COLUMBUS, Ohio – Drivers in Ohio are finding the speed limits higher and the gas prices lower.
The Ohio Department of Transportation says some state and U.S. routes are being bumped up to 60-miles-per-hour on “rural divided highways” and 70-miles-per-hour on so-called “rural freeways.” ODOT officials say signs with the new speed limits will be installed by Friday.
According to a daily survey by the AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and WEX, Inc., the average price of regular gas in Columbus this morning was $3.32 a gallon, 18 cents cheaper than one week ago.
Experts attribute the price drop this fall to a variety of factors. Those include relatively problem-free refinery operations and increased supply while demand decreases with the close of the summer driving season.
ODOT is increasing speed limits on 607 miles of roadway as a result of new legislation passed earlier this year.
The legislation increases speeds on 194 miles of “rural divided highways” to 60 miles per hour.
In central Ohio, that includes:
U.S. route 40 west of West Jefferson in Madison County
Portions of U.S. route 23 south of Columbus and south of Circleville and between Delaware and the Delaware/Marion County line
State Route 36 east of Delaware
Speed limits will be increased to 65 mph on 15 miles of “rural expressways without traffic control signals,” including:
U.S. route 23 through Marion County
Portions of US route 33 between Columbus and Lancaster and between Lancaster and the Fairfield/Hocking County line
Speed limits on 398 miles of “rural freeways” will be hiked to 70 miles per hour:
U.S. route 33 northwest of Dublin
State Route 161 between New Albany and Newark
State route 16 between Hanover and the Muskingum/Coshocton county line
U.S. route 33 Lancaster bypass
On July 1, speed limits on 570 miles of rural Ohio interstates increased from 65 to 70 miles per hour.