforcement approach, and the future of shared street designations. Identified a specific concern about the Old Fairhaven Parkway speed limit designation, citing both the plan's own criteria and recent serious injuries on that corridor, and indicated he would propose an amendment. Quoted a key sentence from the policy report emphasizing that speed limit reductions are most powerful as a foundation for long-term street re-engineering, not as a standalone fix. **Council Member Lisa Anderson** Strongly supportive. Drew on her own experience of more than 15 years on a neighborhood board and more than six years on council, during which residential speeding was consistently among the top community concerns. Referenced specific corridors — Electric Avenue, Alice Street, Sammamish Avenue — where constituents have long sought speed reductions. Acknowledged that she has received repeated emails (citing approximately 10-15 on Electric Avenue alone) expressing frustration at the status quo. Addressed the public concern that the ordinance is a "gotcha" or revenue-generation scheme, stating clearly that speeding tickets are infrequent, tend to be issued only for egregious violations, and that the purpose of the ordinance is safety, not revenue. Expressed satisfaction that after being told for years that spot-specific speed reductions required a full citywide study, the study is now complete. Declared she has been "literally waiting decades" for this action. **Council Member Jace Cotton** Supportive. Called the work "amazing." Principal substantive question focused on the future criteria and process for shared street designations — a prospective policy question rather than a concern about the current ordinance. Expressed interest in proactive planning for which areas might eventually qualify for shared street designation and suggested the city should think ahead about areas with appropriate physical charact…

**Tim Holman, on the significance of the ordinance:** "The number one thing that you can do to enhance safety is to lower speed limits, right? Speed is the number one factor in almost every collision and it enhances safety for all users of the roadway — drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and all modes, and it has the biggest effect to the most vulnerable users." **Shane Sullivan, on the history of speed limit methodology:** "Historically, the city of Bellingham has set our speed limits based on…

**Before this meeting:** - Bellingham's speed limits were set using the 85th percentile methodology, a framework in place since 1948 that did not require formal council action to adjust individual speed limits and did not systematically account for pedestrian and cyclist safety. - The BMC's arterial street segment table (BMC 11.63.110(E)) had not been updated since 2006, meaning it did not reflect streets added through annexation or designated in the current comprehensive plan. - No citywide default speed limit existed for non-arterial streets. - Speed limit changes could be made administratively without council oversight. - The city had no formal legal framework for designating "shared streets" with speed limits as low as 10 mph. **After this meeting:** - AB 24933 has cleared the Public W…

--- ### Meeting Overview The Bellingham City Council Public Works and Natural Resources Committee met on May 18, 2026, chaired by Councilmember Michael Lilliquist, with members Lisa Anderson and Jace Cotton. The meeting had a single agenda item: a proposed ordinance (Agenda Bill 24933) that would add a new Chapter 11.05 to the Bellingham Municipal Code establishing citywide speed limits, including a default 20 mph speed limit on all non-arterial streets and codifying specific speed limits on arterial streets throughout the city. --- ### Key Terms and Concepts **85th Percentile Method:** A traditional approach to setting speed limits, in use since 1948, that sets the limit at the speed at or below which 85% of vehicles are traveling. Critics note it assumes drivers are choosing the most appropriate speed on their own, which doesn't reflect real-world driving behavior. **Context-Sensitive Speed Limit Methodology:** A newer approach to setting speed limits that considers the physical and social context of a roadway — including pedestrian and bicycle activity, land use, and crash history — rather than relying solely on observed vehicle speeds. Required by updated national policy since 2024. **NACTO City Limits:** The National Association of City Transportation Officials' framework for setting urban speed limits, focused on crash potential with vulnerable road users. Bellingham's transportation division used this as the basis for its own customized methodology. **Arterial Street:** A higher-capacity road designed to carry traffic between neighborhoods, commercial areas, and other destinations. Under Washington State law (RCW), arterials and non-arterials are treated differently for speed limit purposes. **Non-Arterial Street (Residential/Neighborhood Street):** Local streets not classified as arterials — typically neighborhood and residential roads. Under the proposed ordinance, these would default to 20 mph citywide. **Default Speed Limit:** A speed limit that applies automatically to all streets not otherwise posted with a different limit. The proposed ordinance would establish 20 mph as Bellingham's citywide default. **BMC (Bellingham Municipal Code):** The official compilation of Bellingham's local laws and ordinances. The proposed ordinance would add a new Chapter 11.05 and also update BMC 11.63.110(E), the table designating arterial street segments. **Shared Street:** A street designation under Washington State law (RCW) where pedestrians and cyclists are the primary users, and vehicle access is permitted but subordinate. The RCW allows speed limits as low as 10 mph on designated shared streets. --- ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Michael Lilliquist | Bellingham City Council Member; Chair, Public Works and Natural Resources Committee | | Lisa Anderson | Bellingham City Council Member; Committee Member | | Jace Cotton | Bellingham City Council Member; Committee Member | | Hannah Stone | Bellingham City Council President (presided over committee transition) | | Tim Holman | Assistant Director for Transportation, City of Bellingham Public Works Department | | Shane Sullivan | Transportation Engineer, City of Bellingham Public Works Department | --- ### Background Context For decades, Bellingham — like most U.S. cities — set speed limits using the 85th percentile method, an engineering standard developed in 1948. Under this approach, engineers measure actual vehicle speeds on a roa…