Speed limit returning to 70 mph on Interstate 95 in Indian River County

Sara Marino | Treasure Coast Newspapers

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The speed limit on Interstate 95 will be going up Friday, Florida Department of Transportation officials said.

The new speed limit of 70 mph will go into effect at 5 p.m. Friday from State Road 60 to the north Indian River County line, officials said.

In April 2016, the Florida Department of Transportation reduced the speed to 60 mph to encourage people to slow down as they were driving through the I-95 construction area and as traffic was shifted to temporary lanes.

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Officials said the construction project will be finished by the end of the month, with a final inspection still to come.

The main goal of the construction project was to add one general-purpose lane in both directions, replace asphalt in the roadway and reconstruct the County Road 512 exchange.

"We widened the roads, so we're expecting traffic to move more efficiently," said Barbara Kelleher, spokeswoman for Florida Department of Transportation.

Construction began in September 2013 and cost about $51.8 million.

"We certainly want people to drive safely and pay attention to speed limits," Kelleher said.

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Crashes

After construction began on the interstate, the number of crashes along the 12.5-mile-long construction zone doubled annually — leading to a safety improvement meeting in Vero Beach in late 2016.

FDOT, the construction contractor and law enforcement representatives decided on a number of safety measures.

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The speed limit was reduced to 60 mph and the number of FHP troopers on patrol were doubled in the area, from two to four. Warning signs were added, including electronic panels telling motorists how fast they are going.