TEMPE, Ariz. — The City of Tempe is seeking public feedback on a proposal to lower the speed limit along sections of Mill Avenue.
The city has suggested reducing the speed limit from 40 mph to 35 mph in the area between University Drive and Broadway Road. The city also wants to lower the speed limit from 45 mph to 35 mph at Mill Avenue's north end to match the speed on the bridge over Tempe Town Lake.
As the gateway to downtown Tempe and the ASU campus, Mill Avenue is one of the oldest and busiest roadways in the city.
By adjusting the speed limits, Mill Avenue will better match with nearby school zones and accommodate the extra traffic projected to come with the Rollings Hills project, records show.
Tempe has additionally proposed making speed limit changes in the following areas:
- College Avenue: Reducing from 35 to 30 mph from north city limit to Curry Road.
- First Street: Reducing from 35 to 30 mph from Ash Avenue to west end.
- Southern Avenue: Reducing from 45 to 40 mph from 48th Street to railroad tracks.
City officials said the goal of changing speed limits at these locations is to reduce disparities in speeds and lower the potential for car collisions.
The city will be hosting virtual and in-person meetings on May 15 to gather input on the proposed speed limits. More information can be found here.
UP TO SPEED
How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.
