JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The speed limit signs on a big stretch of Mayport Road now say 40 mph -- a welcome change that residents hope will make the area safer.
Atlantic Beach Mayor Ellen Glasser, who spent the last few years working on this, posted a picture of the new signs Saturday. She hopes the change improves safety and helps local businesses.
"This is an effort to encourage people to come to Atlantic Beach and not speed through," Glasser said. "We think this is going to make, in the long run, a more pedestrian-friendly and bicycle-friendly community.”
Derek Martin sees many accidents out the windows of his Cuban restaurant, the Sugar Cane and said a car hit one of his employees riding a bike nearby. So he welcomes the lower speed limit.
"There’s a lot of accidents on this road -- a lot of people that speed," Martin said. "I am hoping that people slow down and take a look and see what we have to offer for all the businesses on Mayport Road.”
Glasser said the death of 12-year-old Hunter Cope last year pushed her to finalize this change. Hunter was struck and killed riding his bike to school nearby.
“It didn’t happen in Mayport Road, but that really served as a call to action to parents, to residents to all stakeholders that we really need to take care of our children," Glasser said. "Lowering the speed is just one step to do that here on Mayport Road."
A Florida Department of Transportation study found that two-thirds of drivers sped down Mayport Road -- a statistic that convinced the DOT to lower the speed limit.
Martin said this comes at a good time as the area continues to grow.
"I think they have a really good plan on developing the area," Martins said. "We have a lot of new subdivisions that they’re building here off of Mayport Road -- really nice homes. We have several new boats that have been assigned to the base, so a lot of new families coming into the area, so hopefully those plans work.”
Glasser said the change comes at a good time.
"The deduction to 40 mph on this state road is a step toward promoting businesses and neighborhoods in our city as places to come 'to,' not drive 'through,'" he said.