Orange advances lower speed limits on 47 street segments

ORANGE, Calif. — The Orange City Council unanimously advanced an ordinance Monday that would lower speed limits by 5 to 10 mph on 47 street segments, according to Voice of OC.

The proposal follows a state law change that gave local governments more flexibility to reduce speed limits in areas with pedestrian activity or crash concerns. Anaheim and Irvine have made similar reductions on city streets, Voice of OC reported.

Orange city staff surveyed 186 streets earlier in 2026 and recommended reductions on 47 segments, according to Voice of OC. The plan calls for 46 segments to drop by 5 mph and one segment to drop by 10 mph.

No streets were proposed for higher limits, Voice of OC reported. Several approaches to the Orange Circle roundabout would see reductions, including extended portions of Glassell Street from 35 to 30 mph and parts of Chapman Avenue from 40 to 35 mph or from 35 to 30 mph closer to the intersection.

The Esplanade Street segment between Fairhaven and La Veta avenues would receive the lone 10 mph reduction, according to an Orange city staff report cited by Voice of OC. The ordinance still needs a final vote before approval.

If the council gives final approval and signs are updated, the new limits would take effect 30 days later, Voice of OC reported. The changes stem from a state law passed a couple years ago that moved cities away from relying mainly on the 85% driver-speed threshold when setting limits.

Other Orange County cities have already used the added authority. Anaheim reduced limits on 169 road segments by 5 to 15 mph in 2024, while Irvine lowered limits on 56 roadways by 5 to 10 mph earlier in 2026, according to Voice of OC.

Irvine Mayor Larry Agran said at a January meeting, according to Voice of OC: "I think this enabling legislation at the state level, allowing us to reduce speed limits and make them stick, make them enforceable, I think this is a very favorable development."

The Orange ordinance would add the city to a growing list of Orange County communities using state authority to set lower local speed limits.