These are the speed limits in the city of Lakewood:
- 25 mph in a business district
- 30 mph in a residential district
- 15 mph in an alley
The city engineer may increase or decrease the speed limit on city streets if there are road features that affect safety. For example, the speed limit on Garrison St. is 35 mph except in those sections that have multiple driveways with access to the street. In those areas, the speed limit is 30.
Transportation engineers may post other speed limits, but they are always based on studies that include an analysis of roadway conditions, crash history and the typical speed of prudent drivers.
Studies show that motorists tend to pay little attention to speed limit signs they consider unreasonable unless there is a very high degree of enforcement by police. The majority of drivers will disregard speed limits that are set too low.
If you are concerned about speeding on your street, the city has several ways to slow down drivers. The method used will vary depending on the road classification.
Roads are classified according to their functions and capacities. They may be designated as freeways, arterials, collectors, locals or private streets.
Freeways
At the top of the hierarchy are freeways and expressways -- 6th Avenue, US 285, I-70 and C-470. These roads are designed for high speeds and a high number of vehicles. The traffic unit of the Lakewood Police Department monitors speeds on freeways that travel through Lakewood.
Arterials
Next are arterials such as Wadsworth Boulevard and Alameda Parkway. Arterials are major through roads that are expected to carry large volumes of traffic.
The Lakewood Police Department provides enforcement of speed limits on these roads. You may also request the placement of a temporary or permanent speed display sign.
Collectors
These roads collect traffic from local roads and distribute it to arterials. Examples are 20th Avenue, Yale Avenue between Sheridan Boulevard and Kipling Street, and Garrison Street between Hampden Avenue and Colfax Avenue.
The Lakewood Police Department provides enforcement of speed limits on these roads. You may also request the placement of a temporary or permanent speed display sign.
Local Roads
These roads have the lowest speed limit and carry lower volumes of traffic. The speed limit on most local streets is 30 mph; however, on some it is lower due to road features such as curves that affect safety.
You may request a traffic study to see if your road qualifies for a speed hump or you may request the temporary speed display sign.
Private Roads
These roads are not maintained or monitored by the City.