Chicago had the chance to do the right thing—lower the speed limit to 25 mph and join cities New York, Boston, and Seattle in reducing pedestrian accidents. But instead of taking action, the City Council backed down. Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st), who championed the measure, pulled the vote at the last minute. Instead of making the streets safer today, the council decided to form yet another working group to “study” the issue.
The nearly unanimous vote to create this group came to 49-1, with only Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) objecting. This proves that the council knows speed is a problem. But instead of fixing it, they chose bureaucracy over bold action.
"While I know this is the right policy for the city and that many of my colleagues agree, there are many that need to see us act on equity and enforcement concerns first," La Spata said in an email to Streetsblog Chicago**.
Translation? Some council members don’t have the backbone to pass real safety measures until they get more data—data that already exists.
Why Did the City Council Stall Instead of Voting?
This proposal wasn’t new. The Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety had already approved the 25 mph limit back in October with an 8-5 vote. That was months ago. La Spata and his allies were ready to push it through, but a handful of alderpeople hesitated. Their concerns? The same old excuses: equity, enforcement, and cost. But while they waste time “studying” the problem, Chicagoans are dying in crashes that could have been prevented.
Ald. Nicholas Sposato (38th) admitted he wouldn’t have voted for the ordinance today. He also implied that La Spata, an avid cyclist, sees speed limits differently than drivers. That’s exactly the problem. Too many officials see this issue through a windshield, not through the eyes of pedestrians, cyclists, or families who have lost loved ones to reckless drivers.
One of the most common excuses against lowering the speed limit is the cost of replacing road signs. According to the Illinois Answers Project, installing up to 10,000 new signs could cost $2.5 million.
To put that in perspective, Chicago’s annual budget is $16.6 billion. The city is willing to spend millions on pet projects but hesitates when it comes to saving lives. And if Illinois passed a statewide 25 mph limit, Chicago wouldn’t even have to foot the bill for the signs.
Who Actually Stands Up for Safer Streets?
Thankfully, not everyone on the council is afraid to take action. Several alderpeople voiced strong support for reducing speeds, including:
- Ald. Maria Hadden (49th) wants the city to fully commit to Vision Zero, a plan designed to eliminate traffic deaths.
- Ald. Nicole Lee (11th) stated that speeding is one of the most common complaints she hears from residents.
- Ald. Jason Erwin (28th) thanked La Spata for pausing the vote to allow more discussion but emphasized that he still supports lowering speed limits.
- Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th) pointed out that no one is advocating for raising speed limits, which reinforces the argument that reducing them is the only logical solution.
How Many More People Need to Die?
The data is clear: Speed kills. "The city's own traffic crash report that just came out confirms that 68 percent of crashes involve a high rate of speed," said La Spata.
When a car hits a pedestrian at 30 mph, that person has a 40% chance of dying. Drop the speed to 20 mph, and that fatality rate plummets to 5%. Other cities that lowered speed limits have seen real results. New York City’s move to 25 mph reduced traffic deaths. Seattle and Portland saw similar declines in pedestrian and cyclist fatalities. Chicago isn’t unique, as lower speeds save lives everywhere. And yet, the City Council still wants more “studies” before making a move.
Who Pays the Price for Delays?
Equity concerns were another big reason some alderpeople hesitated. They worry that lowering the speed limit will lead to more tickets and that those tickets will disproportionately go to Black and Latino drivers.
That’s a valid concern. But here’s the reality: Black and Latino Chicagoans already face the worst of traffic violence. According to the Chicago Department of Transportation, two-thirds of people killed in Chicago crashes are Black. That’s not just an enforcement issue; that’s a safety crisis.
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