I-295 From Tukey’s Bridge to Gardiner, Maine, Used to Be 70 MPH Until Drivers Ruined It
People who have lived in Maine for the past 20 years may remember that Interstate 295, which runs from Portland to Gardiner, wasn't always I-295. It was Interstate 95 up until the two highways swapped in 2004 because the duplicate exit numbers were confusing.
That change was for the better and another change for the better on I-295 was raising the speed limit from 65 mph to 70 mph once you cross Tukey's Bridge. I-95 also raised its speed limit to 70 mph where it remains today. However, the 70 mph speed limit on I-295 did not last long.
In the before photo above, you can see the 70 mph sign placed over the 65 of the former limit. But today, the speed limit is back down to 65.
The speed limit was raised on May 27, 2014. According to Wikipedia, a new law was passed in 2013 by the Maine Legislature that gave the MaineDOT the power to set speed limits on Interstate highways as long as it was approved by the Maine State Police. Less than three years later in March of 2017, it rolled back to 65 mph from Tukey's Bridge to Topsham.
Why the rollback? Too many speeding drivers and too many accidents, according to an article by the Portland Press Herald.
The Maine DOT, which now has control of setting speed limits on Interstate highways, said that speed played a role in a 29% increase in crashes over two years on I-295. Driver distraction also increased by 6% in that time.
So there you have it. People were just driving way too fast over the speed limit. Who are we kidding though? Half the cars on I-295 are going like a bat out of hell today. More State Police patrols might help, but I'm sure that having that many Troopers on one highway isn't feasible financially.
Do everyone a favor and keep it as the speed limit. Sure, you'll subtract a few minutes from your commute, but you're more likely to arrive in one piece.
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