BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Some changes could be coming to the speed limits on roads in Bellingham.

The city council’s Public Works and Natural Resources Committee heard a presentation from Jon Pascal with consulting company Transpo Group on the proposed changes on Monday.

Using a program to evaluate areas with high collision rates and certain types of structures, Public Works is recommending lower speed limits in many locations in the city.

Notably, the downtown core would have 20 mph throughout, and thoroughfares like Alabama Street, and Lakeway and Sunset Drives would also have reductions in places.

Another option Transpo Group proposed is to set the default speed for residential roads at 20 mph and designating some roads as “shared streets.”

The changes could be approved as soon as early 2026, with phasing plans in place for implementation.

The committee spoke generally in favor of the changes, and Assistant Public Works Director Tim Hohmann illustrated how the speed changes would work with Mount Baker Highway as it transitioned into Sunset Drive.

“The further out you go, the more rural it gets, the less potential conflicts with vulnerable users you get, the higher speed we can allow and it creates that transition,” Hohmann said. ” Going the other way [on Mount Baker Highway], you’re coming in 55 mph, then at the city limit, it would be 45. And then, as you hit [McLeod Road], it would be 35, and then once you hit [Hannegan Road], it goes down to 30. And then, by the time you get into west side of I-5, it’s down to 25.”