The Townsend Town Hall is seen, Feb. 16, 2018. PC: Fox 11 Online
TOWNSEND, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The state is eliminating one of the two remaining seasonable variable speed limits, which is along Wisconsin 32 in northern Oconto County.
The one-mile section of Wisconsin 32 starts just north of E. Townsend Dam Road, and continues to a spot north of the intersection with Church and Forest streets.
Currently, it has a 35 mph speed limit in the summer, and a 45 mph limit in the winter. However, as soon as new signs are posted after Sept. 4, the speed limit will be 40 mph year-round, according to DOT traffic engineer Rod Hamilton.
“Free flow data shows only 18 percent, or less than one in five drivers, are complying with the summer posted 35 mph zone. With a 40 mph permanent regulatory speed zone, we anticipate driver compliance of near 60 percent,” Hamilton said in a letter to the town. “WisDOT experience and state/national studies have shown that highways operate the safest when most drivers are driving near the same speed with little speed variance. With a 40 mph regulatory speed zone we anticipate vehicle speed variance will decrease.”
The DOT notes there has been driver confusion with the seasonal changes, and complaints about the higher winter speed limit.
The state’s other remaining variable speed limit is in Ephraim.
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