Several short, paved roads in the Methow Valley will have their speed limit reduced to 35 miles per hour (mph) from 50. The Okanogan County commissioners unanimously approved speed-limit reductions on 21 roads throughout the county after a public hearing on April 26.
Rader Road, just outside Winthrop; Witte Road, between Winthrop and Twisp; and Mundy Road, south of Twisp, will all now be 35 mph. All three roads are less than a mile long but had been 50 mph because they’re paved. By state law, the speed limit for a paved road is 50 miles per hour unless otherwise posted, Okanogan County Public Works Project Coordinator Jo Ann Stansbury said.
The county did a systematic review of the safety of roads throughout the county, funded by a federal grant, Okanogan County Engineer Josh Thomson said. Using a point system for characteristics such as the number of commercial-access points, driveways and farms; advisory signs; and road width, they ranked roads for safety, he said.
The commissioners also decided to retain posted speed limits below 50 mph on six roads, including a stretch of Twin Lakes Road posted at 35 mph and part of Lost River Road that’s posted at 30 mph.
Twenty-seven other roads — none in the Methow — will stay at 50 mph, as recommended by Public Works.
The county received three public comments on the proposals. One person wanted the speed limit to be lowered for the full length of Lost River Road. Another didn’t want any reductions anywhere. The third suggested a lower night speed limit on Old Highway 97 between Malott and Brewster because of the number of deer collisions.
It will take a few months for the new speed-limit signs to be posted.
