Auburn lowering speed limits to save roads
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AUBURN, Wash. -- In an effort to put off paving city roads, drivers in Auburn will need to slow down for safety.
Driving on safe roads is something most people take for granted, but in Auburn the sight of black, liquid crack filler drizzled for miles proves that not all roads are the same.
So in an effort to keep drivers safe while prolonging the life of roads, the city has decided to lower speed limits on several key arterial roadways.
"We're talking about safety by lengthening the time that we can keep the roads open," said Auburn Mayor Pete Lewis. "We simply have so much traffic on the roads it's tearing the roads apart. The slower the speed limit the longer the life."
Voters rejected a $59 million bond to fix certain roads over the next 10 years. As a result, portions of major roadways, such as East and West Valley Highways, West Main Street and Lake Tapps Parkway, will all see their speed limit lowered by as much as 10 miles per hour.
That news isn't sitting well with some Auburn residents, who have accused the city of overreacting. They say the roads aren't that bad and that lower speed limits will only create a traffic nightmare.
"I drive East Valley every day and I think lowering the speed limit would just make the congestion worse, if anything," said driver Stacey Kendall.
For now, the only thing getting worse are the cracks in the roads, which the city must eventually fix, one way or another.
"We simply must have an ongoing, funded money for preservation of these arterial streets, which are the heartblood of this whole entire Puget Sound region," Lewis said.
Driving on safe roads is something most people take for granted, but in Auburn the sight of black, liquid crack filler drizzled for miles proves that not all roads are the same.
So in an effort to keep drivers safe while prolonging the life of roads, the city has decided to lower speed limits on several key arterial roadways.
"We're talking about safety by lengthening the time that we can keep the roads open," said Auburn Mayor Pete Lewis. "We simply have so much traffic on the roads it's tearing the roads apart. The slower the speed limit the longer the life."
Voters rejected a $59 million bond to fix certain roads over the next 10 years. As a result, portions of major roadways, such as East and West Valley Highways, West Main Street and Lake Tapps Parkway, will all see their speed limit lowered by as much as 10 miles per hour.
That news isn't sitting well with some Auburn residents, who have accused the city of overreacting. They say the roads aren't that bad and that lower speed limits will only create a traffic nightmare.
"I drive East Valley every day and I think lowering the speed limit would just make the congestion worse, if anything," said driver Stacey Kendall.
For now, the only thing getting worse are the cracks in the roads, which the city must eventually fix, one way or another.
"We simply must have an ongoing, funded money for preservation of these arterial streets, which are the heartblood of this whole entire Puget Sound region," Lewis said.
