Thursday, January 19, 2017

Speed limits to increase on several west central MN highways



DETROIT LAKES, Minn. – The speed limits on several highways in west central Minnesota will increase from 55 to 60 miles per hour beginning the week of Jan. 23, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

The new speed limits will take effect when the new signs are posted. 

Highways that will receive new speed limit signs include:

·         Highway 27 from Browns Valley to Interstate 94
·         Highway 29 from Wadena to Highway 40
·         Highway 78 from I-94 to Highway 10
·         Highway 108 from I-94 to Pelican Rapids
·         Highway 114 from Starbuck to I-94
·         Highway 119 from Highway 40 to Highway 12
·         Highway 104 from Glenwood to Sunburg

Speed limits lower than 55 miles per hour along these sections of highway will remain unchanged.
New 60 miles per hour signs recently went up on Highway 200 from Mahnomen to the Norman/Mahnomen county line and on Highway 113 from Waubun to the Norman/Mahnomen county line.

The speed increases are based on a traffic and engineering study of each location, which looks at past crash rates, physical attributes of the highway (such as shoulder widths and access points), and an analysis of current driving speeds.

In 2014, the Minnesota Legislature directed MnDOT to evaluate its two-lane, two-way 55 mph highways to determine whether speed limits could be reasonably and safely increased. The statewide study will end in 2019.

For updated road condition information, call 511 or visit www.511mn.org.