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Secondary Highways May Get Higher Speeds Four Eastern Washington Roads Under Consideration

From Staff And Wire Reports

FOR THE RECORD (April 30, 1996): Correction: Comments about speed limits on U.S. Highway 2, U.S. 395, U.S. 195 and state Highway 26 can be made by calling 324-6015. A story in Saturday’s newspaper gave the wrong telephone number.<

Speed limits on busier secondary highways in Eastern Washington may be raised, the state Department of Transportation said Thursday.

The agency is studying certain two and four-lane highways for speed limits higher than the present 55 mph. The agency in March raised the speed limits on interstate highways.

Now considered for higher limits are U.S. 2, U.S. 195, U.S. 395, and Washington 26. All are within Adams, Ferry, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens and Whitman counties. All are part of the national highway system.

“These are the busier highways in our region,” said Al Gilson, spokesman for the Transportation Department’s Eastern Region.

Congress recently removed all federal limits, leaving it to the states to decide for themselves.

In early March, the state Department of Transportation announced that speed limits would be increased by 5 mph on 748 miles of interstate highway in the state. The top speed is 70 mph in rural areas and 60 mph in urban areas.

Gilson said all of the state Transportation Department regions are considering raising speed limits on some secondary highways.

Earlier, the Transportation Department said it was considering increased speed limits on Washington 16 between Tacoma and Bremerton, Washington 167 between Puyallup and Renton, and U.S. 101 along the Washington coast.

In the Spokane region, the agency will accept public comments on the speed increase proposal for the next month. It will study the public input, along with engineering studies, and the department will decide in June or July if it wants to raise the limits, Gilson said.

The agency is deliberately not suggesting what a new speed limit should be, Gilson said. It will depend on public comment and the studies, plus radar checks to evaluate current speeds, he said.

He said there will be no changes on speed limits where the highways pass through communities.

The new interstate speed limits applied to all of I-5 and I-82, most of I-90, and all of the secondary interstates. The stretch of I-90 across Snoqualmie Pass remained at 65 mph.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: COMMENTS Comments about speed limits on U.S. Highway 2, U.S. 395, U.S. 195 and state Highway 26 will be accepted through May 24. Call 324-6050 or send a fax to 324-6005. Letters can be mailed to: WSDOT Speed Limits; 2714 N. Mayfair; Spokane, WA 99207. On the internet, point your browser at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/regions/eastern/spdsurvy.htm.

This sidebar appeared with the story: COMMENTS Comments about speed limits on U.S. Highway 2, U.S. 395, U.S. 195 and state Highway 26 will be accepted through May 24. Call 324-6050 or send a fax to 324-6005. Letters can be mailed to: WSDOT Speed Limits; 2714 N. Mayfair; Spokane, WA 99207. On the internet, point your browser at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/regions/eastern/spdsurvy.htm.