Beverly Hills will lower speed limits on portions of 19 streets beginning Oct. 1 under a newly adopted city ordinance aimed at reducing traffic collisions and improving pedestrian and cyclist safety.

The changes follow an assessment by a city-hired consultant of streets routinely reviewed through state-mandated Engineering and Traffic Surveys. The city also considered changes to California law that give local governments greater flexibility when establishing speed limits.

Assembly Bill 43, which took effect in 2022, expanded the criteria cities may consider when setting speed limits, including crash history and surrounding land uses. State law also allows qualifying business activity districts to have speed limits as low as 20 mph.

“Reducing our speed limits in key corridors throughout Beverly Hills will help ensure the safety of motorists, pedestrians and cyclists,” Mayor Craig Corman said. “These new, updated limits should lead to fewer vehicle and pedestrian crashes, making our city more enjoyable to walk and travel through.”

The largest group of changes will reduce speed limits from 25 mph to 20 mph in portions of the city’s commercial areas.

The 20 mph limits will apply on Bedford Drive from North Santa Monica Boulevard to Wilshire Boulevard; Beverly Drive from North Santa Monica Boulevard to Whitworth Drive; Brighton Way from Wilshire Boulevard to Crescent Drive; Camden Drive and Cañon Drive from North Santa Monica Boulevard to Wilshire Boulevard; Clifton Way from Cañon Drive to Rexford Drive; Crescent Drive and Rexford Drive from North Santa Monica Boulevard to Wilshire Boulevard; Dayton Way from Wilshire Boulevard to Rexford Drive; Linden Drive from South Santa Monica Boulevard to Wilshire Boulevard; Rodeo Drive and Roxbury Drive from North Santa Monica Boulevard to Wilshire Boulevard; and South Santa Monica Boulevard from Moreno Drive to Rexford Drive.

Other corridors will drop from 35 mph to 30 mph, including Benedict Cañon Drive from the northern city limits to Sunset Boulevard; Doheny Drive from Phyllis Street to Santa Monica Boulevard; La Cienega Boulevard from Clifton Way to Olympic Boulevard; Olympic Boulevard from the western city limits to Robertson Boulevard; North Santa Monica Boulevard from the western city limits to Doheny Drive; and San Vicente Boulevard between the northern and southern city limits.

According to the National Association of City Transportation Officials, a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling 35 mph is five times more likely to die than someone struck at 20 mph. The limits will be changed in the coming weeks. For information, visit beverlyhills.org.