City leaders says you won't see a greater enforcement presence. Instead, they ask residents to take matters into their own hands.

Among other things, Springfield officials will hand out pace car stickers so people can set an example by driving the limit in their own neighborhoods.

"We're really asking for voluntary compliance. We are going to ask that people sign a pledge to drive the speed limit in their neighborhood and other neighborhoods," said Traffic Engineer Earl Newman.

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News release: 

The City of Springfield will hold a series of four public meetings in an open house format to discuss the upcoming installation of new 25 mph speed limit signs, which will begin in mid-June. The meetings will be held from 4-7 p.m. on consecutive Thursday evenings beginning on May 15 and continuing as follows:
 
    • May 15, 2008 — Northeast Quadrant; Cooper Tennis Complex, 2331 E. Pythian St.
 
    • May 22, 2008 — Southeast Quadrant; Pershing Middle School, 2120 S. Ventura Ave.
 
    • May 29, 2008 — Southwest Quadrant; Fire Station No. 6, 2620 W. Battlefield Road
 
    • June 5, 2008 — Northwest Quadrant; Doling Family Center, 301 E. Talmage St.     
 
     The meetings will show residents the planned locations for the new signs, the safety messages that will be assigned to entrance points in each neighborhood, and the schedule for when signs will be appearing around town. Traffic Engineering estimates it will take about six months to complete the conversion of signs throughout the city. Signing will begin around the center city area and radiate outward to the city limits in all directions.
 
     City staff also will be available to explain the Pace Car program and help residents sign up for it. The Pace Car Program involves making a pledge to drive the speed limit in all neighborhoods. A free decal that may be placed on the back window of a vehicle to show that it is a “Pace Car” will be provided.
 
     Although the locations for the meetings have been selected to encourage residents from each quadrant of the City to conveniently attend a meeting, residents may attend any of the meetings and information will be available at each about all areas of the City. Staff will be open to comments from the public at each meeting as well.
 
     The Springfield City Council in February approved setting the speed limit on most local residential streets at 25 mph. The new speed limit will be effective on a neighborhood-to-neighborhood basis following completion of the installation of all signs required for each neighborhood area.
 
     If residents cannot attend one of these meetings, information about the 25 mph speed limit project has been placed on the City’s Web site, under FAQs. Residents also may call the office of the City Traffic Engineer, (417) 864-1980, with questions about the project.