JEFFERSON COUNTY, Texas — Southeast Texans are getting ready to slow down on while on the road.
Texas Department of Transportation has decided to lower the speed limits on several highways around Southeast Texas.
Commutes might now be longer, but the state says these changes are all for safety. Even a small change in the speed limit can reduce the chances of deadly crashes.
TxDOT says these speed limit changes come after careful analysis. Engineers looked at everything from traffic patterns to crash history.
Six roads are being affected. Highway 69, between Port Arthur and Beaumont will drop from 75 to 70 miles per hour.
"We're looking at several different speed limits throughout our area. We're trying to improve safety throughout Southeast Texas," said TxDOT Spokesperson Sarah Dupre.
In Beaumont, Interstate 10 from 9th Street to the Neches River will be dropping from 65 to 55 mph.
College Street Highway 90 will also see lower speeds. Between Wescalder Road and South Dowlen the speed limit will drop from 50 mph to 45.
A small stretch of Highway 347 (Twin City Highway) from the Cardinal Drive split to Du Pont Road will drop from 70 to 65 mph.
"So several different factors go into these speed studies. We're looking at how many crashes have happened along these stretches of roadways. We're looking at how wide the shoulders are. How many driveways are along those stretches of roadway," Dupre said.
In Rose City, TxDOT will lower the speed limit to 70 mph between Old Hwy 90 and the west side of town.
"Looking into these speed limits and making sure that they are set accordingly is something that we are definitely making sure that we're looking at," said Dupre.
Highway 87 between west Port Arthur and Sabine Pass will be dropping from 65 mph to 55. The speed limit signs for this stretch will be put up November 29, according to Dupre.
Dupre tells 12News that the new signs for the five other roads will be going up in the next few weeks.
"Whenever we install the new signs for these stretches of roadways, that's when the new speed limit will go into effect," she said.
A full list of where TxDOT is lowering the speed limits:
- Highway 347 (Twin City Highway) to Du Pont Road- 70 mph to 65 mph
- Highway 69 to Highway 73 (By the prisons all the way to Port Arthur)- 75 mph to 70 mph
- I10 from 9th street in Downtown Beaumont to Neches River- 65 mph to 55 mph
- Highway 90 (College St) from Wescalder to Dowlen Road- 50 mph to 45 mph
- I10 (Rose City) Old Hwy 90 to west Rose City- 75 mph to 70 mph
- Highway 87 between west Port Arthur and Sabine Pass- 65 mph to 55 mph
TxDOT lowers speed limit on some Southeast Texas highways
Make sure you keep an eye on the speed limit signs when driving on these roads in the coming weeks as TxDOT works to change them.