Speed limit increases on several Minnesota highways

BEMIDJI, Minn. – The speed limits on several highways in northwest Minnesota will increase from 55 to 60 miles per hour according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The new speed limits take effect when the new signs are posted.

Highways that will receive new speed limits signs include:

Northern Minnesota

·         Highway 34- Detroit Lakes to Park Rapids

·         Highway 64- Highway 200 to Highway 87

·         Highway 172- Baudette to Wheeler’s Point

·         Highway 310- Roseau to Canadian Border

Western Minnesota

·         Highway 9- Highway 10 to Sunburg

·         Highway 28- Browns Valley to Sauk Centre

·         Highway 34- Barnesville to Dunvilla

Speed limits lower than 55 miles per hour along these sections of highway will remain unchanged.

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.

Spring Load Restrictions

The ending date for Winter Load Increases and  the starting date for Spring Load Restrictions in the South, Southeast and Metro frost zones will be Friday, February 17, 2017 at 12:01 AM.

Road Restriction maps indicating the locations of weight restricted routes and those state highways open to maximum ten-ton axle weights are listed on the MnDOT Seasonal Load Limits website at www.mndot.gov/loadlimits. Click on “Seasonal Load Limits,” then click on “Spring Load Restrictions (SLR).” Also available is a text list of the restricted segments along with exceptions to the map.

Overweight Permits for over 80,000 lb Gross Vehicle Weight will continue and new permits will be issued if all axle and group weights are legal. 

Up to full-summer overweight permits can be issued during the Spring Load Restriction period only on interstate through movements.

Middle-range overweight permits become available within each frost zone when Spring Load Restrictions are lifted.

Full-summer overweight permits become available within each frost zone starting two to three weeks after Spring Load Restrictions are lifted. 

For questions about enforcement call:
Minnesota Department of Public Safety
State Patrol - Commercial Vehicle Enforcement
651-405-6196 (select Option 3, Option 3).

For questions about over legal weight/size "heavy haul" trucking call:
Minnesota Department of Transportation, Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations - Oversize/Weight Permits 651-296-6000 or email:  ofcvopermits.dot@state.mn.us

The ending dates for Spring Load Restrictions are based on how weather is affecting roadway strength.  These dates are established by monitoring roadway strength as weather conditions change.  Therefore, the ending dates for Spring Load Restrictions are variable.

As soon as a date is set, MnDOT will report this date on its 24-hour automated message center at 1‑800‑723‑6543 for the USA and Canada, and locally at 651‑366‑5400 for the Minneapolis/St Paul area. This information is also published on the MnDOT Seasonal Load Limits website: www.mndot.gov/loadlimits

Additional speed limit increases on northwest Minnesota highways

BEMIDJI, Minn. – The speed limits on several highways in northwest Minnesota increased from 55 to 60 miles per hour beginning February 1. The new speed limits take effect when the new signs are posted.

Highways that will receive new speed limit signs include:

·         Highway 92- Bagley to Red Lake Falls

·         Highway 220- Highway 11 near Drayton to  Climax

·         Highway 317- Highway 220 to North Dakota

Speed limit increases were previously announced for:

·         Highway 113- Mahnomen/Norman County line to Highway 32

·         Highway 200- Mahnomen/Norman County line to North Dakota

Speed limits lower than 55 miles per hour along these sections of highway will remain unchanged.

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.

Speed limit increases on several NW Minnesota highways

BEMIDJI, Minn. – The speed limits on several highways in northwest Minnesota increased from 55 to 60 miles per hour beginning February 1, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

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

Highways that will receive new speed limit signs include:

·         Highway 113- Mahnomen/Norman County line to Highway 32

·         Highway 200- Mahnomen/Norman County line to North Dakota

Speed limits lower than 55 miles per hour along these sections of highway will remain unchanged.

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.

New 60 miles per hour signs recently went up in west central Minnesota:

·         Highway 27 from Browns Valley to Interstate 94

·         Highway 29 from Wadena to Highway 40

·         Highway 78 from I-94 to Highway 10

·         Highway 104 from Glenwood to Sunburg

·         Highway 108 from I-94 to Pelican Rapids

·         Highway 113 from Waubun to the Norman/Mahnomen county line

·         Highway 114 from Starbuck to I-94

·         Highway 119 from Highway 40 to Highway 12

·         Highway 200 from Mahnomen to the Norman/Mahnomen county line