Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st), the chief sponsor of the ordinance, had argued a lower speed limit was necessary to protect public safety.

Wednesday to retain the city's 30 mph default speed limit. Why it matters: Studies show that pedestrians are half as likely to die when hit by a car driving 25 mph rather than 30 mph. Context: Cities including New York,

The proposal aimed to reduce the maximum speed limit on city streets from 30 to 25 miles per hour beginning in January 2026. (