8/10/2019 Columbia Case Study
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Case StudyColumbia, Missouri
Key Facts
Total Population: 115,276
Student Population: 37,116
Incorporated Area: 63.5 square miles
Population Density: 1,815 per square mile
Form of Government: "Council-Manager"
Key Institution: University of Missouri
Making the Case for Lower Residential SpeedLimits
City Councilwoman
Barbara Hoppe
Council Seat: Sixth War
Elected: 2006, 2009, an
Philosophy: "I have a ho
and integrative approac
working to create a heal
community, environmen
economy. My vision is
in which people enjoy l
working and playing, as
as a great place for visit
PO Box 10581Portland, OR
(503) 757-8342 americawalks.org @americawalks
One lesson that Councilwoman Barbara Hoppe has learned during
eight
years as an elected ofcial is to ask for a study or pilot
program when there
is initial opposition to a good idea. "There's nothing like hard
data to make
the case," she said, referring to her 2009 campaign to reduce
speed limits inresidential neighborhoods.
According to Hoppe, speeding in neighborhoods has been a
continual cause
for concern among her Sixth Ward constituents in south-east
Columbia,
MO. Many of these subdivisions were built in the 1960s and 70s
without
sidewalks, forcing people (including an active Walking School
bus program)
to walk in the street, where the speed limit was 30 mph. "Not
only did this
create a hazardous situation, it discouraged residents from
walking, even for
short journeys," said Hoppe.
But when she asked City trafc engineers to reduce the speed
limit, they
opposed her request, saying that it would not have any effect
without costly
trafc calming and enforcement measures. Hoppe commented, "I
believed
people would comply with lower limits, but staff felt that
street design was
the only factor that would affect driver behavior" - a remark
that led some in
the community to question why the streets were designed wrong in
the rst
place!
Councilwoman Challenged Engineers' Opinion and
Won!
8/10/2019 Columbia Case Study
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PO Box 10581
Portland, OR(503) 757-8342 americawalks.org @americawalks
Case StudyColumbia, Missouri
In 2008, Hoppe teamed up with PedNet, a local pedestrian and
bicycle advocacy organization, to runa community campaign.
Together, they researched the safety issue, studied policy in other
cities, and
communicated their ndings to the public and City Council through
newsletters, media articles, and
direct mailings. The fact that a person walking is almost four
times more likely to be killed when hit
by a car traveling at 30 mph, compared with 20 mph, was one of
the most compelling results they
shared.
The campaign led to City Council over-ruling staff and
allocating $10,000 for a trafc study to
determine whether simply reducing the posted speed limit would
affect driver behavior. The
following spring, University of Missouri researchers were hired
to place in-road speed detectors in
two neighborhoods and take measurements before and after the 30
mph signs were replaced with new"Kid Friendly" 25 mph signs.
To the surprise of City engineers, speed reductions - varying
between 1.0 mph and 6.2 mph - were
recorded at every location in both neighborhoods. Following a
public education campaign led by
Councilwoman Hoppe and PedNet in one neighborhood and a third
series of measurements, further
reductions of 0.7 - 1.8 mph were recorded. As a result, staff
dropped their opposition and City
Council adopted an ordinance lowering the residential speed
limit throughout Columbia to 25 mph.
And Barbara Hoppe's advice to other
elected ofcials involved in similar efforts
- "Rely on data and keep engaged in the
project to make sure it stays on track. And
the experts don't always know best." As
one City engineer said, "It just goes to
show you can teach an old dog new tricks."
