TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Michael Gibson, Interim Assistant City Manager
FROM: Sheila Thomas-Ambat, PE, CCM, CFM, Public Services Director
Brian McGill, PE, PTOE, Assistant Public Services Director - Traffic Services
DATE: June 8, 2026
RE:Title
Blanton Road Speed Limit Reduction Request Response Title
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COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
District 4 - CM Haire
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 April 6, 2026, Council Work Session to request Public Services staff to consider a Speed Limit reduction for Blanton Road from 35 mph to 25 mph.
Should this speed limit reduction proceed, it would apply from south of Galleria Drive to the intersection of Blanton Road and Johnson Street.
Should this speed limit reduction proceed, it would supersede Council Policy 160.3 Request for Speed Limit Changes, specifically the requirement of a petition and the holding of a public hearing to consider the request.
Staff recommend against reducing Blanton Road’s speed limit from 35 mph to 25 mph for the following reasons:
• A crash review of Blanton Road does not indicate a roadway deficiency or recurring crash pattern within the corridor.
• Per a memo issued on 05/08/2026 in response to this request, the proposed speed limit change on Blanton Road is not supported by the police department.
• NCDOT and Engineering Industry Studies, including the City’s recent speed limit reductions at other locations in the City, have shown that reducing speed limits do not lead to significant changes in vehicle speeds.
• The ball-bank indicator worksheet for advisory speeds for the curves of Blanton Road do not support the posting of advisory speed plaques for the horizontal curves of Blanton Road, including the currently existing advisory speed plaque.
Background:
The current speed limit for Blanton Road is 35 mph, and it is posted with 35 mph speed limit signs. Blanton Road is a two-lane road, which is City-owned and maintained, and is approximately 4,575 feet long, or 0.87 miles long. It has no sidewalk, and NCDOT defines it as a “local” road. The land-use abutting the road is primarily residential along Blanton Road, with an institutional land use near the intersection of Blanton Road and Lauren McNeill Loop, and commercial and institutional land use at the intersection of Blanton Road and US 401 (Pamalee Drive). The institutional land use near Lauren McNeill Loop is the Roy G. Turner Park, and at the intersection of Blanton Road and US 401 (Pamalee Drive) is a church.
The requested speed limit reduction would apply for the entirety of the road, from south of Galleria Drive to its intersection with Johnson Street. Should Blanton Road’s speed limit be reduced, all roadways that branch off from or intersect Blanton Road would remain their current respective speed limits.
Based on City Council Policy 160.3 Request for Speed Limit Changes, a petition should be submitted by residents of Blanton Road for a reduction or increase of the speed limit, with a public hearing to follow. To-date, staff have not received a petition to reduce the speed limit for Blanton Road, nor have knowledge of one being started.
City Council unanimously passed the motion at the April 6, 2026, Council Work Session to request Public Services staff to consider a Speed Limit reduction for Blanton Road from 35 mph to 25 mph.
Issues/Analysis:
Literature Review
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…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…Lowering the speed limit by itself cannot guarantee motorists will obey the new regulation.”
Speed Study
In preparation for the speed limit reduction, staff have performed two speed studies. These studies were performed over the days of March 23 - 27 and March 30 - May 3. The average daily traffic (ADT), average speed, and 85th percentile speed are shown in the following table:
Blanton Road
|
Date Study Began |
ADT |
85th % Speed |
Avg. Speed |
|
11/27/23 |
1,680 |
46 mph |
38 mph |
|
03/23/26 |
1,827 |
45 mph |
37 mph |
|
03/30/26 |
1,341 |
42 mph |
36 mph |
85th percentile speed is the term used to reflect the speed at or below which 85 percent of traffic is moving.
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.”
The following presents data averaged over one week on roads which have experienced speed limit reductions recently.
Ruritan Drive
|
Date Study BeganADT85th % SpeedAvg. Speed |
|
|
|
|
09/18/25 - Area 1 |
3,658 |
40 mph |
34 mph |
|
09/18/25 - Area 2 |
3,692 |
40 mph |
34 mph |
|
09/18/25 - Area 3 |
3,720 |
40 mph |
34 mph |
|
Speed Limit Reduced from 35 mph to 25 mph |
|
10/13/25 - Area 1 |
3,779 |
42 mph |
37 mph |
|
10/13/25 - Area 2 |
3,770 |
39 mph |
39 mph |
|
10/13/25 - Area 3 |
3,732 |
38 mph |
38 mph |
West Rowan Street
|
Date Study BeganADT85th % SpeedAvg. Speed |
|
|
|
|
11/01/22 - Area 1 |
1,787 |
36 mph |
30 mph |
|
11/01/22 - Area 2 |
1,112 |
36 mph |
27 mph |
|
Speed Limit Reduced from 35 mph to 25 mph |
|
12/01/25 - Area 1 |
1,420 |
34 mph |
29 mph |
|
12/01/25 - Area 2 |
1,100 |
36 mph |
27 mph |
As shown from the tables above, reducing the speed limit, by itself, is not expected to reduce speeds on Blanton Road.
Blanton Road Crash Review
Attached to this agenda item is a crash review memo for Blanton Road. This review reviewed 65 crashes on Blanton Road and noted that 63 of those crashes were due to failing to yield, failing to reduce speed, or failing to maintain lane. The 2 other crashes were related to deer running into the road. From reviewing the historic crash data for this road, no patterns are observed. As no patterns are observed, no recommendations for safety improvements or countermeasures are made at this time.
Should the speed limit be reduced, an increase in crashes due to failing to reduce speed may be experienced due to those maintaining their current travel habits of 42 mph - 46 mph, versus those traveling the slower speed limit of 25 mph.
Blanton Road Ball-Bank Indicator Testing
To determine an advisory speed for a curve, the Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) recommends various tests, one of which is the ball-bank indicator. From that test, all noticeable curves on this road can be navigated at the posted speed limit of 35 mph safely; Drivers who obey the speed limit will be able to navigate the road comfortably.
What staff have noted as Horizontal Curve 3, or “HC3” on the worksheet, currently has an advisory speed of 25 mph posted. Following the MUTCD thresholds, the advisory speed plaque is not necessary at that location. While staff could remove it, because public engagement regarding safety on this road has not occurred, staff recommend that the advisory speed plaque remain in place and be removed should a vehicle strike it, or if the sign naturally ages to the time it would normally be replaced.
Other Items of Note
As this item is being presented to Council, please note a memo from the Fayetteville Police Department dated 05/08/2026, attached to this agenda item as “Police Memo - Proposed Speed Limit Change on Blanton Road”. This memo states the Fayetteville Police Department does not support changing the speed limit on Blanton Road. For additional details, please refer to the memo.
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 Blanton 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:
As this item is an administrative report, no action is required. Should Council pull this administrative report to take official action, the options for action are as follows:
1 - Keep the speed limit on Blanton Road at 35 mph.
2 - Adopt an ordinance revision to lower the speed limit on Blanton Road from 35 mph to 25 mph.
Recommended Action::Recommended Action
For information only, no action required unless Council directs staff to include an upcoming City Council Work Session.
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Attachments:
Blanton Road - Crash Review Memo
Blanton Road - Ball-bank indicator test
Blanton Road - Police Memo on Speed Reduction
Blanton Road - Speed Limit Reduction Ordinance
City Council Policy 160.3
S-40_Brochure