ESTHERVILLE, IA (northwestiowanow) – The City of Estherville has adopted a new ordinance that introduces revised speed limits and radar speed signs along a key stretch of Highway 4.

Ordinance No. 828, passed on Monday, June 2, officially updates the speed limits along Ninth Street, also known as Iowa State Highway 4. The changes are part of a broader effort to improve traffic safety and better manage vehicle speeds as drivers enter and exit the city.

The ordinance outlines a series of speed adjustments along the corridor. It begins with a 45-mph zone starting 185 feet north of 380th Street and extending 2,580 feet north. From there, the speed limit drops to 35 mph up to a point 620 feet north of South First Street, then to 30 mph until 610 feet north of Maplecrest Drive. The limit then increases back to 45 mph until 140 feet north of 22nd Avenue North and finally rises to 55 mph through to the city’s northern corporate limits.

City Administrator Penny Clayton says the ordinance is part of a larger initiative to enhance traffic control.

The radar signs are expected to help drivers adjust their speeds more effectively as they approach the city, especially in areas where speed limits change frequently. The ordinance will take effect following final publication, with radar sign installation expected shortly thereafter.