Webinar Recap: How Legislation Can Support Slow Roads

Last year, the League of American Bicyclists launched the Slow Roads Save Lives campaign. The campaign aims to create safer roads where people biking, walking, using mobility devices, and driving can all get to their destination safely by advocating for slower speeds and improved road design to match. One method of achieving this goal is passing legislation at the state level that facilitates lowering speeds and ultimately designing safer roads for all users.

There is no one-size-fits-all Slow Roads model law. Rather, the League supports introducing legislation that provides a clear process for communities that want to implement 20mph speed limits. While quickly lowering posted and unposted speed limits through a legislative change is possible, our recommended approach is to focus on removing the barriers to reduce speed limits at the grassroots level rather than a top-down change.

On Tuesday, February 20th, the League hosted a panel with three advocates of speed-lowering legislation about their experiences during the legislative process, and the lessons they learned along the way. Watch the webinar recording below, featuring the following advocates:

Panel:

• Jay Crossley, Executive Director of Farm & City (Texas)
• Makenzi Rasey, Acting Assistant General Manager of External Affairs with Los Angeles Department of Transportation (California)
• Sarah Iannarone, Executive Director of The Street Trust (Oregon)

While bringing about slower roads will be a long-term movement, we know that right now there are advocates, community members, and transportation professionals fighting to pass legislation at the state level that facilitates lowering speeds and ultimately designing safer roads for all users. To learn more about previous Slow Roads state legislation and the bills featured in this webinar, read our previous blogs highlighting slow-speed bills: State Laws for Slow Roads; State of Speed Bills in 2023