Chicago Council delays vote to lower speed limit; $1.5B bond issue to refinance debt approved
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago City Council delayed a vote to lower the city's speed limit Tuesday, after a committee approved the measure Monday.
City Council could lower the citywide speed limit from 30 miles per hour to 25.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
The ordinance was introduced by Alderman Daniel La Spata back in July, with the backing of transit and biking advocates. He said this is all about making people safer.
It would also lower the speed limit in alleys to 15 miles per hour. It would not apply, however, to streets owned by the Illinois Department of transportation.
SEE ALSO: Chicago speed cameras: City quietly moves over a dozen speed cameras to new locations
DePaul University transportation expert Joe Schweiterman said traffic is up 6 percent since the pandemic, and more people are in harm's way.
"The plan is to match New York - come down to 25, but accompany it with engineering improvements at intersections to really calm those streets," Schweiterman said. "People are heavy on their accelerators right now, and additional enforcement of the 25 mile per hour limit could really save a lot of lives."
Aldermen passed the measure out of committee Monday with an 8-5 vote.
La Spata said Tuesday he'll wait to call a vote to give the Council more time to consider the ordinance.
He said it's not about increasing revenue.
"I hope, hope, and will do everything that I can to make sure we do not get any additional revenue from doing this. We want more lives saved; we want safer streets. We do not want more revenue," La Spata said.
Mayor Brandon Johnson said he asked La Spata to pull the legislation for now, while still expressing support for making streets safer.
The lower speed ordinance is expected to be reintroduced before the end of the year.
The Council did approve a $1.5 billion bond issue to refinance debt.
The mayor's office said the plan would save the city around $110 million.
