City of Elma approves speed limit change on Monte Elma Road
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, July 22, 2026
At their July 20 meeting, Elma City Council approved reducing the speed limit to 25 mph on the 0.52-mile stretch of Monte Elma Road from the old city limits, which is near the Faith Lutheran Church location, to the western boundary of the Elma Elementary School zone. Previously, the speed limit was 35 mph, with a 20 mph within the school zone.
Prior to the vote, a public hearing was held. The residents who provided comment agreed with the proposed speed limit and that they too observed speeding through the area.
“I really appreciate council taking a look at that speed limit. I’d like to see it reduced to 25,” said Robert Bass. “I know the high school kids walk over there for track practice and everything else. … I walk that road a lot. People just way overdrive that road, frankly.”
Following the public comment, Councilor Jim Sorensen chimed in, “I’ve always thought it was ridiculous to go up to 35 just to go back down to 20 in such a short amount, such a short period of mileage and driving.”
What prompted the speed limit change was a driver injuring two students last year on that stretch of road. At the City Council meeting held on Sept. 15, 2025, during the citizen comment period, Sharon Godfrey said that her granddaughter was one of those students injured.
“They took tire rubber out of my granddaughter’s leg … what I’m asking for is to reduce the speed limit to 25 miles an hour there,” Godfrey said.
Over the next 10 months, the city explored its options for lowering the speed limit and published a Monte Elma Road Speed Limit Study & Committee Report. Analysis of a speed study conducted on Monte Elma Road from May 7 to 18 found that 70% of the traffic travels between 30 to 42 mph, with the stretch of roadway seeing an average daily traffic count of 739.
In the discussion section of the report, the authors concluded, “The Operating Speed Method of setting speed limits described earlier in this report would suggest that the existing speed limit of 35 mph is acceptable. The reported accident rate is very low and the 85th percentile speed is 37 mph.”
However, the section concluded with, “The Elma PD has indicated that a 25-mph speed limit is appropriate for this section of road.” And under the recommendation section, the first recommendation was, “Given that the current roadway design, 85th percentile speed and crash data do not support a reduction in speed limit, a high concentration of youth pedestrians can justify a lowered speed limit.”
Prior to the council voting on the speed limit change, Mayor Josh Collette said, “To everyone who contributed to that report, very, very well done. That was one of the most in-depth reports we’ve received, so I really, really appreciate that.”
Although it was only this stretch of Monte Elma Road up for discussion, the councilors did call out needing to change the speed limit elsewhere within the city limits.
“Since I’ve been on council, I’ve had the opinion the entire city limits should be 25,” said Councilor John Heater. “There’s no reason to have a higher speed limit inside city limits, but at least we’re moving in the right direction. It’s a step and I’ll take it.”
Councilor Jim Sorensen seconded the comment and called attention to the stretch of road by Summit Pacific Medical Center.
“Down where Summit Pacific is, you have a lot more pedestrian traffic now than you did before, and it moves up to 30 right before you get to Summit Pacific,” he said. “And I would rather be proactive than reactive if a pedestrian was to get hit during their crossing to get their lunch. I’d rather us as a council be proactive and do something that we can before something happens.”
