Portola may soon update street signs and road striping near C. Roy Carmichael Elementary School to address speeding concerns. The school sits where West Street changes to Lake Davis Road, and the speed limit jumps from 25 mph to 55 mph. Drivers often fail to slow down, alarming nearby residents.
Portola Mayor Bill Powers pointed out the problem of too many signs confusing drivers. During the city council meeting on August 26, councilmembers approved a 20-mph speed limit around city schools. This change uses an option from Assembly Bill 382, letting local authorities set 20-mph limits within 500 feet of schools when children are present. The lower limit will become statewide law in 2031.
City Manager Ryan Bonk said the city wants to start applying the new limit now to improve safety before 2031. The reduced speed zone will cover C. Roy Carmichael Elementary and Portola Junior-Senior High School.
The city will collaborate with the Plumas County Transportation Commission and Plumas County on the corridor near CRC. Since the school lies at the edge of city limits and the county maintains Lake Davis Road, both entities must coordinate. The commission, led by Rob Thorman, is reviewing costs and plans for new signs and crosswalk paint. It will discuss the project at its September 21 meeting.
The commission already studied the area and aims to reduce speeding by improving signage. The 20-mph signs will be part of this plan, but so far, only CRC is targeted. Countywide changes will follow after the Plumas County Board of Supervisors approves an ordinance.
Councilmember Jim Murphy, who lives near CRC, highlighted enforcement challenges. He watched cars speed over 50 mph past the school on the second day of school. The city relies on the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement, not the California Highway Patrol, because the city’s limits end just beyond the school.
The sheriff’s deputies lack radar speed detectors but can still enforce speed laws using other methods. They remain open to working with the city to focus enforcement where needed.
The changes to signage and speed limits offer a practical step to protect students. Will clearer signs and lower limits slow drivers enough before enforcement can catch up? Residents and officials will watch closely as the project moves ahead.
