LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP, abc24.com) - The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department is studying whether speed limits on some rural highways should be increased above 55 mph.
On Wednesday, the state Highway Commission instructed the department to study the issue. Commission Chairman R. Madison Murphy says it's time to revisit the issue after an earlier plan to raise the speed limit was scuttled because of high gas prices.
Some areas of the state already have higher speed limits: it's 65 mph for rural and suburban interstates and freeways, as well as rural, multilane divided highways. This proposal would look at increasing the 55 mph limit that's in place for rural, four-and five-lane highways that are undivided.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that about 228 miles of the state's highways could affected by the
potential increase.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
