Bills Could Speed Up Michigan Highways
The new year could bring increased speeds to some of Michigan’s roadways if a collection of bills accelerates into motion.
About 600 miles of freeway will see speed limits increase to 75 mph, and 900 miles of state highway will increase to 65 mph if Gov. Rick Snyder signs the collection of legislation that awaits his review.
Engineering and safety studies would require completion by Michigan Department of Transportation and Michigan State Police officials to determine where the speed limit increases should be implemented. Officials from MDOT have started this process early.
“I would say our engineers are already looking at potential corridors and criteria we would use in choosing corridors that we might raise the speed limits on,” said James Lake, a media representative for MDOT’s north region.
The speed limit increases would be put into effect on stretches of roads where most drivers already exceed the 55 mph and 70 mph speed limits.
Some areas Lake expects could see the increased speed limits, if the bills receive approval, include the section of U.S. 131 north of Kent County up to the Manton area, U.S. 127 north of Clare and I-75 north of Saginaw.
Lake didn’t rule out the possibility of faster speed limits in the region.
“There’s certainly a potential for some roads in the greater Grand Traverse area to be candidates for higher speed limits, but we are not at that point where we can identify specific routes,” Lake said.
Grand Traverse County sheriff’s Capt. Chris Clark said he would have to further study the proposed legislation and look at roads that could see the increased speeds before making any assumptions as to the safety impacts the increased speed limits would have.
Work to identify the sections of road the speed limits would apply to would begin right away, as the legislation requires the changes to occur within one year.
A series of infrastructure changes would follow the increased speed limits, Lake said, starting with the replacement of speed limit signs and continuing with the shortening of passing lanes based on the increased speeds and potentially extending sections of guardrails.
Longer-term work could include reconstructing roads to reflect the higher speeds, such as redesigning curves to change the bank or flattening the road, he said.
Joseph O’Brien, of Grand Rapids, strolled down Front Street sidewalks in Traverse City on Dec. 30 as cars zipped by. He hopes the bills that would allow cars to speed up on some highways and freeways will pass.
He specifically hopes roads in the Grand Rapids area and portions of M-37 see the speed limit increase.
“I think that would be great,” he said. “It would keep things moving along.”
