If Tuesday night's votes are any indication, it's not a matter of whether speed limits will increase along 800 East, but by how much.
The latter question stymied the City Council at Tuesday night's meeting.Because Councilwomen Lucile Steele and Joyce Johnson were absent, the seven-member council did not get a majority vote on the issue. Two voted for a 30 mph speed limit; three voted to put it at 35 mph.
The five members present unanimously decided, however, that two stop signs should come down along the road, one of only three streets in the city besides State Street that extends north and south virtually the length of the city.
The speed-limit issue comes before the council again on Sept. 26.
The stop signs on 800 East at 400 South and 400 North will be removed.
The issue has come before the council before. About five years ago, after vocal opposition to a speed-limit increase and stop-sign removal, the council decided to decrease speed limits to 25 mph, City Manager Daryl Berlin said.
On Tuesday, however, there was little opposition to the proposal.
Mayor Blaine Willes, who was a member of the council from the previous round and the only elected city official remaining from the time, voted then for the decrease. On Tuesday, however, he voted for a 35 mph limit.
Councilmen Norman Woodhouse, who has lived along 800 East, and James Evans voted for the 35 mph limit also. Councilmen Keith Hunt and Kelvin Clayton voted for the 30 mph limit.
City Public Works Director Jack Jones told the council that traffic studies indicate the speed limit should be 35 mph and the two stop signs removed for several reasons.
One is the 25 mph speed limit would not hold up in court, he said. According to Public Safety Director Ted Peacock and City Attorney Paul Johnson, state law says that on city streets the speed limit rule is basically as conditions permit.
On most streets where the speed limit is 25 mph, that is what conditions permit, Peacock said. But on 800 East, which is wide and has a continuous turning lane, at least one judge has said that tickets for speeds less than 40 mph will not stand up in his court.
When Willes heard Peacock's quotes from the judge, which were made to a police sergeant, the mayor said tersely that the judge was making law, not interpreting it. "I don't like that."
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Reasons for change
Reasons why some Orem officials think the speed limit should increase along 800 East and two stop signs should be removed:
-Judges have told city legal officials that citations for speeds below 40 mph probably will not stand up in court.
-Air pollution increases as cars idle at stop signs.
-Increasing the speed limit would take pressure off State Street.
-Eliminating stop signs would save people money, as much as 5 cents per stop, by Utah Department of Transportation estimates.
The city plans to eliminate the four-way stops at 400 South and 400 North - giving 800 East drivers two fewer stops on their route.