Diley Road traffic will be moving at a different pace next month.
Pickerington City Council approved the increase Tuesday, which raises the speed limit from 35 miles per hour to 45 miles per hour.
A speed study was conducted in February by City Engineer Greg Bachman.
The study examined several criteria including the number of traffic signals, lane width and the number and type of driveways.
It indicated that the speed limit should be increased, Bachman said.
The increase is a controversial one with strong opinions expressed on both sides during previous meetings.
Councilman Brian Wisniewski was the only council member to express strong opposition to the legislation. He was not present during council's vote Tuesday.
Wisniewski said during the first reading on the issue that the presence of two schools, the light path crossing and the numerous bus routes that run through the Cherry Hill subdivision were part of his worry, especially since many of the buses make left-hand turns onto Diley Road.
He also expressed concern over drivers modifying their speed, saying that if at the current speed limit of 35 miles per hour, traffic flows at 40 or even 45 miles per hour. His concern would be that drivers will drive 50 or even 55 miles per hour once the speed limit is increased.
Councilman Brian Sauer, a proponent of the increase since early on, felt that people were going to drive 45 miles per hour regardless of the increase and had said that it was equally as dangerous for people to tailgate and "fly" around vehicles.
The legislation will take effect in 30 days and signs should be posted shortly thereafter, Bachman said.
