Slow down on McKenzie Highway

The signs are up and the new speed limit of 40 miles-per-hour is in effect on the McKenzie Highway between the Sisters Middle/High School and downtown Sisters.

Because a speed zone investigation conducted by the Oregon Department of Transportation determined that the McKenzie Highway is engineered for a 55 mph limit, the lower 40 mph limit will be in force for two years and reviewed every six months for effectiveness.

Local law enforcement agencies will issue warnings for a "reasonable amount of time" until drivers can become accustomed to the speed change.

"While research indicates that motorists do not comply with speed zone reductions if they do not perceive a need to do so, the cooperation of school, city and law enforcement officials will be a key element in the effort to slow down traffic near the school," wrote ODOT in a prepared news release.

Dale Allen, Region 4 Manager for ODOT, was quoted as saying "Our speed zone studies do a good job of measuring all the factors that determine speeds for a particular stretch of road. It's only under rare circumstances that we lower a speed limit if it's not indicated by the study, because unless the community wants to abide by the posted reduced speed, it will be ignored..."

Allen said that because this section of highway is heavily used by local residents and there is community support for the lower limit, "the speed limit reduction has a good chance of being successful."

The lower limit was approved by the Oregon Transportation Commission with the assistance of state Senator Neil Bryant.