The speed limit on Wyoming Highway 130 (WYO 130) from Saratoga north to Interstate 80 will be raised to 70 mph later this month, weather permitting, according to the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT).
Speed limits are also increasing on sections of US Highway 85 from Cheyenne to Newcastle and WYO 120 north of Cody to the Montana border. “WYDOT expects changing the speed limit signs on each of the three highways to take about one day to complete under favorable weather conditions, and the department will notify the public that the new limit is in effect when the change is complete,” a WYDOT press release said.
Bruce Burrows, WYDOT spokesman, said that the agency looks at long term safety statistics and current average speeds on the roads before making such a decision. Other factors analyzed before increasing the speed limit include local weather trends, geometry of the road and the number of places for entry and exit on a highway.
“Before any speed limit can be changed, state law requires that a comprehensive engineering study and traffic investigation must be completed,” WYDOT Chief Engineer Gregg Fredrick said. “That study for these three highways found it safe and reasonable to increase the limit to 70 mph on these sections.”
WYDOT has found that the current travel speed on WYO 130 is already averaging 70 mph and states that they do not expect the increased speed limit to result in significantly higher average speeds. Frederick said that law enforcement efforts will seek to prevent any such speed increases by drivers.
Local law enforcement and emergency responders that service WYO 130 are not opposed to the speed limit increase. “I think it’s a good idea. WYDOT has looked at it and determined it is safe,” Carbon County Sheriff Jerry Colson said. Colson also stated that he thinks most people already drive at 70 mph on that section of WYO 130 anyway.
Lieutenant Kelly Finn with the Wyoming Highway Patrol echoed Colson’s comments. Finn noted that WYDOT engineers have analyzed the issue and the state legislature approved the changes. Finn stated that he thinks the Highway Patrol will make efforts to make sure people are travelling within the speed limit and that most of the traffic on WYO 130 is local residents although there is more tourist traffic in the summer months. WYDOT is able to monitor accident and citation data from law enforcement through systems that are already in place.
South Central Wyoming Medical Service Ambulance Director Heidi Sifford said that she thinks locals tend to use reason and understand current conditions when travelling on WYO 130.
WYDOT will re-evaluate the speed limit increase annually in light of further data on speeds, crashes and traffic flows.
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