The Fair Oaks Ranch City Council on Oct. 2 approved the first reading of an ordinance to reduce the maximum speed limit on Rolling Acres Trail from 35 miles per hour to 30 miles per hour between Ammon Road and Silver Spur. The vote followed resident testimony describing near-misses, property damage and concerns about the road’s narrow, curving segments.

Residents who live along Rolling Acres urged the council to act. “I urge you to move and approve the first reading of the ordinance to reduce the Rolling Acres speed limit from 35 to 30,” said Doug Miller, who identified himself as an initiator of the request to lower the limit on Rolling Acres Trail. Another resident, who described an encounter with an apparently speeding vehicle, said “it just came within inches of me.”

City staff presented data gathered by the Transportation Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC) and radar feedback units. Carol VanZant, assistant city manager, summarized the counts and speeds and said staff’s radar counts showed the total average speed and the 80th percentile speed were below 35 mph in all three measured sections of Rolling Acres during the period sampled. TSAC members voted unanimously to recommend reducing the posted limit on the specified segment, citing narrow pavement, sight-line issues, inconsistent signage and pedestrian exposure.

Council members discussed enforcement levels, consistency with adjacent streets and the potential for traffic to shift onto nearby roads with higher posted limits. Several members said consistency with surrounding local streets and the road’s narrow width argued for a 30 mph limit. Council also noted that additional enforcement and posted cautionary curve signs had already been added to the corridor.

The motion to approve the ordinance’s first reading passed with all members present voting in favor. The ordinance will return to council for a required second reading before it becomes effective.