Ordinance No. 2023-03 Relating to Island-Wide Speed Limits (Adopted 01/24/2023)Page 1 of 3
ORDINANCE NO. 2023-03
(formerly Ordinance No. 2022-24)
AN ORDINANCE of the City of Bainbridge Island, Washington, relating to island-wide speed limits; adopting a new Chapter 10.06 of the Bainbridge Island Municipal Code related to island-wide
speed limits.
WHEREAS, the City Council and City staff receive numerous requests each year to evaluate speed limits on Bainbridge Island streets and roadways; and
WHEREAS, in 2016, the Non-Motorized Transportation Advisory Committee proposed that the City adopt maximum speed limits island-wide on Bainbridge Island to enhance safety for non-motorized transportation modes; and
WHEREAS, in late 2021, the City contracted with an expert traffic consultant to develop
a comprehensive set of speed limit changes that would support safety and consistency across the island and that would limit the need for future case-by-case speed limit reviews; and WHEREAS, it is important to establish speed limits based on current engineering
standards applicable to the roadway at issue; and
WHEREAS, vehicle speed is directly linked to the crash injury severity and risks for more vulnerable non-motorized roadway users that increase exponentially as speeds increase; and
WHEREAS, the speed limit changes adopted by this ordinance reflect speeds more appropriate for the roadway context, degree of non-motorized users, and the presence of bicycle and pedestrian roadside facilities; and
WHEREAS, the City Council is the Local Agency with authority to establish speed
limits in accordance with Chapter 46.61 of the Revised Code of Washington (“RCW”) and Washington Administrative Code (“WAC”) Chapter 308-330; and WHEREAS, RCW 46.61.415 authorizes local governments to establish speed limits,
including in some circumstances without an engineering or traffic investigation, and here, as
above described, the City Council is establishing the speed limits set forth in this ordinance based on a procedure in which the City contracted with an expert traffic consultant to develop a comprehensive set of speed limits that support safety and consistency across the island, and the speed limits that are being adopted by this ordinance are based on, and consistent with, the traffic
consultant’s recommendations; and
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WHEREAS, the City Council now desires to adopt a new chapter in the Bainbridge Island Municipal Code (“BIMC”) to establish maximum speed limits, which will be set forth in
Chapter 10.06 BIMC; and
WHEREAS, on December 13, 2022, the City Council set a public hearing on Ordinance No. 2023-03 (formerly 2022-24) for January 24, 2023; and
WHEREAS, on January 24, 2023, the City Council conducted a public hearing on this
ordinance and, after considering public comment and the recommendations related to establishing island-wide speed limits, adopted the ordinance. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAINBRIDGE
ISLAND, WASHINGTON, DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Findings of Fact. The recitals set forth above are hereby adopted as the City Council’s findings of fact in support of this ordinance and the establishment of new Chapter 10.06 BIMC.
Section 2. A new Chapter 10.06 of the Bainbridge Island Municipal Code, Speed Limits, is hereby adopted as set forth in this ordinance to read as follows: Chapter 10.06
SPEED LIMITS
Sections: 10.06.010 Speed Limits Designated 10.06.020 Notice and Effectiveness of Altered Speed Limits
10.06.030 Governing Law
10.06.010 Speed Limits Designated
A. On the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation as authorized by RCW
46.61.415, it is determined that the proper maximum speed limits for collector and arterial streets within the City of Bainbridge Island is hereby established as set forth in the Island-Wide Speed Limit Map, as shown in Exhibit A.
B. On the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation as authorized by RCW
46.61.415, a speed limit of twenty (20) miles per hour (“mph”) is hereby established on all local access streets within the City of Bainbridge Island, unless otherwise signed according to the adopted Island-Wide Speed Limit Map, as shown in Exhibit B.
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10.06.020 Notice and Effectiveness of Altered Speed Limits
Any altered maximum speed limit established and authorized by this chapter shall be
effective when appropriate signage giving notice thereof is erected by the City, except for unsigned local access streets pursuant to BIMC 10.06.010.B., for which the altered speed limits shall be effective immediately upon the establishment of such altered speed limits by ordinance.
10.06.030 Governing Law To the extent that any City of Bainbridge Island ordinances, resolutions, provisions in the Bainbridge Island Municipal Code, or other City of Bainbridge regulations set forth
island-wide speed limits, the provisions of this chapter shall govern, except related to
temporary changes to speed limits that are otherwise specifically authorized, such as in construction zones. Section 3. In accordance with the Washington Model Traffic Ordinance (Chapter 308-
330 WAC, as adopted by BIMC 10.04.010), the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices,
and Chapter 46.61 RCW, the City Council establishes the island-wide speed limits as set forth in Exhibit A and Exhibit B, which are fully incorporated herein by this reference. PASSED by the City Council this 24th day of January, 2023.
APPROVED by the Mayor this 24th day of January, 2023.
Brenda Fantroy-Johnson, Mayor
ATTEST/AUTHENTICATE:
Christine Brown, MMC, City Clerk
FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK: December 9, 2022 PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL: January 24, 2023 PUBLISHED: February 3, 2023
EFFECTIVE DATE: February 8, 2023
ORDINANCE NUMBER: 2023-03 (formerly 2022-24) ATTACHMENTS: Exhibit A, Exhibit B
to Signed Local Access Streets
20*
Arterial/Collector
(see Exhibit A)
* Unsigned Local
Access Streets' Speed
Zones Reduced to 20 mph
Island-wide