On Monday, May 19, the Battle Ground City Council approved an ordinance to set long-term speed limits for state Route 502 and state Route 503, two highways managed by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). The vote follows months of debate and public concern after a series of serious crashes, including multiple fatalities, along the 502 corridor.
The ordinance establishes a future speed limit of 30 miles per hour on all of Highway 502 through the city and 40 miles per hour on Highway 503. These changes will not be implemented immediately. Instead, they will be introduced over time by WSDOT as road improvements and infrastructure developments lead to slower driving speeds.
State Route 502 runs 40 mph from 10th Avenue west to about Northwest 30th, where it jumps to 50 mph. Highway 503 runs at 55 mph in city limits.
While the new ordinance formally establishes a 30 mph limit on Highway 502 and a 40 mph limit on all of Highway 503 within city limits, the changes won’t take effect immediately. Because WSDOT owns and maintains both roads, the city’s ordinance essentially acts as a formal request. Implementation will depend on WSDOT approval, phased engineering upgrades and traffic infrastructure improvements over time.
The council’s action comes after several heated meetings in which members criticized WSDOT’s earlier proposals. The department initially recommended a patchwork of speed limits for SR 502, including a drop to 30 mph near Albertsons but keeping 40 and 50 mph zones nearby.
Councilors strongly opposed that approach, calling it inconsistent and dangerous in light of fatal and injury crashes near commercial centers. In one March incident, a driver died in a crash near the Albertsons entrance, prompting renewed scrutiny of traffic safety along Main Street.
During a meeting held on May 5, WSDOT staff affirmed they could not reduce speeds all at once, as studies show drivers often ignore lower posted limits unless road conditions change to encourage slower behavior. WSDOT has emphasized that speed enforcement and street design—not just signage—must drive any lasting change.
If WSDOT’s initial draft goes to plan, the first step involves lowering the speed to 30 mph from the SR 503 intersection east to Southwest 27th Avenue. That section, located near busy intersections and retail centers, may receive new signage and design work sooner than the rest of the corridor. Further west, however, speed changes are expected to lag until key infrastructure, such as a roundabout planned at Northeast 92nd Avenue, is in place.
On Highway 503, the city’s proposed 40 mph limit will also hinge on a separate corridor study now underway. Speed reductions are expected to correspond with upcoming traffic projects, including roundabouts at Rasmussen Boulevard and eventually Onsdorf Boulevard. WSDOT staff inform the City Council of proposed speed limit implementations.
