On Tuesday, Maine’s Legislature’s Transportation committee endorsed a bill that would increase the speed limit on Interstate 295 between Topsham and West Gardiner to 75 mph, though a department spokesman says don’t expect to maintain the speed through Portland, Yarmouth and Falmouth.
“I can give you 100 percent certainty that the speed limit won’t be raised to 75 in the greater Portland area,” said Talbot told the Augusta Press Herald.
The bill, LD 654, would also not apply to the Maine Turnpike, because the transportation commissioner doesn’t have the authority to set speed limits.
“As originally written, the speed limit bill would grant the state transportation commissioner authority to raise the speed limit to 75 mph only on Interstate 295, which runs from Scarborough to West Gardiner. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Justin Chenette, D-Saco, suggested amending his bill to allow the transportation commissioner authority to raise the speed limit to 75 mph on all interstate highways in Maine,” Bangor Daily News reported.
Department of Transportation’s Legislative Liaison Nina Fisher the speed limit would be increased only after the department conducts an engineering analysis and receives approval from the chief of the Maine Sate Police.
Sources: Augusta Press Herald
Bangor Daily News