The New Boston Speed Limit is 25 M.P.H.

No Signs on the Road? Drive Twenty-Five!

The new Boston speed limit came into effect today, and it’s twenty-five miles per hour. Of course, it doesn’t apply to every road in the city. Instead, it simply means that if you don’t see a sign indicating a specific speed, the default Boston speed limit is 25 m.p.h.

Will the reduced Boston Speed Limit save lives?

Mayor Marty Walsh, the “proud mayor of America’s Walking City,” sure hopes so. The reduction in the speed limit a joint effort from the City of Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Part of the “Vision Zero” project, the change in the Boston speed limit is an attempt to completely eliminate all traffic fatalities in the city.

The argument for the change states that simply driving 5-miles-per-hour slower than before will drastically reduce the chance of serious injury in the event of a crash. That’s a result we can all get behind. As movers, we know driving in Boston’s narrow streets can be difficult. Accordingly, we think any attempt to make them safe is a worthy cause. And that’s doubly true in the harsh New England winter.

As of January 9th, the Boston speed limit is 25 miles per hour. Source: visionzeroboston.org

According to the city’s website, “at 20 mph there is a 17% likelihood of a fatality or severe injury occurring, and that number jumps to 79% at 40 mph.” If you’re considering moving to the city, and you have young children, this can’t be anything but welcome news. (Bicyclists, as well, are a fan of the new law.)

Of course, the new Boston speed limit isn’t the only new safety measure the state and city have implemented as part of the project. Last year, the city launched a digital tool for residents and visitors to report potential safety hazards for pedestrians.

Looking to move to a major international city that puts a premium on pedestrian safety? Get a moving quote today!

Featured Photo by Famartin (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons