Driver reminder: Rural highway speed limits rise Tuesday

A reminder for Central and Eastern Oregon drivers: Motorists will see new, higher speed limits on select highways in Eastern and Central Oregon, as of Tuesday

Oregon House Bill 3402 and HB 4047 (signed by the governor in 2015 and earlier this month) raises speed limits on Interstate 84 east of The Dalles, I-82 and other select secondary state highways in eastern and central Oregon, ODOT reminded Monday.

The new law will raise legal speeds to 70 mph for passenger vehicles and 65 mph for commercial trucks on I-84 between the Idaho border and The Dalles and on I-82 between I-84 and the Washington border. These same speed limits will apply for U.S. 95 which runs through southern Malheur County between the Nevada and Idaho borders.

In addition, sections of eight other highways will have speed limits increased to 65 mph for passenger vehicles and 60 mph for trucks. These include portions of U.S. 20, U.S. 26, U.S. 97, U.S. 197, U.S. 395, OR 31, OR 78, and OR 205.

ODOT Director Matt Garrett had this to say about the new speed limits: “The transportation professionals in our Highway Division employed engineering disciplines and innovative methods to make sure we complied with the Legislature’s intent in a cost-effective manner, while ensuring we striped and signed affected highways and freeways in a way that promotes safety for the traveling public.”

Signs displaying the new speed limits are expected to be installed on I-84 by March 1 and on secondary highways within a few days of the March 1 effective date,” Garrett said.

“Motorists are reminded to obey all speed limit signs and other traffic control devices, and to adjust travel when weather, road conditions or other situations require extra caution.

Those signs displaying a speed “limit” will be subject to enforcement by the Oregon State Police, as differentiated from the “basic speed rule” that applies when no “limit” is indicated.

More information, including a map showing the specific highway segments that will see the changes, copies of both house bills, update news and information,, is available at:

http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/COMM/Pages/Speed-Limit-Increases-in-2016.aspx