70 mph speed limit now in effect on WYO 120 north of Cody

The speed limit is now 70 mph on WYO 120 from about 18 miles north of Cody to the Montana border.

The highway section is the second to get the higher speed limit this month. Much of US 85 from just east of its interchange with I-25 (Exit 17) north of Cheyenne to Newcastle went to the 70 mph limit on Jan. 15.

WYO 130 from I-80 south to Saratoga is also scheduled to get the higher speed limit when weather allows WYDOT to change the signs on that highway.

The three highway sections are the first to get the higher speed limit approved for two-lane rural highways by the Legislature last year.

They were among 1,546 miles of highway WYDOT identified as having the best potential for safely handling 70 mph speeds.

The decision to increase the speed limit on the three sections was made after completion of the comprehensive engineering study and traffic investigation required by state law. That study found the 70 mph limit to be safe and reasonable on those sections.

WYDOT will monitor speeds, crashes and traffic flows on the highways, and re-evaluate the higher limit annually.

WYDOT continues to study another 1,314 miles of highway for their potential to safely handle 70 mph speeds, including US 20-26 between Casper and Shoshoni, US 287 between Lander and Rawlins, WYO 220 between Casper and Muddy Gap, US 191 from Rock Springs to Pinedale and US 14-16-20 east of Cody.

Among the factors being evaluated are the terrain the highways pass through, their crash histories, current travel speeds, traffic volumes and the percentage of heavy trucks, alignment and sight distances, the number and locations of intersections and the amount of agricultural and recreational use the routes experience.