Speed Limits Rise On Two Highways

Speed limits along two North Idaho highways increased Tuesday by 5 mph, the state Transportation Department said.

Maximum speeds along Highway 41 from Rathdrum to Spirit Lake and Highway 1 from its junction with U.S. Highway 95 to the Canadian border jumped to 60 mph. Signs installed Monday on Highway 41 and Tuesday along Highway 1 signaled the increase. Lower speeds remain through Blanchard and Spirit Lake.

Additional changes are expected along U.S. Highway 95 north of Pend Oreille to the Canadian border during the next several weeks. Crews are waiting for new speed limit signs to arrive from a state warehouse.

“Motorists have to drive what’s posted, not what will be posted,” said Barbara Babic, Transportation Department spokeswoman.

The increases are part of a follow-up to the original review of speed limits in 1996. After the Legislature boosted the state’s maximum speed limit to 75 mph on rural interstates and to 65 mph on urban interstates and other highways, speed limits were hiked by the Transportation Department on selected roads.

Traffic studies recently done on highways 41 and 1 showed both supported the boost, Babic said.

Engineers consider a number of factors before changing a speed limit. Speeds that reasonable and prudent drivers travel are one of the biggest factors considered, Babic said.

Road conditions, surrounding terrain, population and five-year accident records are among the other influences.

“The traffic study isn’t just ‘Let’s go put out some counters and see how fast people are going.’ It’s really quite involved,” Babic said.