REDDING, CALIFORNIA — Caltrans permanently reduced the speed limit from 65 mph to 55 mph on a stretch of State Route 44 between Airport Road and Millville Plains Road in Shasta County on April 2, following higher-than-average crash rates near Silver Bridge Road.
Traffic studies show that areas of Highway 44 with lower speed limits also have significantly fewer crashes. The speed reduction is described as an interim measure while Caltrans works on additional facility improvements. The agency is also considering widening the roadway to add a median buffer zone between opposing lanes of travel.
California Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Jason Morton said speed and distraction drive the majority of crashes on the stretch. “60 to 75% of all of our crashes are all based on basically two things — speed and distracted driving,” Morton said. He added that the time difference for drivers is minimal. “It only takes a minute and 5 seconds difference to slow down for 10 miles per hour for the 6.5 miles. So you’re only saving one minute and 5 seconds.” Morton also noted that speed directly determines crash severity. “Drivers should know that speed makes a big factor in the outcome of that crash. It could either be a non-injury crash or a fatality crash,” he said.
Toby Crawford with Caltrans District 2 acknowledged the inconvenience for daily commuters but defended the decision. “This is one kind of interim measure we can do quickly and cost effectively, but we will continue to work on other facility improvements at the same time,” Crawford said. “We have people that work here in our office that travel that every day, east of Redding, and they understand the slight inconvenience, but I think overall we appreciate the attempt at making this a safer facility.”
Local business owner Bryce Gebauer, who runs Palo Cedro Market near the highway, said he has witnessed the problem firsthand. “I’ve seen multiple times the fire trucks going up and down 44 — you don’t know what it’s for but it could be for an accident on that highway, and there’s been many times in the past where there’s been major accidents on 44, so I can completely understand them wanting to reduce speed trying to prevent any more major accidents,” Gebauer said.
Interview courtesy of Action News Now.
📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.
