Should The Speed Limit On Highway 34 Be Raised To 50MPH?
Well there's an arguable question for ya. But it is indeed on the planning tables. A movement is currently underway to raise the speed limit on Highway 34 from the current 40MPH, to 50MPH. What do you think as those living along the road in question? 40MPH does seem ridiculously slow in some spots, but has already angered parents with kids at school bus stops along the road.
It would seem that raising the speed limit to 50MPH would make total sense in the more isolated stretches, but it should remain at 40MPH through residential areas and near any bus stops for school children. Adding back some of the passing zones would also be a great idea as their removal only created frustration, mile long backups and risky illegal passing. Common sense would be the best course to take.
posted by That Mountain Guy @ 11:27:00 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Why not, almost everybody dives that fast anyway. It will eliminate the tickets but probably won't do anything about the congestion. The problem thru the canyon is twofold. A lack of passing zones and a failure of slow drivers to use pullouts. If you can't pass the speed could be set at 100mph and it wouldn't change a thing. Some people would still drive at 25 braking to 15 at every curve and never pull over to let anyone by so what is any different. These are the same ones that race you in the two lane areas too so you are basically just stuck unless you can get around the idiot on a double-yellow. Put the passing zones back where they were 10 years ago and your congestion will diminish. Otherwise there's no point in doing anything.
I fully agree that the lack of passing zones is a big part of the problem. A prime example is eastbound just after mile marker 69. I see no reason whatsoever for that stretch being no passing. It is basically identical to passing zones further down the canyon.
That particular passing zone was one of the most used and important to flow in the entire canyon, and for some mysterious reason it was removed along with all of the others in that stretch. Now eastbound traffic has no passing zone for over six miles!
That is very poor planning. It is very frustrating to be stuck behind someone going 30mph when there are two other totally clear lanes and not another vehicle in sight. I have heard more complaints about that specific area than any other.
As usual, nothing appears to be changing. Not surprising.
Should the speed be raised to 50mph through the canyon? YES.
Will the speed be raised to 50mph through the canyon? Who Knows.
The amount of revenue brought in far overrides any real logic in most issues today. At $50-$100 a ticket, government is raking in good money from the Big Thompson Canyon with a steady steam of customers in the form of residents and tourists alike. The loss of this income would not go over well at all.
It would indeed be logical to raise the speed limit in most areas, while keeping lower limits past more populated stretches of the road. But as has already been pointed out, a bigger problem is the removal of the passing zones. That is when traffic problem got bad in the canyon and what has made commuting very frustrating.
Compounding the problem is the refusal of many drivers to use pull-outs and let traffic by. Is this actually a Colorado law? If not it should be. If it already is a law, then there should be signs every mile or two stating, "SLOWER VEHICLES MUST USE PULLOUTS - IT'S THE LAW!"
A similar situation exists on California's Coastal Highway 101 where tourists and commuters must share a winding two-lane road for many miles.
A 50-55mph speed limit, adequate passing zones, well-marked pullouts and appropriate signs have all but eliminated congestion problems in many areas. If you've driven there you know the signs and the pullout routine well. I believe this approach would also work here in the Big Thompson Canyon.
Have you ever been going East, down the canyon, & have someone pull out right in front of you, then go 20mph under the speed limit, and they absolutely refuse to pull over in the designated slow vehicle pull-offs? And some, when they finally acknowledge you behind them, they think they're cute and slow down even more. How about the people that speed up and will not let you pass in the designated passing zones going West up the canyon? It's inconsiderate people like above that are breaking the law that need to be ticketed-it's like they're just trying to cause an accident.
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