Cleveland Responds After Resident Swaps Speed Limit Signs

Cleveland city hall says it will work to reduce the speed limit on a west side residential street after someone dressed like a city worker changed the signs without permission.

Last weekend, someone wearing a hard hat and reflective lime green vest took down the 35 mph signs from utility poles on Franklin Boulevard. The person put up 25 mph signs in their place.

Casandra Vasu snapped a photo of the person and posted it on Facebook. She said she was ecstatic.

“A lot of people, I would think, just based on my experiences, don’t really drive 35, they actually drive a lot faster,” Vasu said in a phone interview. “I’m also a commuter cyclist, so I deal with a lot of issues with motorists, especially on that street. They’re very aggressive, they pass illegally.”

A traffic study of the street found there were 121 vehicle crashes over three years, calling it a “moderately high” number.

But a city spokesman said the sign switcher, whoever they were, was not authorized to make the change. And the city left this message on its official Twitter account: “It's okay to love signs. It's not okay to take them. It's also illegal.”

For now, the legal speed remains 35. The city says it will work with residents and council to petition the state to reduce the limit.