US-127 stretch south of Ithaca moving up to 65 MPH

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The stretch of US-127 running through the St. John’s area south of Mount Pleasant is notorious for the discomfort it creates for drivers.

Many students know that feeling of dread when the 55 miles-per-hour speed limit sign approaches and it is time to hit the brake pedal. The section of highway is perhaps the most-known speed trap on the travel to and from Mount Pleasant from southern Michigan.

On Monday, that discomfort will largely subside when a 16-mile portion of the highway from just south of Ithaca to north of St. John’s changes to a 65-mph speed zone.

The Michigan Department of Transportation could start changing the speed limit signs today.

MDOT reviews speed limits frequently to make sure they are still the most effective.

“Basically, the speed limit along any roadway is determined by the Michigan State Police and MDOT,” said Anita Richardson, communications representative for the Bay Region office of MDOT. “In this case, there was a multi-year review.”

After further review

Officials arrived at the change using what they called the 85th-percentile rule.

Richardson said MDOT surveys multiple factors and then rules on a speed limit that would not be exceeded by 85 percent of drivers.

Officials also looked at other aspects that could affect efficient traffic flow, such as crash data, traffic volume on the road, environmental concerns and the proximity of homes and businesses to the road.

The part of US-127 cited for change does have homes and businesses closer to the road than the average highway.

“There’s a lot of residential areas right there, but they can bump it up to 65 with no problem,” said Swartz Creek sophomore Mitchell Billbrough. “It’ll make the drive home quicker.”

MDOT hopes the change will make traveling the stretch of road easier for drivers.

“(It was made) in order to achieve a smoother ride and achieve an efficient traffic flow in the area,” Richardson said. “We’re concerned with setting a realistic speed limit.”

The road runs from Mount Pleasant through major cities including Jackson and Lansing, making it a road students commonly use to arrive in Mount Pleasant.

Adriane Shorkey, a Jenison freshman, jumps on the road to go home and welcomes the change.

“I like the idea, I never knew why it was 55 (mph) in the first place,” she said. “It didn’t seem much different than where it was 70 (mph).”