Howard Getting Larger?

[W. Gray]

The 45 mph speed limit kicks in just before or right at the road going to Polk Daniels lake.

Prior to the 45 mph sign, there is a warning sign(s) near the school that says 45mph speed zone ahead.

[frawin]

Tobina I agree with you, a lower speed limit would help. My wife and I were setting in Toots and I was looking out the window when an 18 wheeler truck hit a lady and took her car cleardown in front of the Nursiing home. Sadly the lady died at the scene. I don't think the truck was speeding but I seem to recall thinking he was probably running the 45 MPG speed limit. The stopping distance for a big truck is a lot different at 45-50MPH verses 30MPH, the people of Howard need to show up at the City Council meeting and push for a lower speed limit there.
Frank

[sixdogsmom]

Wasn't there some kind of state guidlines a few years ago where a town on a highway could not reduce the speed limit so much? I know that several small towns along 160 highway raised the speed limit. I think this was to reduce the incident of speed traps along our highways. Many many cities have streets with a 45 mile per hour speed limit, and they are not especially dangerous. It seems to me that the school is far from the highway, and there is plenty of space to look for traffic. It is easy to become careless about looking for traffic when you live in a small town. We all need to brush up on our driving skills to overcome this false sense of security.

[frawin]

Assuming it is approximately 1 mile distance for the area with the reduced speed, the difference in time lost or taken to slow down from 45 to 30 MPH is 30 seconds, that won't hurt anybody and if it saves 1 accident a year it is worth it and if it saves one life over infinity it is more than worth it. If I were the Howard residents I would bring it up to the council and see what the state laws and requirements are and what is involved in getting it changed. I can think of no good reason to not pursue getting the speed limit lowered to 30 MPH, given the business on both sides of the Highway, the local traffic and most of all the young people in school that travel the area and cross the highway everyday.
Frank

[frawin]

I seem to recall something that Janet Harrington put out on this subject some months back. The city of Howard controls the West side of the Highway and the County controls the East side which makes sense as the East side is not in the city. If that is in fact the case, to get the Northbound speed limit slowed to 30MPH , one would need to start with the County and to get the Southbound lanes slowed to 30MPH you would have to start with the city. In any case it is still an idea that makes a lot of sense. I am sure both the County officials and the City officials can answer pretty quick what the State's position would be on such a change.
Frank