Hutchinson Leader - Speed limit on Highway 7 - Comments

35 MPH and reduced speed

ragnyb — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 18:41:06 -0600

35 MPH and reduced speed signs

For those who haven't driven

Eric Kraushar — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 15:31:27 -0600

For those who haven't driven Highway 7 today, the speed limit has been raised from 30 to 40 between Montana Street and Michigan Street - although the old 45 section between Michigan and the city limits is now down from 45 to 40.

It sure makes it easier for everyone when the speed is constant. Great job MnDot.

The new road thru Hutch

chattums — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 10:20:30 -0600

The new road thru Hutch should be 45 m.p.h. just like in Silver Lake. We should ALL of been more vocal and insisted that a "change" in light signal be installed at Bluff & 7
intersection. This would help prevent many severe accidents with trucks/semi/cars from blowing thru it. We all know that one is coming soon.
thxs.

O'my heavens is that all the

justathought — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 18:05:16 -0600

O'my heavens is that all the state patrol has time to do is sit by the vet and subway and pull people over at 7am when their on the way to work. How crazy is this, i thought they did speed testing, it would be really nice to know if they are going to increase the speed on 7 through town or not.

Sorry I forgot about Silver

TandT — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 09:21:05 -0500

Sorry I forgot about Silver Lake. You blink and you are through it, but there too the speed limit is 45 on a two lane with privet drive ways.

I believe the speed limit

TandT — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:55:10 -0500

I believe the speed limit should be raised to 45. The addition of turn lanes and wide sholders moves slower traffic out of the right of way including those entering and exiting privet driveways. The only other slow down from here to the Metro area is St. Bonni and that is 45 on a two lane with narrow sholders.

Does it really matter what

Canthelpbutlaugh — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 21:56:00 -0500

Does it really matter what the speed limit is? If you keep the speed limit at 30, people are just going to go 40-45 or more. If you change it to 40 or 45, people are going to go 50-55. Somebody should just make the desicion and stick with it, whether that be keeping it at 30 or changing it to 40-45.

Isn't Silver Lake 45 through

WHEREISTHEFREEDOM — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 21:17:28 -0500

Isn't Silver Lake 45 through their town? 40-45 would fit this road, no question. With two lanes and 40-45mph limit, traffic would move perfect. If it was still the old 2 lane road, yes 30 would be what you want, but this is 4 lanes and is meant to be 40-45 just like any other 4 lane through a town.

Speed change notification

bluenordy — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:43:45 -0500

Speed change notification signs from 40-30 mph would be welcomed on all venues leading into Hutchinson. There are safety concerns and a possibly negative image of being percieved as a speed-trap town.

I think the speed limit

otterone — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:16:16 -0500

I think the speed limit should be 4o mph all the way through and extended even farther to the west up to where the the lakes are. The speed limit is 60 mph within the city limits by Illinois St., in a residential area to the west, with houses just feet away from Hwy. 7 here. I have seen people illegally passing on the shoulder as someone is trying to make a turn to this residential area and have lost control because they are traveling at 60 mph through here. More than one accident has occured here because of this. I think it should be made safe traveling through all of residential Hutchinson. And if the speed limit is being looked at now, they should really include this area. Several residents of this area have requested a change in speed limit for this area before because of safety and because of semi trucks causing loud noise as they are jake braking. MNDot says they will not change it here when called by these residents.

No, I am not suggesting we

arcy — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 11:17:50 -0500

No, I am not suggesting we want to move the utility building. It is an old old decision that we will have to live with. I get that. One can easily find the river if one has the time or wants too, it is true. For those traveling through on Hwy. 7 I am thinking few even know it is there. If the big red building was not there the fountain,if it ever returns, could be viewed as you drive by on 7. Wouldn't that have been nice. Wendy's is now gone. I wonder if anyone will have the vision to replace it with an eatery that lets customers view the river while they eat? Before we get too excited about all the open views we should note all those open lots are again for sale. What will our views be when they are built on?
As far as the original question about the speed. It is much too wide a road for drivers to feel 30 is all the faster they can go. How long until Hutchinson is considered a speed trap?

