A sign crew plans to change out signs raising the speed limit along US 60/The Wendell Ford Expressway around Owensboro from 55 miles per hour to 65 miles per hour on Thursday, February 23, 2017. The sign crew plans to start work around 9:00 a.m.,CST. Motorists are advised to be alert for personnel and trucks along the shoulder. The speed limit change runs from the KY 331 intersection at milepoint 10.18 at the west edge of Owensboro extending eastward to milepoint 23.44 near Hawes Boulevard. This includes US 60/The Wendell Ford Expressway and the recently constructed extension. Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 2 spokesman Keith Todd emphasized that motorists should continue to obey the 55 mile per hour speed limit until they see the new 65 mile per hour signs posted on each section.
“As a reminder, our police agency partners will be enforcing the existing 55 mile per hour speed limit on a section by section basis until the new 65 mile per hour signs are officially posted for each section,” Todd said. “As with all highways, the speed limt that is posted will be enforced.”
The order authorizing the speed limit change, issued under KRS 189.390, indicates that the move is based on information gleaned during an engineering and traffic study. During a traffic flow review conducted by the KYTC District 2 Traffic Group over about a month, engineers found 85% of the traffic along US 60 around Owensboro was running at a speed of 63 miles per hour or less. With the recent full rehabilitation of US 60/Wendell Ford Expressway (formerly the Owensboro bypass), the section met all requirements for the increased speed limit. There are about 20 speed limit signs along this 13.26-mile section of US 60. The KYTC District 2 Sign Crew estimates they will be able to alter existing signs or put up new signs along US 60 around Owensboro in about one full working day. Again, the new speed limit does not take effect until the old signs are replaced at each location. District 2 engineers submitted a request for the speed limit change in mid-January. The request was reviewed by senior traffic staff in Frankfort and approved last week by the Secretary of Transportation. The KYTC District 2 sign crew then prepared graphics and fabricated new signage for installation.