CDOT to Raise Speed Limit on Santa Fe Drive Between Evans Avenue and Prince Street

March 16, 2011 - Denver Metro Colorado/CDOT Region 6 - DENVER METRO– The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is raising the speed limit on Santa Fe Drive (US 85) from just north of Evans Avenue in Denver to just north of Prince Street in Littleton.

Following a traffic engineering analysis as required by state law, CDOT is increasing the speed limit from 45 to 55 miles per hour for about a three-mile stretch of roadway.

CDOT’s engineering studies utilize nationally-accepted methods which take into account roadside features, roadway geometric characteristics, accident history, and vehicle speeds. The national standard recommends use of the 85^th percentile speed (the speed at or below which 85 percent of the vehicles are moving) as the primary factor in establishing the speed limit. The reason for this is because the vast majority of drivers will drive at speeds they consider safe and reasonable under ideal conditions. The study of this section of Santa Fe Drive found 85^th percentile speeds ranging from 53-57 miles per hour.

CDOT’s goal is to set the appropriate speed limit so that the maximum number of vehicles travel at about the same speed, thus reducing conflicts caused by extreme speed differentials.

CDOT plans to post the new speed limit signs by the end of March 2011.