There will be no changes to any speed limits in Fountain Hills at this time, but the Town Council has agreed to establish a Safety Corridor program in an effort to improve traffic and pedestrian safety in the community.

On the agenda for its Aug. 24 meeting, the council considered a proposed change to the speed limit on Palisades Blvd. between Shea and Golden Eagle boulevards. The current speed limit is 45 miles per hour and the council considered a change to 40 mile per hour. However, it was determined there was no consensus for the change and the item was dropped without action.

The council did approve a proposal for establishing Safety Corridors on some streets on a pilot basis. The range of the zones approved include Saguaro Blvd. between Desert Vista and Grande Blvd., Palisades Blvd. between Saguaro and El Lago boulevards and Fountain Hills Blvd. between Palisades and El Lago boulevards.

There are no proposed changes to the speed limits in these areas, and a “zero tolerance” policy has not been established, but there is the potential for increased fines for violations within these zones. The council chose not to establish increased fines but allow for the judge’s discretion.

The original proposal from staff would have the entire length of Saguaro from Shea to Fountain Hills boulevards as a safety corridor. Vice Mayor Mike Scharnow suggested it be shortened, beginning at Desert Vista where there is a park, to Grande Blvd. just north of downtown.

Also, the original plan had the Palisades section between Saguaro and Golden Eagle. At the suggestion of Councilman Alan Magazine, the Palisades zone was extended to El Lago to include northbound traffic coming down the hill approaching Golden Eagle near Fountain Hills High School.

The council vote to approve the corridors was 6-1 with Councilman Art Tolis dissenting.

Public Works Director Justin Weldy outlined the criteria used to determine a safety corridor.

“These are special segments of roadway that have been identified by both engineering and data analysis to be either high pedestrian/vehicle or vehicle/vehicle conflict zones,” Weldy said. “The intent of the safety corridor is to educate and inform drivers, reduce traffic speeds and discourage unsafe driving behavior.”

The corridors will have enforcement signs advising drivers when they enter or leave the zones.

“Safety corridors have been used by municipalities across the country and even ADOT as an effective tool in improving traffic safety and reducing accidents and traffic related fatalities,” Weldy said.

Town Manager Grady Miller outlined the process that arrived at the safety proposals. In March 2018 a tragic incident claimed the lives of four pedestrian winter visitors as they were on the sidewalk adjacent to Fountain Park; a fifth individual died later that year when struck by a vehicle as he was jogging along Palisades Blvd. near Westby Drive. There have also been incidents in which a speeding motorist fleeing law enforcement went off the roadway and into a residence along Palisades Blvd.

Miller noted that the Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Committee was established by Mayor Ginny Dickey early in 2019 soon after she took office. Earlier this year the committee discussed the safety proposals that included the speed limit change, the safety corridors and a red-light camera for enforcement at Shea and Palisades boulevards (see separate story).

In June, the council unanimously agreed to consider the proposals in a more detailed manner and they were presented at the Aug. 24 session.