Rural Indiana community helps change state law and reduce speed limits in school zones

A rural Indiana community has made it safer for the state's children to walk to and from school. Local officials in Whitestown (Best Places map) went before the General Assembly to argue against a law that said local governments were not allowed "to reduce the speed limit in rural school zones to less than 30 mph," Katie Heinz and Sarah Swiss report for RTV 6 in Indianapolis. State leaders listened and last week passed a law allowing local governments to lower speed limits around schools to 20 mph.

The concern was that Boone Meadow Elementary School is located in a fast-growing area, which sees considerable amounts of traffic, Heinz and Swiss write. Zionsville Community Schools board member Bob Bostwick told RTV 6, "We really buy into the neighborhood-school philosophy, and part of that is being able to walk and bike to school."

The Whitestown Town Council plans next month to discuss lowering the speed limit in school zones, possibly to 25 mph, Heinz and Swiss write.