(Radio Iowa) – The spokesman for the Iowa Department of Transportation says things won’t automatically change when the new minimum 60 mile an hour speed limit law takes effect tomorrow (July 1). Daniel Yeh (yay) says it will take at least one week to cover 18-hundred state highway signs with aluminum overlays, and changes on county roads will take longer.
“So, we really want motorists to follow the posted speed limit. Not every 55-mile-an-hour road is going to increase to 60,” he says. Yeah says they use traffic studies to determine the speed limits. “Some of the roads will not increase because we already have a study, or we’ll have a study very soon that says they need to stay at 55,” Yeah says. Some county leaders are saying they worry about the higher costs of following the new law, which is estimated to cost 825-thousand dollars.
Brian Moore is with the Iowa County Engineers Association says curves also need to be reevaluated for proper speed limits, and passing zones reassessed. He asks this of motorists as the counties work on the change. “Patience with the state and the counties as they work through getting the signage out appropriately,” he says.
During a recent Woodbury County Supervisor’s meeting, County Engineer Laura Sievers said it could take months for them to modify road signs.
