The reduced speed limit is a city-wide measure, and new signage is being placed at the City's entry points and other strategic locations to remind drivers of the change. These signs clearly indicate that the speed limit applies city-wide. Per state guidelines, the municipality will not be installing signs on every street where the reduced speed limit applies.

MGL Chapter 90, Section 1 defines thickly settled or a business district as "the territory contiguous to any way which is built up with structures devoted to business, or the territory contiguous to any way where the dwelling houses are situated at such distances as will average less than two hundred feet between them for a distance of a quarter of a mile or over." Under this definition, nearly all of Worcester is considered either thickly settled or a business district and is subject to the 25 mph statutory speed limit.

Certain roads with existing, posted speed regulations are not subject to the reduced speed limit, even if they are in a thickly settled or business districts. These streets are identifiable by the familiar black and white speed limit signs posted on the street that communicate the applicable speed limit, and includes limited access highways under MassDOT jurisdiction (I-290, I-190 and Rte. 146) and Select Major Corridors in the City.

In July 2024, following several fatal and serious injury crashes involving vulnerable roadway users, City Manager Eric Batista and Mayor Joseph Petty Declared a Road Safety and Traffic Violence Crisis in the City. In September 2024, the Board of Health made a similar declaration, and the City Council approved a resolution supporting efforts to improve safety for all roadway users on the public way.

Following a 2024 public education campaign in which WPD officers issued warnings and informational materials about the new 25mph speed limit, routine enforcement of the new 25mph speed limit began in January 2025.