County Lowers Speed on Ahtanum Preparing for Big Project

Last month Yakima County officials announced a change of speed limit on Ahtanum Road from South 16th Avenue to just west of South 64th Avenue. The speed limit has been reduced from 50 mph to 45 mph in that area. So why did the speed limit change?
Mark Cleaver with Yakima County Public Works says they're preparing the area for a major construction project this summer where curbs and other changes to the road will be made. The changes call for a lower speed limit so the county decided to lower the speed limit before the project to get drivers used to the lower speed and get drivers used to slowing down in the area for planned construction work.

Cleaver says the county went from an upposted 50 mph to a posted 45 mph speed limit over about 2.21 miles of road. If a driver is going 50 mph the travel time is 2 minutes and 39 seconds. The same distance at 45 mph will take an extra 18 seconds.