Petition to Lower Residential Speed Limits in Kearny to 15 MPH for Child and Pedestrian Safety

For years, residents of Kearny have witnessed vehicles driving at unsafe speeds through neighborhood streets such as Danbury, Alden, Essex, Hartford, and others. These are small residential roads where children play daily, families walk to and from the school, and neighbors walk their pets. Although Kearny’s main roads like Tilbury, Upton, and Shake may reasonably remain at 25 mph, the same speed on narrow residential streets poses a real safety risk.

Currently, there are no consistent traffic-calming measures or posted speed reminders throughout these neighborhoods, despite the proximity to the local school and several home-based childcare providers. As a long-term resident of Kearny since 2010, I’ve personally observed numerous cars speeding before, during, and after school hours. This creates constant concern for the safety of our children and pedestrians.

Arizona school zones are universally posted at 15 mph because that speed has been proven to reduce the likelihood and severity of accidents. Extending that same limit to all residential streets in Kearny would create a safer, calmer community environment and align with safety practices in many other small Arizona towns.

By lowering the residential speed limit to 15 mph, we can prevent avoidable accidents and ensure our neighborhoods remain safe for children, families, and everyone who calls Kearny home.