Commissioners discuss idea of ordinance to set countywide speed limits on roads

By: 
Steve Lyon

Washington County commissioners continue to receive complaints about vehicles speeding on gravel roads in the county, prompting a discussion on whether an ordinance setting countywide speed limits is the way to go.
 A rancher on South Crane Road told county officials that cars are traveling too fast on the gravel road. The rancher said he has had three calves hit this spring by speeding vehicles. Big Flat Road is another gravel road that is seeing a lot of fast drivers.
 Jerod Odoms, the county’s road and bridge supervisor, checked out the gravel roads cited in the complaints at the request of commissioner Kirk Chandler. He said he would not be opposed to posting the stretch of South Crane Road as 35 miles per hour.
 A request that the speed limit be posted as 15 mph in front of a home on South Crane Road was not possible. Lowering the speed limit to 15 mph is “unattainable” and he doesn’t think drivers will follow it, Odoms said.
 According to state law, any county road that is not posted with a speed limit is 55 mph by default. Commissioners have the authority to set speed limits on county roads and the sheriff will enforce those speed limits.
 Commissioners said they would consider a countywide ordinance to set the speed limit on paved roads at 55 mph and 35 mph on gravel roads unless otherwise posted. The other option is to continue with the current policy, which is setting speed limits on individual sections of roads as warranted.  
 Before moving forward, they requested Odoms do some research into how an ordinance setting countywide speed limits might work. Would the county have to post signs at all entrances into the county to notify drivers of the speed limits on paved and gravel roads?
 Odoms said he had concerns about allowing 55 mph on some paved roads near the Weiser airport and also in the Sunnyside area because those roads are narrow in places. Some are currently posted 55 mph and some are posted 35 mph.
 Commissioner Nate Marvin said he had concerns that 55 mph might be too fast on some gravel roads. While 35 mph might be fine on most gravel roads, there also might be areas where 40 mph or 45 mph might be acceptable.
 “I think we need to find a happy medium,” he said.
 Marvin said he would consider whatever Odoms recommended, whether that is a countywide ordinance on speed limits or posting speed limits on individual roads. Odoms was asked to consult with the sheriff on the best course of action.
 In April, commissioners agreed to lower the speed limit from 55 miles per hour to 35 mph on a short stretch of Hall Road east of Cambridge at the request of residents along the gravel road.
 The lower speed limit is only in front of the Painted Ridge subdivision. The county road and bridge department will post signs in both directions in front of the subdivision to slow traffic.

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