Welcome to Skagit County

January 31st, 2007

WSDOT LOWERS I-5 SPEED LIMIT THROUGH BURLINGTON

BURLINGTON – This week the Washington State Department of Transportation will lower the speed limit on two miles of Interstate 5 to 60 mph in Skagit County. WSDOT will unveil the 60 mph signs this Friday, Feb. 1 to slow traffic through Burlington and help enhance safety.

WSDOT will lower the speed limit from 70 mph to 60 mph between the Skagit River Bridge and the Chuckanut Drive interchange, extending the existing 60 mph zone from five miles to seven miles.

WSDOT set the speed limit at 70 mph in 1995, when both the population and number of drivers using I-5 through Burlington were lower.

Skagit County is the 10th fastest growing county (by percentage change) in the state since 2000. Its population has grown 21 percent since 1995 and is currently at more than 113,000. Over the last ten years average daily traffic volumes on I-5 through Skagit County have increased 25 percent.

The lower speed limit will better match drivers’ speeds with the roadway environment.

According to WSDOT Traffic Engineer Mark Leth, more than 60,000 drivers use I-5 on a daily basis in Skagit County.

“It’s getting more difficult to merge on and off I-5 because more people are using the freeway and interchanges in Burlington,” said Leth. “We’re lowering the speed limit to help reduce the risk of collisions and improve safety.”

WSDOT posted the 60 mph speed limit signs in October, 2006, and then temporarily covered them up until additional public comment could be solicited. The State Environmental Policy Act review process is now complete and the speed limit will be permanently set at 60 mph.

When setting speed zones, traffic engineers base decisions on operating speeds, crash history, roadway geometry and land use.