The City of Lake City is looking to adjust speed zones, specifically on North Woodlawn Ave on County Road N41 and Highway 175 coming into the city limits. This change has been discussed for many years, with a formal discussion on the proposal being brought to the council’s attention this upcoming Monday. Chief of Police for Lake City, Dan Schaffer, proposes increasing the speed on North Woodlawn Ave from 25 to 30 mph. He believes that with the road being in good condition and drivers maintaining complete control, the feel of the road indicates the need to increase the speed to accommodate the trend of vehicles traveling in and out of Lake City on North Woodlawn Ave. Changing the speed level for that portion of the road requires a change in ordinance because it is a county road that transitions into a city street. Additionally, Schaffer proposes extending each speed zone level on Highway 175 coming into town on both the east and west sides to cause traffic to decrease speed when approaching Accura Health Care, Stewart Memorial Community Hospital, and the Lake City Country Club. Schaffer says there have been complaints that the speed limit right by the hospital and nursing home is too high, specifically for multiple vehicles turning in or out of traffic. The proposal is to begin the 45-mph zone at the city limits, which will decrease to 35 mph before reaching the hospital turn-off on the west side of town and over the Country Club on the east side. Due to Highway 175 being a state highway, that would require additional work. The city council would have to submit a proposal to the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT), which will conduct a traffic study over time and recommend whether to approve the change. City Council has yet to make any formal decisions and will talk in more detail during the upcoming Monday meeting about whether the city would like to proceed.
