At least five road segments in the City of Ripon could soon see changes in the speed limit.

Based on the findings and recommendations from the 2025 Engineering & Traffic Survey, Civil Engineer Tech Mitchell Ulrich, who completed the recent study, mentioned at the Jan. 13 Ripon City Council meeting those recommendations include:

·         Fourth Street, from South Stockton Avenue to the dead end (storage facility) – Raise from 25 mph to 30 mph.

·         Garrison Way, from Maple Avenue to Kamps Way – Raise from 25 mph to 30 mph.

·         Hoff Drive, from Colony Road to Santos Avenue – Raise from 25 mph to 35 mph.

·         Parallel Avenue, from Reynolds Avenue to East Main Street – Raise from 25 mph to 30 mph.

·         Santos Avenue, from Hoff Drive and Frontage Road – Raise from 25 mph to 35 mph.

These five road segments were part of the findings by Ulrich’s E&TS on the 41 surveyed streets in town.

A 2018 graduate of Ripon High, Ulrich spent six months working on what became a 160-page report.

The E&TS, in short, is the justification for establishing and enforcing speed limits within the City of Ripon, with the previous one being completed in 2015.

“If an E&TS is not completed every seven to 14 years, it inhibits the City’s ability to effectively enforce and prosecute speeding violations,” said Ulrich, adding that radar enforcement is specifically prohibited on any street segment without a current E&TS.

His survey was performed in compliance with the current laws and practices of the State of California, in an effort to set an intermediate speed limit above the 25-mph prima facie – “at first look,” in Latin, and is used in court to indicate sufficient or adequate evidence to support a claim – speed limit, allowing the Ripon Police Department to continue to enforce speed limits with use of radar.

As part of the E&TS, when determining the appropriate speed limit, Ulrich took into consideration the prevailing speed collision records, highway traffic, and roadside conditions not readily apparent to the driver, in his study.

The purpose of the E&TS, he said, is to establish reasonable and safe operating speeds within specific sections of roadway.

“Once a speed zone is established or modified, a new survey must be conducted every five years, unless an extension is permitted under certain conditions – without a valid survey, the posted speed limit becomes unenforceable and may be considered a speed trap,” Ulrich added.

Ripon Police Chief Daniel Sauer also took part in several conversations with staff during this study.