School Speed Limit Sign Installation Project

• Project typeTraffic and Transportation

Project Description

During the summer of 2021, the City of Palo Alto is proceeding with the installation of speed limit signs in school zones to meet speed limit restrictions of 20-miles-per-hour to comply with updated state law and the City’s municipal code requirements establishing speed zones in Palo Alto. This supports student safety and reduces high traffic speeds in and around schools.

The City Council adopted the ordinance in accordance with Assembly Bill (AB) 321 and California Vehicle Code (CVC) Section 22358.4(b)(1) to designate 20-miles-per-hour posted speed limit zones within 500 feet of school grounds while students are going to or leaving the school, either during school hours or during the noon recess period on designated streets.

Scope of Work

Within Palo Alto, there are 16 public schools and 11 private schools. The Office of Transportation staff conducted a signage review and prepared plans for the installation of the school zone and speed limit signs in accordance with the California Manual of Traffic Control Devices.

The combination of the school zone and speed limit signs will be installed in the school areas of Palo Alto. The number of signs planned to be installed citywide exceeds 250 signs and will require installation of approximately 150 new posts. Every effort was made to utilize all existing posts where feasible to reduce the number of new signs posts citywide. The project plans to utilize all but about 15 existing posts which will be removed. These signs are placed within the planter area when available or behind the sidewalk when the sidewalk is contiguous with the curb to the extent feasible in the City’s right of way.

Here is a sample of a signage plan:

Project Timeline

The signs are anticipated to be installed in the Summer of 2021, prior to the beginning of the 2021-22 school year. City staff has notified schools of this project.

Project Documents

Here are the proposed signage plans, by school:

• plan, Addison Elementary School(PDF, 2MB)
• plan, Barron Park Elementary School(PDF, 458KB)
• plan, Bowman School(PDF, 741KB)
• plan, Castilleja School(PDF, 1MB)
• plan, Cornerstone Learning Foundation(PDF, 560KB)
• plan, Discovery Children's House(PDF, 460KB)
• plan, Duveneck Elementary School(PDF, 617KB)
• plan, El Carmelo Elementary School(PDF, 1MB)
• plan, Ellen Fletcher Middle School(PDF, 1MB)
• plan, Escondido Elementary School(PDF, 494KB)
• plan, Fairmeadow Elementary School(PDF, 480KB)
• plan, Greene Middle School(PDF, 819KB)
• plan, Gunn High School(PDF, 670KB)
• plan, Herbert Hoover Elementary School(PDF, 456KB)
• plan, JLS Middle School(PDF, 650KB)
• plan, Juana Briones Elementary School(PDF, 866KB)
• plan, Keys School, Lower School Campus(PDF, 724KB)
• plan, Keys School, Middle School Campus(PDF, 516KB)
• plan, Living Wisdom School(PDF, 449KB)
• plan, Ohlone Elementary School(PDF, 465KB)
• plan, Palo Alto High School(PDF, 1MB)
• plan, Palo Verde Elementary School(PDF, 759KB)
• plan, Sand Hill School(PDF, 885KB)
• plan, St. Elizabeth Seton School(PDF, 687KB)
• plan, Stratford School(PDF, 707KB)
• plan, Tru School(PDF, 1MB)
• plan, Walter Hays Elementary School(PDF, 792KB)

Location

The signs are being installed at the 16 public schools and 11 private schools in Palo Alto.