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Speed concerns prompt re-evaluation
Public concerns over last December's speed limit hike to 75 mph along Interstate 25 in northern Douglas County from Lincoln Avenue to Founders Parkway have prompted the Colorado Department of Transportation to re-evaluate the highway and the traffic it carries.
By By: Sean Hadden
Public concerns over last December's speed limit hike to 75 mph along Interstate 25 in northern Douglas County from Lincoln Avenue to Founders Parkway have prompted the Colorado Department of Transportation to re-evaluate the highway and the traffic it carries.
"We are going out to confirm that 75 mph is the appropriate speed for that section of road," said Bob Wilson, a department spokesman.
He said the department has received letters that both protest and applaud the increased speed limit.
"There has been concern," Wilson said. "We are going out due to public interest."
As recently as early December, I-25 between Lincoln and Founders in the county was portrayed as the most dangerous highway in Colorado by published reports.
Wilson said studies on which the department based its decision to raise the speed limit showed that 75 mph was a safe and appropriate speed for that section of I-25.
"There are three lanes in each direction and the traffic numbers were low enough," Wilson said. "Most people appeared to be going faster than the posted 65 mph through that section."
Douglas County citizen Dave Watts pointed out several areas along the highway where a 75-mph speed limit could create dangerous situations.
One problem area is at the I-25 interchange at Lincoln Avenue, Watts said.
When cars leave Lincoln Avenue to enter southbound I-25, they face a long uphill climb which makes it difficult to quickly accelerate to 75 miles per hour, he said.
And these cars are entering a highway on which others traveling south from Denver are driving 75 miles per hour or faster, Watts said.
"People coming from Denver are already going 75 or 80," he said. "They're really hauling."
He said a similar scenario plays out at the southbound interchange of Castle Pines Parkway.
And since concrete replaced asphalt on I-25, ice now stays on the highway longer near Surrey Ridge, creating an obvious hazard, Watts said.
Wilson said the department is evaluating these acceleration-deceleration speed discrepancies as part of its re-evaluation.
"We are doing radar speed checks to take a closer look, to make sure we made the right decision," Wilson said. "Right now we don't have enough data for a trend."
"I like to go 75, but I can see something coming," Watts said. "Something's going to happen.
"I'm sorry, but you can't control a car at 85," he said. "Any little thing [at that speed can cause a person to lose control]."
In a recent News-Press letter to the editor, Sedalia resident Melinda Pastore wrote that people tend to go five or 10 miles faster than the posted speed limit.
"When the speed limit was 65 mph, most travelers seemed to be going 75 mph," Pastore said. "Now that it is 75 mph, many vehicles seem to be traveling 80-85 mph."
Watts presented his concerns to the Douglas Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 25.
Douglas County Commissioner Melanie Worley said she is aware of the public concerns but has not dug into the issue yet.
"We are going out to confirm that 75 mph is the appropriate speed for that section of road," said Bob Wilson, a department spokesman.
He said the department has received letters that both protest and applaud the increased speed limit.
"There has been concern," Wilson said. "We are going out due to public interest."
As recently as early December, I-25 between Lincoln and Founders in the county was portrayed as the most dangerous highway in Colorado by published reports.
Wilson said studies on which the department based its decision to raise the speed limit showed that 75 mph was a safe and appropriate speed for that section of I-25.
"There are three lanes in each direction and the traffic numbers were low enough," Wilson said. "Most people appeared to be going faster than the posted 65 mph through that section."
Douglas County citizen Dave Watts pointed out several areas along the highway where a 75-mph speed limit could create dangerous situations.
One problem area is at the I-25 interchange at Lincoln Avenue, Watts said.
When cars leave Lincoln Avenue to enter southbound I-25, they face a long uphill climb which makes it difficult to quickly accelerate to 75 miles per hour, he said.
And these cars are entering a highway on which others traveling south from Denver are driving 75 miles per hour or faster, Watts said.
"People coming from Denver are already going 75 or 80," he said. "They're really hauling."
He said a similar scenario plays out at the southbound interchange of Castle Pines Parkway.
And since concrete replaced asphalt on I-25, ice now stays on the highway longer near Surrey Ridge, creating an obvious hazard, Watts said.
Wilson said the department is evaluating these acceleration-deceleration speed discrepancies as part of its re-evaluation.
"We are doing radar speed checks to take a closer look, to make sure we made the right decision," Wilson said. "Right now we don't have enough data for a trend."
"I like to go 75, but I can see something coming," Watts said. "Something's going to happen.
"I'm sorry, but you can't control a car at 85," he said. "Any little thing [at that speed can cause a person to lose control]."
In a recent News-Press letter to the editor, Sedalia resident Melinda Pastore wrote that people tend to go five or 10 miles faster than the posted speed limit.
"When the speed limit was 65 mph, most travelers seemed to be going 75 mph," Pastore said. "Now that it is 75 mph, many vehicles seem to be traveling 80-85 mph."
Watts presented his concerns to the Douglas Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 25.
Douglas County Commissioner Melanie Worley said she is aware of the public concerns but has not dug into the issue yet.
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