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Speed limit on a 15 mile section of U.S. 95
will increase to 70 m.p.h. |
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July 13, 2016 |
Traveling to Coeur d'Alene and back is going to
become a little faster this Monday.
A 15-mile section of U.S. 95 in northern Idaho
will increase from its current 65 m.p.h. speed
to 70 m.p.h. starting Monday, July 18, as
recommended by Idaho Transportation Department
engineering and traffic studies and approved by
the Idaho Transportation Board in June. The
changeover will begin at 6:00 a.m. on Monday and
is expected to finish by 10:00 a.m.
The proposed speed limit was also discussed with
city officials and local law enforcement prior
to determining the change.
The increase will affect the section of highway
from milepost 437.3 to 452.5 as it travels
through Bonner and Kootenai counties. Studies
indicate that the majority of drivers in this
section — 85 percent of them — are already
traveling 68 to 74 mph. Setting speed limits
according to the 85th-percentile speed is a
commonly used standard, resulting in the lowest
crash rates.
The following map shows the location where the
speed limit will be increased.
(Story continues below this map)
"The increase is appropriate for safety and
traffic flow,” said ITD's northern Idaho Traffic
Engineer, Ryan Hawkins. “However, speed-limit
signs cannot replace common sense. They are
intended to supplement — not substitute for —
the driver's judgment."
ITD will notify drivers of the upcoming change
by placing portable, changeable electronic
message signs in the area the week prior to the
change.
The current 65 m.p.h. speed limit remains in
effect until the new 70 m.p.h. signs are posted.
The Idaho Legislature in 2014 amended the “Basic
Rule and Maximum Speed Limits” in Idaho Code to
allow the Idaho Transportation Board to raise
interstate speed limits to 80 mph and increase
the speed limits on other state highways up to
70 mph where supported by an engineering and
traffic study.
“Safety is a core mission of this department and
will always be our top priority,” said ITD State
Design Traffic Engineer Jesse Barrus. “We will
continue to monitor trends and make adjustments
if necessary to always ensure the safety of
motorists in Idaho.”
The posted limit is a maximum speed motorists
can legally travel under ideal roadway and
weather conditions. At times, motorists are
required to travel at speeds lower than the
posted limits, such as with icy, snow-covered or
slick roads.
Limits establish a reasonable speed for a
particular road under ideal weather conditions.
Limits encourage better traffic flow by reducing
the variances in speed from one vehicle to the
next, enhancing free-flowing movement. |
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