The Michigan DOT will begin posting increased speed limit signs for 1,500 miles on interstate and state highways in May.The Michigan Department of Transportation has identified the 1,500 miles of highways and interstates in the state that will receive speed limit increases, as directed by a law passed in the state late last year.
MDOT, along with Michigan State Police, found 900 miles of non-freeway state highways to increase the speed limit for all vehicles to 65 miles per hour, and 600 miles of interstate highways to 65 miles per hour for trucks. The split speed limits for cars and trucks will remain in the state, so cars will also see a 10 mph speed limit increase on these highways to 65 mph on state highways and to 75 mph on interstates.
The highways were selected based on 85 percent of vehicles already traveling at the new proposed speeds. MDOT says the new speeds are required to be in place by Jan. 5.
“The corridors identified by MDOT and MSP were selected not only because studies indicated most drivers were already driving at those increased speeds, but also because their design and safety features were best suited to these speed limits,” said State Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle. “We reviewed design speeds, crash patterns, number of access points, traffic volumes and continuity of these corridors, and chose them to minimize necessary improvements for higher speed limits.”
Beginning May 1, MDOT will be posting new speed limits on I-75 from Bay City to U.S. 23 and St. Ignace to Sault Ste. Marie; U.S. 127/I-69 to the end of the freeway at St. Johns and the beginning of the freeway at Ithaca to I-75; and U.S. 131/Michigan 57 to the end of the freeway north of Manton.
MDOT has posted a list of all 1,500 miles of highway that will see speed limit increases between now and January.
