City commissioners signal their intent to move forward with traffic calming measures.
By Rhatia Murphy
Original Air Date: March 25, 2026
Host: A new effort to slow down traffic in Sarasota neighborhoods is moving forward, as city commissioners signaled Monday they are ready to approve a plan to set a general 20 miles-per-hour speed limit on local streets. Residents say speeding has been a long-standing concern, and the city now has both the data and the support to act. Rhatia Murphy reports.
Rhatia Murphy: Sarasota City Commissioners on Monday unanimously approved a plan to set a 20 miles-per-hour speed limit across all local residential streets.
The goal is to create more consistent speeds throughout neighborhoods—and improve safety for people who live, walk, and bike there.
In some cases, the change would actually raise existing speed limits from 15 miles per hour, bringing them into compliance with state guidelines.
But city leaders say this isn’t just about numbers—it’s about how safe residents feel on their own streets.
A recent community survey paints a clear picture.
Seventy-three percent of respondents say traffic in their neighborhoods is either too fast or way too fast.
And more than half say they don’t feel safe walking or biking in their own communities.
That concern shows up across the data.
Residents pointed to speeding vehicles, pedestrian safety and lack of traffic controls as some of the biggest issues facing local streets.
Even though traffic studies show most drivers are already traveling at or below 20 miles per hour, perception—and lived experience—tell a different story.
In a phone interview, chief transportation planner Corinne Arriaga says the change is driven by safety data, including findings that pedestrians are significantly less likely to be killed if hit at 20 miles per hour compared to 30 miles per hour.
To address those concerns, the city plans to go beyond just changing speed limit signs.
Officials say they will install physical traffic calming measures on streets where drivers are consistently exceeding safe speeds.
That includes tools like speed bumps, lane narrowing and roadway design changes that naturally slow traffic
The city will prioritize projects based on several factors, including crash history, traffic volume and proximity to schools, parks and sidewalks.
In other words, the streets with the highest risk—and the strongest community concern—will likely be first in line.
And the support for these changes is strong.
78 percent of survey respondents say they support installing traffic calming measures in their neighborhoods.
That level of agreement is part of what made this decision so straightforward for commissioners.
No one spoke in opposition during the meeting—and the measure passed unanimously.
The plan still requires a second reading before it becomes official.
But given the unanimous vote—and the level of public support—it’s widely expected to move forward.
Kelly Brown is the president of the City Coalition of Neighborhood Associations. At the Monday city commission meeting, she suggested neighbors want the city to move sooner rather than later.
Kelly Brown: You know, CCNA would be happy to take white duct tape and big fat black markers and help make those changes on those signs as fast as possible.
RM: In the meantime, the city is hosting a series of workshops to gather responses and input about neighborhood traffic calming plans.
The third and last workshop will be this Thursday, 5:00 p.m. at Arlington Park inside the gym and basketball court on Waldemere Street. You can also provide feedback and input here.
For now, the city is signaling a shift toward slower speeds—and safer streets across Sarasota neighborhoods.
Reporting in Sarasota, I’m Rhatia Murphy.
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