Karl Baker

The News Journal

The speed limit on Del. 1 near the Dover Air Force Base will increase to 60 mph next week to more closely reflect the velocity that vehicles already travel on the roadway, the Delaware Department of Transportation announced Tuesday.

DelDOT crews on Monday will begin changing the speed limit signs along the highway between Trap Shooters Road and the Puncheon Run Connector. The 5-mph uptick from 55 mph will occur in both directions of that segment of the state's primary north, south highway.

The current allowable speed on Del. 1 between Dover to I-95 is 65 mph.

The speed limit also will increase to 60 mph along the Puncheon Run Connector between U.S.13 and Del. 1.

The changes are the result of a DelDOT engineering review, which determined 60 mph to be a safe speed for the designs of both highways, transportation officials said. The higher limits should create a more uniform speed among all vehicles on the roadway, they added.

DelDOT in May 2015 increased the speed limit on I-95 to 65 mph between the Maryland state line and the I-495 split south of Wilmington. The new allowable speed did not alter conditions on the interstate because most vehicles already moved at the higher velocity, said Gene Donaldson, DelDOT's chief traffic manager.

"On 95, there wasn't that much of a different in speed after we changed it," he said.

Contact Karl Baker at (302) 324-2329 or kbaker@delawareonline.com. Follow him on Twitter @kbaker6.

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