Caltrans to Lower Speed Limits on Highway 9 Through San Lorenzo Valley Communities

New limits target safety in Ben Lomond, Brookdale, and south Felton areas

Drivers on Highway 9 will need to slow down in San Lorenzo Valley communities following a Caltrans announcement this week that speed limits will be reduced along an 11.63-mile stretch of the highway.

The affected segment runs from just south of Exit Road in the City of Santa Cruz north to Boulder Creek, passing through Felton, Ben Lomond, Brookdale, and Boulder Creek. The rural, mountainous two-lane highway serves as the main artery for these mountain communities.

Three specific areas will see lower posted speeds based on findings from a recent engineering and traffic survey. The two-lane section just south of San Lorenzo Avenue in Felton to just south of Hillside Avenue will drop from 35 mph to 30 mph. The most significant change comes in Ben Lomond, where a 0.90-mile northern segment through the community will be reduced from 35 mph to 25 mph. The northern segment of Brookdale will also see speeds lowered from 35 mph to 30 mph.

Speed limits on other portions of the corridor will remain unchanged.

The new limits are designed to “encourage the safe and orderly flow of traffic,” according to the Caltrans announcement. Enforcement will begin once all new speed limit signs are installed, a process expected to take about 30 days.

Caltrans’ engineering and traffic survey considered multiple factors beyond just travel speeds, including collision history, roadway conditions, pedestrian and bicycle traffic, direct driveway access, parking areas, pedestrian crossings, and the configuration of curves along the route—conditions that aren’t always immediately apparent to drivers.

Both the California Highway Patrol and Santa Cruz County have endorsed the speed reductions.

“I would like to remind the motoring public to always drive at a safe speed for the current conditions and drive responsibly,” said Acting CHP Santa Cruz Area Office Commander Lieutenant Boles. “Excessive speed is one of the leading causes of serious injury and fatal crashes. Let’s all do our part to keep our roads safe.”

For more information, contact Caltrans District 05 spokesperson Kevin Drabinski at (805) 549-3138.

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June 2024: Local Officials Request Caltrans to Lower Speed Limits on Highway 9