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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Highway Patrol is still worried an increased speed limit on the Wasatch Front could lead to more accidents, but troopers are preparing for the change anyway.
The Utah Department of Transportation announced Friday that freeway speeds could tick up from 65 mph to 70 mph as early as next month, saying it is adjusting limits to match existing speeds.
UHP immediately opposed the idea, calling it a move in the wrong direction in light of the number of fatal crashes this year.
That worry is still there, UHP Sgt. Todd Royce said Monday, but the division is prepared to cooperate with whatever change UDOT makes.
"We understand that UDOT works closely with the state Legislature and legislators there to clearly set speed limits in the state of Utah, and we're there just to enforce the speed limits that are set," Royce said.
UDOT officials are meeting with the transportation commission and local government, but are prepared to move forward with a change to the speed limits after reviewing data and crash safety analyses and using what UDOT director Jason Davis called "sound engineering judgment."
Speeds will change on I-15 from Spanish Fork to Ogden, on all of I-215, and on I-80 from about 5600 West to 1300 East in Sugar House.
In the meantime, UHP hopes drivers remember to wear their seat belts and drop their speeds in bad weather to prevent crashes, Royce said.
"We hope that people do everything correctly so that our fatality rate goes down and doesn't continue to go up," he said. "Every fatality, we have to go do a notification to a family, and it's very, very tragic. Hopefully we can make a difference when it comes to that."
Utah has increased posted speed limits to 80 mph on nearly 380 miles of freeway during the past five years and noted no increase in traffic fatalities due to the increase in speed.
Rep. James Dunnigan, R-Taylorsville, sponsored HB80 during the past legislative session which was signed by the governor and allows for increased speed limits in urban areas.
