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Speed Limit Increased On Santa Fe

DENVER (CBS4)- The speed limit along a portion of Santa Fe known as a speed trap, is changing. The state is raising the limit on the three mile stretch from Evans to Prince from 45 to 55 miles an hour.

"To be honest, I pretty much keep up with traffic so if other people speed, I tend to speed, too," said driver Steven Bacino.
More than 85 percent of drivers on the stretch of road, speed.

"There's the speeding van and there are cops then you cross the Englewood line and there are Englewood cops," said driver Michelle Eastland. "It feels like a highway because it's spread out and I also think because it's long and flat. Between the lights people get faster and faster."

The Colorado Department of Transportation said the 45 mile-per-hour speed limit was too slow. Traffic experts studied speeds along that stretch of Santa Fe for a year. They found the average driver drove 53-57 miles an hour. By increasing the speed limit to 55, more drivers are likely to comply.

"When it's too low it's awkward to comply with the speed limit and also when it's too high you get people going too slow," said CDOT spokeswoman Stacey Stegman.

Even though the speed limit is higher, police will be enforcing the area, patrolling for those who continue to push the limit.

"We're hoping there will be fewer speeding tickets, that more people will comply but that law enforcement can still be tough on those that are speeding," said Stegman.

CDOT said most accidents that happen on that stretch of Santa Fe are low-speed crashes during rush hour.

The new 55 mph speed limit signs will be posted by the end of the month.

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