Kids in the fast-growing suburbs on the metro's fringe could soon be safer, thanks to the efforts of Minnesota lawmakers and concerned city officials in the north-metro community of Andover.

On Tuesday, the Minnesota Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill allowing the speed limit in rural housing developments to be lowered from 55 miles per hour to 35 mph. The House had previously passed the speed limit change (which was strongly supported by this newspaper in a March 12 editorial) by a wide margin. The legislation now awaits the signature of Minnesota's Suburban Dad-in-Chief: Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a longtime Eagan resident.

Suburban advocates had been working on the speed limit change for about five years. The legislation deserves the ringing endorsement it got from lawmakers. Basically, rural neighborhoods fell through the cracks when it came to state speed limit laws, which needed updating after the recent housing boom. State law limited traffic to 30 mph in most urban residential areas, but lumped in many new suburban neighborhoods with truly rural stretches of highway where 55 mph is a reasonable limit. Among the communities that voiced support to Andover officials: Ramsey, East Bethel, Otsego, Elk River and Ham Lake.

As an Andover resident, I've watched in frustration and fear as drivers legally careened through the winding, kid-filled streets near my home at far too high a speed. It's especially a concern as youngsters come out in droves on bikes and scooters, or with their pets, as the weather warms. Updating the law to protect children in these fast-growing, family-oriented suburban communities is just plain common sense. This bill will save lives.