Aldermen are seeking state approval to lower city speed limits to 20 miles per hour around “safety zones,” that cover about a quarter of the city, including parks, playgrounds, hospitals, senior housing, religious facilities, and community centers.

Aldermen unanimously voted to petition the legislature at an April 7 meeting. If approved, the petition would require sign postings or street paintings marking speed limits of 20 mile per hour within 300 feet of all private and public playground, parks, senior housing, nursing homes, assisted living facility, hospitals, places of worship, or community center where senior activities are conducted on a regular basis in the city.

The petition mirrors ones that had previously been approved for Melrose and Quincy. Ward 3 Alderman Bob McWatters said he introduced the petition because there are over 70,000 residents living in the city and more than 50,000 registered cars and the rate of fatality or serious injury increases when pedestrians are struck at vehicles moving at higher speeds.

“Reducing the speed limit would make it a little safer for the pedestrians and bicyclists that converse in those areas,” McWatters told the Journal. “If it was done in Melrose, let’s get it done in Somerville… I think it would be a step forward to reducing traffic speeds.”

By state law, unposted speed limits are 30 mph and reducing that limit requires a home rule petition, McWatters said. Such 20 mph speed zones are already in place around Somerville schools, he said.

City officials did not have a map of areas that would be impacted by the speed limit change or a list of addresses but McWatters estimated it would be at least a quarter of the city.

“This would be another important, albeit a small step in traffic calming,” McWatters said during the meeting. “We get many calls on speed in the city and I think even though this is only incremental, its another important traffic calming measure.”

Over the past several years, Somerville State Rep. Denise Provost had filed several bills attempting to reduce state speed limits from 30 to 25 miles per hours, none of which have made it through committee. A 2013 Metropolitan Area Planning Council Health Impact Assessment found that such a change could prevent 2,200 crashes, 18 fatalities and 1,200 injuries per year.

Ward 5 Alderman Mark Niedergang said during the meeting he would like speed limits reduced to 25 or 20 miles per hour citywide down the road.

Mayoral aide Tim Snyder said during the meeting it is not guaranteed the home rule petition would make it through the legislature but the petition was worth doing.

“We have long had reduced speed zones near our schools and it has kept our children safer. It’s time we extend that protection to our children, seniors and the infirm as they walk to other vulnerable locations such parks and playgrounds, senior housing, hospitals and nursing homes,” Mayor Joe Curtatone told the Journal in a statement. “We have full confidence that the legislature will give our request serious consideration.”

Follow Danielle McLean on Twitter @DMcLeanWL or email her at dmclean@wickedlocal.com.