Drivers in Ripon may soon notice higher speed limits on several city streets if recommendations from a newly completed traffic study are approved.

The proposed changes stem from the 2025 Engineering & Traffic Survey, which was presented to the Ripon City Council during its Jan. 13 meeting. Civil Engineer Tech Mitchell Ulrich, who conducted the study, reviewed 41 roadways across the city and identified five segments where higher speeds would better reflect existing driving conditions and safety data.

Under the recommendations, speed limits on Fourth Street from South Stockton Avenue to the storage facility dead end, Garrison Way between Maple Avenue and Kamps Way, and Parallel Avenue from Reynolds Avenue to East Main Street would increase from 25 mph to 30 mph. Larger increases were suggested for Hoff Drive from Colony Road to Santos Avenue and for Santos Avenue from Hoff Drive to Frontage Road, where limits would rise from 25 mph to 35 mph.

Ulrich, a 2018 Ripon High School graduate, spent roughly six months completing the survey, which resulted in a detailed 160-page report. The document replaces the city’s previous Engineering & Traffic Survey from 2015 and serves as the legal foundation for establishing and enforcing speed limits within Ripon.

He explained that state law requires cities to update these surveys every seven to 14 years. Without a current E&TS, the city’s ability to enforce speed limits is significantly restricted, as radar enforcement is not allowed on street segments lacking an active survey. In court, an outdated or missing survey can also prevent successful prosecution of speeding violations.

The 2025 survey was conducted in compliance with California laws and engineering standards. Its purpose is to justify speed limits above the 25-mph prima facie limit — a legal term meaning “at first look” — which courts recognize as sufficient evidence to support enforcement. Establishing these higher limits allows the Ripon Police Department to continue using radar when enforcing traffic laws.

In determining appropriate speeds, Ulrich analyzed prevailing traffic speeds, collision histories, traffic volumes, and roadway features that may not be immediately obvious to drivers. He said the overarching goal of the survey is to set speed limits that reflect reasonable and safe operating conditions for each roadway segment.

Ulrich also noted that once a speed zone is established or modified, a new survey must be completed every five years unless certain conditions allow for an extension. Without a valid survey in place, posted speed limits become unenforceable and could legally be classified as speed traps.

Ripon Police Chief Daniel Sauer was involved throughout the process and participated in multiple discussions with city staff during the study’s development.