70 mph signs going up

WORLAND — Signs are being manufactured and crews could be out on rural two-lane highways before the end of the month posting 70 mph speed limit signs, according to the Wyoming Department of Transportation.

Gov. Matt Mead signed into law March 15 a bill raising the statutory speed limit to 70 mph for non-interstate highways in Wyoming.

The Wyoming Department of Transportation expects to have about 1,500 miles of highways raised to the 70 mph limit by the end of April, and another 1,000 miles by the end of May, with work continuing through the summer.

Until the new signs are up, the existing posted speed limit remains in effect.

“Drivers are required to adhere to the speed limit posted on any highway section,” Wyoming Highway Patrol Col. Kebin Haller said.

Areas exempted from the new statutory limit include school zones, roads in urban or residential areas and anywhere special hazards exist.

State Traffic Engineer Joel Meena said 900 new speed limit signs will be needed for all the highway miles to be moved to the higher limit. Materials for the signs were ordered in early March, and fabrication of the signs is expected to be done by the end of the month.

WYDOT District 5 District Engineer Shelby Carlson said, “At this point we’re working on how to implement the new law. We can’t put them all at once due to inventory.”

Moving to the higher limit requires not only new speed limit signs, but some areas may require additional curve warning signs and changes in pavement markings for passing and no-passing zones.

Carlson said, “We will still be reviewing make sure which roads should be 70 mph. We’ll also have to increase the number of curve advisory signs. Those are things we’re busily working on.”

She added that WYDOT signs curves when the suggested speed limit is less than 10 mph under posted limit. By raising the speed limit to 70 mph this will require more signs for any curves suggested at 60 mph

Three highways completed

Sections of US 85 between Cheyenne and Newcastle, US 130 from Walcott Junction to Saratoga, and WYO 120 from 18 miles north of Cody to the Montana border have already been raised to the 70 mph limit.

The 70 mph sections will be monitored to determine how the increase affects safety.

“We’ll look at the roads and driving behaviors to ensure there is no significant increase in crashes,” WYDOT Director Bill Panos said. “If we find there has been a significant increase, we will take the actions necessary to protect the safety of the driving public.”

Carlson said the one road in District 5 was signed 70 mph in February, before this year’s legislative session started. The change was due to legislation passed last year. “They passed a law last year that allowed us to start reviewing highways to go to 70. We’ve been doing a pretty indepth study on each one to make sure we really feel it’s the right thing to do and it’s the safe thing to do.” She added, WYO 120, US 85 and US 130 were the three that got moved forward based on the 2015 legislation.

“This year’s bill basically said we’re going to make it a statutory limit to try and get around some of those study needs,” Carlson said. “We still have to review those going up to 70 (especially in regard to curve signage).”