TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Adam Lindsay, ICMA-CM, Assistant City Manager
FROM: Brian McGill, P.E., PTOE, Assistant Public Services Director - Traffic Services
DATE: August 11, 2025
RE:
Title
Approval of Speed Ordinance Revision on Seabrook Road
end
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
3, 4
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal I: The City of Fayetteville will be a safe and secure community.
Objective 1.2: To ensure traffic and pedestrian safety.
Goal IV: The City of Fayetteville will be a highly desirable place to live, work and recreate.
Objective 4.5: To ensure a place for people to live in great neighborhoods.
Executive Summary:
City Council unanimously passed the motion at the August 4, 2025 Council Work Session to place the Council Member Request for Seabrook Road’s speed limit reduction from 35 mph to 25 mph on the August 11, 2025 Regular Council Session consent agenda.
Should this speed limit reduction proceed, it would apply for the entirety of Seabrook Road, from its intersection with Jasper Street/Topeka Street to its intersection with Langdon Street.
Background:
The current speed limit on Seabrook Road is 35 mph, matching the City-wide statutory speed limit. Seabrook Road is a two-lane, City-owned and maintained, approximately 0.75-mile-long road. It has sidewalks and multi-use lanes on both sides of the road, and NCDOT defines it as a “local” road. The land-use abutting the road is primarily residential, with two schools and one church adjacent to the road as well. School zone flashers with school speed limit signs are posted on Seabrook Road, with a speed limit of 25 mph when flashing. These school zone flashers are located at approximately 1702 Seabrook Road and 2040 Seabrook Road.
The requested speed limit reduction would apply for the entirety of the road, from its intersection with Jasper Street/Topeka Street to Langdon Street. Seabrook Road is the only road that would have its speed limit revised with this agenda item; Jasper Street, Topeka Street, Langdon Street, any road that forms an intersection with Seabrook Road on the Fayetteville State University campus, and all neighborhood roadways that branch off from Seabrook Road would remain their respective speed limits.
Seabrook Road has received periodic requests for speed humps, which are included in the “Seabrook Response Package”, attached to this agenda item. Following the City’s Residential Traffic Management Program (RTMP) for Speed Humps, attached to this agenda item, speed humps cannot be installed on roads that are posted greater than 25 mph. For this location to receive speed humps, its speed limit would have to be reduced. For a city-owned road to have its speed limit reduced in the City of Fayetteville, in this case from 35 mph to 25 mph, then City Council Policy 160.3 would apply. City Council Policy 160.3 is attached to this agenda item for reference.
Based on City Council Policy 160.3, to-date, staff have not received a petition to reduce the speed limit for Seabrook Road, nor have knowledge of one being started.
City Council unanimously passed the motion at the August 4, 2025 Council Work Session to place Seabrook Road’s speed limit reduction from 35 mph to 25 mph on the August 11, 2025 Regular Council Session consent agenda.
Issues/Analysis:
NCDOT’s “S-40_Brochure” says the following with regard to lowering speed limits in an effort to reduce speeding:
“Many people believe that lowering speed limits will reduce motorist speed. However, changing the speed limit is not always the best option. Speed limits are set at a limit that the roadway can safely accommodate by design, the majority of drivers will obey, and law enforcement can reasonably enforce. Engineering studies have shown that there are often no significant changes in vehicle speeds following the posting of an artificially reduced speed limit. This information shows that most motorists drive at the speed they consider to be comfortable and safe. If motorists are regularly exceeding the posted speed limit through an area, enforcement is key to ensuring compliance. Lowering the speed limit by itself cannot guarantee motorists will obey the new regulation.”
As shown by the multiple studies performed on this road, the average daily traffic (ADT) is typically 2,400 vehicles ± 200 vehicles. The average speed ranges from approximately 30 mph to 33 mph depending on the location of study on Seabrook Road. Likewise, the 85th percentile speeds range between 36 mph to 40 mph depending on location.
85th percentile speed is the term used to reflect the speed at or below which 85 percent of traffic is moving.
These studies indicate that most travelers on this road are not speeding based on the current speed limit. As advised by NCDOT’s S-40 brochure, by reducing the speed limit with no other enforcement or changes to the physical roadway in the area, staff expect “…no significant changes in vehicle speeds following the posting of an artificially reduced speed limit.”
Should the speed limit be reduced and no significant changes in vehicle speeds be observed, staff expect citizens to submit an RTMP request for speed humps. The request for speed humps to slow traffic speeds is expected to qualify given the expectation that reducing the speed limit will not reduce vehicle speeds alone.
Staff have concern with installing speed humps on Seabrook Road due to the frequency of school busses that use the road as well as the location of school driveways. The impact on the maintenance of the speed humps, as well as school bus rider comfort should be considered when reviewing locations for speed hump installation. Should speed humps qualify and proceed, and one be placed between Albany Street and Broadell Drive, then EE Smith High School will be considered a “…household immediately adjacent to the proposed improvement…” and will need to accept the speed hump. Should speed humps proceed, coordination with the schools may delay implementation.
Additionally, the school zone markings, school zone speed limit statute, and school zone flasher assembly - meaning the speed limit sign and flashing lights mounted on a pole - are all the responsibility of NCDOT based on North Carolina General Statutes 136-18(5), 20-141.1, and the North Carolina Administrative Code 19A NCAC 02B. 0232 (all attached for reference). Because this request is revising the speed limit to 25 mph, which is the existing school speed zone limit, the NCDOT statute would no longer be necessary. Should this ordinance revision be adopted, NCDOT will be consulted on next steps regarding the school zone designation and relevant infrastructure.
Chapter 16, Motor Vehicles and Traffic, Article III, Traffic Schedules, Section 16-61, Traffic Schedules Adopted; City Manager Authorized to Compile., requires Council approve changes to these ordinances. Should this agenda item be approved, the speed limit revision for Seabrook Road will be reflected in item 12 - Speed Control.
Budget Impact:
There is no noticeable impact to the budget for this change. All sign installation and maintenance costs will be within the existing Engineering and Infrastructure operating budget.
Options:
• Adopt the ordinance revision
• Reject the ordinance revision
Recommended Action:
Per City Council unanimously placing this item on the consent agenda, adopt the ordinance revision.
Attachments:
Seabrook Road - Speed Limit Reduction Ordinance
Seabrook Response Package
rtmp-speedhump_final
City Council Policy 160.3
S-40_Brochure
NCGS 136-18_5
NCGS 20-141.1
19A NCAC 02B. 0232
Study Area Map