Austin Traffic Alert: Speed Limit Lowered On US 290 West

AUSTIN, TX — The speed limit on U.S. 290 between Oak Hill and Dripping Springs stretching from Travis to Hays counties has been lowered by five miles per hour, state transportation officials said Wednesday.

The new speed limit of 55 miles per hour from the previous 60 miles per hour took effect immediately, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Officials explained in an advisory that speed limits are set through an engineering study that reflects the safe and reasonable speed of the majority of drivers on a particular roadway. In addition to speed checks, crash history, turning movements and roadway conditions are also considered in assessing the need for speed limit changes.

Transportation crews on Monday installed new speed limit signs along with portable electronic message boards alerting motorists to the change, officials said. In addition to the speed limit reduction, state transportation officials currently are studying mobility and safety improvements along the same stretch of U.S. 290, officials said.

Transportation officials urged drivers to obey the new speed limit while avoiding distractions while driving to help end the streak of accidents, a goal buttressed by the hashtag #EndTheStreakTX. Since Nov. 7, 2000, officials added, at least one person has died on Texas roadways every single day.

Patch reached out to a Texas Department of Transportation spokesperson asking for traffic statistics centered on the stretch of roadway with the new speed limit, and was directed to a Crash Data Records portal to make a formal request. This story will be updated once the statistical data are provided.