I was very surprised to see

LalaD — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 15:23:24 -0500

I was very surprised to see the 30 mph speed limit still posted on the newly opened stretch of Highway 7. It is very difficult to stay at the speed limit for that long distance. Every driver on the stretch with me agreed as they all passed me driving at least 40 mph.

It feels like it should be a 40 mph zone. If we are taking a vote, that is mine.

This topic seems to have two separate subjects, so I'll comment on the second.

Even with the blocked view of the river, the corner of Highways 7 and 15 is a big improvement to the city. It is so nice and open in whatever direction you look.

If someone really needs to see the river, it isn't that difficult to do so. It's still a nice drive around the sanctuary.

The little park to the south side of the dam isn't back in place yet, but that is a possibility for being made into more of a Hutchinson attraction. It's barely been noticed in the past.

The removal of the Utilities building would be a great improvement and could present a new opportunity to develop a river view. Are we willing to foot the costs of that?

I, for one, am thankful for the needed improvements to Highway 7. It has added much to our city. The aesthetics are a secondary consideration, and I believe they will come.

I was not in town 10 years

arcy — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 11:51:46 -0500

I was not in town 10 years ago but I remember watching the river, through the cars nine years and ago up until recently. The car lot was maybe not the most desirable but I would vote to go back to it in a second.At least we could see through it. It a perfect world the power plant and that red building would GO. What a lovely entrance a free view of the river would make. Maybe if that red building was an architectual marvel I would feel differently, but I doubt it.

I believe 35 mph may be what

Terry Davis — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 08:20:13 -0500

I believe 35 mph may be what is settled on for the Highway 7 speed limit it the area from Fifth Avenue Northeast to about Emans Auto Sales, but I wouldn't be surprised to see 40 mph (or it being left at 30 mph), which was the speed limit west of there, and is again. And yes, the residential driveways will be an issue.

My understanding is that one thing MnDOT looks at is what the average driver thinks the speed limit should be relative to the conditions of the roadway and thus, how they are driving. If a roadway gives drivers the impression that the speed limit should be 40 mph, but is really 30, they are likely to ignore it more often.

Another street that needs study is Edmonton Avenue between Highway 15 on the west and Jefferson Street on the east. For the most part it is unmarked, but since it is a city street, the speed limit is 30 mph. However, between Montreal and Jefferson, there are no driveways and only two lightly traveled intersections at Sherwood and Calgary along the entire 3/4 mile stretch. Most motorists appear to be driving 35-40 mph. Maybe the limits should be raised to one of those there. After all, a similar stretch of South Grade from Dale Street to School Road, is 35 and that goes by a school and has more driveways off of it. (The difference is the center turn lane on South Grade.)

I think we all forget that at one time, it was difficult to see the river at the 7/15 intersection over all the cars in the sales lot there, the sales lot office itself, and the three houses that once stood between there and Hardees.

So while the view is blocked more than it was two years ago after the car dealer left, it is actually more open than it was about 10 years ago. Plus, the road at the intersection is a few feet higher than it was. In addition, more vistas were created in the areas of James and Water streets with the creation of a pair of storm water retention ponds.

(Terry Davis is a staff writer for the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached at davis@hutchinsonleader.com.)

What are the options really?

arcy — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 17:13:16 -0500

What are the options really? There are driveways that empty into the street, so isn't it State law the speed cannot exceed 30? It was rather silly to widen a road to give the impression of a swift way through town when the reality is you cannot go close to highway speed and you are stopping at lights three times. The entire project confuses me. I HATE HATE HATE sitting at the 15 and 7 intersection. Once upon a time I could see the river. Now all I can see is the back of a red building. I thought I read somewhere the city had a goal to play up its river views. The entrance of our city is industrial and anything but inviting. It is too bad those going through have to slow down, there is nothing to see but fast food and industrial buildings.

Speed limit on Highway 7

Matt McMillan — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 13:47:24 -0500

Vehicles are rolling from one end of Hutchinson to the other again on the new five lane State Highway 7.