CAPE MAY – City council adopted an ordinance change Oct. 4 that sets a maximum speed of 20 mph on all municipal roads within the city limits. The change takes effect 20 days from the passage of the ordinance.
The ordinance lists 13 streets or portions of streets where the speed limit will be lowered to 15 miles per hour, and one, Yacht Avenue, where it will remain at 10 miles per hour.
Council acted to promote safety on streets that were never designed for the traffic they carry, especially in the summer tourist season. The ordinance points to research that shows that accidents at lower speeds have a much higher rate of survival for all concerned.
The city was also addressing the need for a friendlier environment on roads that are now shared by a variety of travelers, from pedestrians and bicyclists to golf carts and motorized bikes. The roads also undergo heavy usage by automobiles, trucks and buses.
The discussion that accompanied the adoption of the change also placed an emphasis on enforcing the speed limits. Police Chief Dekon Fashaw spoke of the police department’s commitment to enforcement, but he also reminded the council that the department has many claims on its officers.
A look at the department’s activity report for May shows 1,092 calls for service in the one-month period. These included 144 vehicle stops. They also included 274 calls that required multiple officers to respond, 328 citizen assists, 72 criminal investigations and 52 medical assists to name only some of the areas of service.
Cape May Police also patrol and provide police services to West Cape May and Cape May Point.
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