• Home
  • News
    • Politics / Govt
    • Legislature
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
    • Archives
  • Sports
    • Badgers
    • Packers
      • Titletown Report
    • Brewers
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support

Wisconsin Radio Network

Wisconsin News and Sports

You are here: Home / News / Senate committee approves 70 mph speed limit

Senate committee approves 70 mph speed limit

April 30, 2015 By Jackie Johnson

Senator Petrowski explains how his amendment makes the bill safer. (PHOTO: Jackie Johnson)

Senator Petrowski explains how his amendment makes the bill safer. (PHOTO: Jackie Johnson)

The Senate Transportation Committee unanimously (5-0) approves an amended bill (AB-27), which would allow the Department of Transportation to increase speeds from 65 to 70 mph, but only on certain roads.

“Those being the interstate system, freeways that have no at-grade crossings, and segments of other roads that are divided but have no at-grade crossings,” said Committee Chair Jerry Petrowski (R-Marathon).

Keeping in mind the restriction on sections of highways with cross traffic, Petrowski said the DOT would determine where higher speeds would work. “I think you can see some of the roads, probably the main interstate roads, going to 70 miles an hour — at least some of them — probably sometime this spring and summer.”

A frequently cited example of concern is Highway 29, which runs east-west across the middle of Wisconsin, linking Green Bay to Wausau to the Chippewa Valley and continuing toward Minneapolis, Minnesota. Despite recent major improvements, the expressway still has potentially dangerous sections with dangerous crossings and driveways where motorists could dart into high-speed traffic. Driver safety in those areas would decrease with increased speeds. Petrowski’s Senate substitute amendment addresses those issues.

A similar bill stalled in the Senate Transportation Committee in the previous legislative session because of safety concerns. Those concerns were addressed in this legislation which now heads to the full Senate. If passed, it would need approval in the Assembly, which passed the un-amended version in March. Both houses need to pass an identical version before going to the governor.

Petrowski said he believes, as amended, the legislation is likely to get a lot of support at the Capitol, and he says it will reduce fatalities on the roads.

Neighboring states have increased their maximum speeds to 70 mph, while Wisconsin’s top speed remains at 65.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: News, Politics / Govt



Featured Stories

Packers season comes to an end in NFC Championship

Legendary Hank Aaron passes away

Ted Thompson passed away at age 68 (AUDIO)

Big Ten suspends Wisconsin’s Ahcan

Bucks lose tight battle with Nets

TwitterFacebook

Listen Now | More from Titletown »

Sports Headlines

Packers season comes to an end in NFC Championship

Legendary Hank Aaron passes away

Bucks drop second straight, fall at home to Lakers

Hockey Badgers grab series opener at Penn State

Wisconsin’s Mark Johnson named WCHA 1970’s Player of the Decade

More Sports

Tweets by @WRN

Get our news delivered to your inbox:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Copyright © 2021 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC