MARION, AR (abc24.com) - It may not be much, but Arkansas drivers will be getting a break soon. The highway department plans to increase speed limits on some of the state's roads.
If you're driving on a rural highway with a 55 mile per hour speed limit, you may get to step on the gas soon.
Speed limits posted on more than 250 miles of four and five-lane rural highways across the state will increase 5 miles per hour.
On Highway 64 west of Marion, there will be a 3 mile stretch where the speed limit will change from 55 to 60.
According to Glenn Bolick, Arkansas Highway Department PIO, "You're pretty wide open out there so we determined that we can safely raise that speed where it's typically 55 miles an hour, we're raising those up to 60 miles an hour."
Other areas will see a change from 60 to 65 miles per hour. It may not be much, but the Arkansas Highway Department believes this will save drivers time while being safe.
"One of the things we look at is what speed limit people actually drive out there on the road," Bolich said. "It may be posted 50 miles an hour but 85 percent of people are doing 60 miles an hour and that's just an indication of what people safely feel like they can drive on that road."
Many drivers told us they already drive with the flow of traffic, and have mixed feelings about the speed limit changes.
Driver Jim Archer told abc24.com, "I don't know if it'll be any safer but it might be more convenient."
"I really don't think people will notice a whole lot," noted Rhonda Arnold.
But driver Charles Lee is looking forward to the change. "Speed limit needs to be raised," he said, "I've paid some fines myself… It'll be real nice."
Don't burn rubber yet. These changes won't happen for another 2 to 3 weeks.
