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US 31 speed limit to increase to 75 mph.
#MasonCountyNews
By Allison Scarbrough. Editor.
US 31 in Mason and Oceana counties is among 1,500 miles of Michigan roadways to receive a speed limit increase, according to a press release issued by the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Michigan State Police Wednesday, April 26.
The speed limit for the local stretch of the “limited access freeway” will increase from 70 mph to 75 mph by mid-November, according to the press release. The increase will be implemented from the south Oceana County line to US 10 in Mason County.
“MDOT and MSP are finalizing the administrative processes and signing traffic control orders to implement increased speed limits,” the press release states. “New speed limits will be posted on all of the selected freeway and non-freeway routes prior to mid-November.
“In accordance with new state law, the Michigan Department of Transportation and Michigan State Police have identified 900 miles of non-freeway state highways for speed limit increases to 65 mph, and 600 miles of freeway for speed limit increases to 75 mph. Select freeway routes will have increased speed limits posted beginning May 1.
“Public Act 445, passed by the state Legislature in late 2016, tasked the two agencies with increasing speed limits on some state highways and 
freeways based on 85th-percentile speeds (the speed at or below which 85 percent of traffic is moving) and the results of engineering and safety studies. The law requires that these modified speed limits be in place prior to Jan. 5, 2018.
“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.”
“The engineering and safety studies conducted utilized the 85th-percentile speed, which is a national scientifically proven method to determine and establish safe speed limits,” stated Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue, director of the MSP. “Troopers and motor carrier officers do, and will continue to, aggressively enforce all posted speed limits to ensure compliance by the motoring public.”
MDOT will begin posting new speed limits beginning May 1, starting with three freeway routes:
I-75 – Bay City to US-23 in Mackinaw City (Bay, Arenac, Ogemaw, Roscommon, Crawford, Otsego, Cheboygan, and Emmet counties), and St. Ignace to Sault Ste. Marie (Mackinac and Chippewa counties);
US-127 – I-69 to the end of the freeway at St. Johns (Clinton County), and the beginning of the freeway at Ithaca to I-75 (Gratiot, Isabella, Clare, Roscommon, and Crawford counties);
US-131 – M-57 to the end of the freeway north of Manton (Kent, Montcalm, Mecosta, Osceola, and Wexford counties).
More information on speed limit increases, a map of the routes affected, links to the applicable legislation, and a list of frequently asked questions are posted at http://www.michigan.gov/speedlimits.
This story is copyrighted © 2017, all rights reserved by Media Group 31, LLC, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454. No portion of this story or images may be reproduced in any way, including print or broadcast, without expressed written consent.
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