After making a copy, Claremont City Manager Ryan McNutt returns Oliver Beeman's petition to take home at the City Council meeting in Claremont, N.H., on May 9, 2018. Beeman, 10, circulated the petition in his neighborhood and amongst his classmates to reduce a longer stretch of South Street to 20 mph. (Valley News - Geoff Hansen) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
After making a copy, Claremont City Manager Ryan McNutt returns Oliver Beeman's petition to take home at the City Council meeting in Claremont, N.H., on May 9, 2018. Beeman, 10, circulated the petition in his neighborhood and amongst his classmates to reduce a longer stretch of South Street to 20 mph. (Valley News - Geoff Hansen) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. Credit: Geoff Hansen

Claremont — Three months after 10-year-old Oliver Beeman petitioned the City Council to lower the speed limit on his street, the council has approved the request.

The speed limit on South Street, between Chestnut and Broad streets, will be posted at 25 mph, as stated in the ordinance passed by the council last week on the first reading with a second reading next Wednesday.

Beeman and his family live at 168 South St., and their home, like several others in the neighborhood, is close to the road. Beeman told the council in his petition, which grew out of school project at Maple Avenue Elementary School, that cars often exceed the 30 mph limit creating a danger for him and his mother when they walks their dogs and for others as well. Beeman gathered signatures from others who live on the street and went before the council in May with his petition.

The council referred the petition to the traffic committee, which recommended the lower limit. The limit still will be 20 mph in the school zone at the middle school at the intersection of South and Broad streets.

According to Police Chief Mark Chase, state law prohibits speed limits to be set at less than 25.

Chase, who signed Oliver’s petition, also said signs will be erected on South Street with the posted limit.

Beeman said on Monday he was pleased. “I will be looking for the (mph) signs,” he said.