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Speed limit on a 15 mile section of U.S. 95
will increase to 70 m.p.h.
July 13, 2016
Traveling to Coeur d'Alene and back is going to become a little faster this Monday.

A 15-mile section of U.S. 95 in northern Idaho will increase from its current 65 m.p.h. speed to 70 m.p.h. starting Monday, July 18, as recommended by Idaho Transportation Department engineering and traffic studies and approved by the Idaho Transportation Board in June. The changeover will begin at 6:00 a.m. on Monday and is expected to finish by 10:00 a.m.

The proposed speed limit was also discussed with city officials and local law enforcement prior to determining the change.

The increase will affect the section of highway from milepost 437.3 to 452.5 as it travels through Bonner and Kootenai counties. Studies indicate that the majority of drivers in this section — 85 percent of them — are already traveling 68 to 74 mph. Setting speed limits according to the 85th-percentile speed is a commonly used standard, resulting in the lowest crash rates.

The following map shows the location where the speed limit will be increased.

(Story continues below this map)


"The increase is appropriate for safety and traffic flow,” said ITD's northern Idaho Traffic Engineer, Ryan Hawkins. “However, speed-limit signs cannot replace common sense. They are intended to supplement — not substitute for — the driver's judgment."

ITD will notify drivers of the upcoming change by placing portable, changeable electronic message signs in the area the week prior to the change.

The current 65 m.p.h. speed limit remains in effect until the new 70 m.p.h. signs are posted.

The Idaho Legislature in 2014 amended the “Basic Rule and Maximum Speed Limits” in Idaho Code to allow the Idaho Transportation Board to raise interstate speed limits to 80 mph and increase the speed limits on other state highways up to 70 mph where supported by an engineering and traffic study.

“Safety is a core mission of this department and will always be our top priority,” said ITD State Design Traffic Engineer Jesse Barrus. “We will continue to monitor trends and make adjustments if necessary to always ensure the safety of motorists in Idaho.”

The posted limit is a maximum speed motorists can legally travel under ideal roadway and weather conditions. At times, motorists are required to travel at speeds lower than the posted limits, such as with icy, snow-covered or slick roads.

Limits establish a reasonable speed for a particular road under ideal weather conditions. Limits encourage better traffic flow by reducing the variances in speed from one vehicle to the next, enhancing free-flowing movement.
 
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