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Residents urge county to fix sudden 25‑mph posting on Dave Wood Road; sheriff to take educational approach
Summary
Residents from Dave Wood Road said a recently enforced 25 mph default posting led to unexpected tickets and safety concerns; commissioners and sheriff’s staff said they will include the stretch in a model‑traffic‑code update and consider interim advance signage and educational enforcement.
Residents of the Dave Wood Road corridor told the Board of County Commissioners that a recent switch to a default 25‑mph posting created a sudden enforcement change from what many said had been 35 mph historically. Speakers, including Dwayne Reed and Britt Hay, said drivers who cross the Montrose–Ouray county line now face a steep and inconsistent drop in posted speed that has resulted in citations and confusion.
"I set my cruise control at what I thought was the speed limit and got pulled over in my driveway," said Dwayne Reed. Several speakers said they remembered seeing a 35 mph sign for decades and that the change appears to have been an administrative default to 25 mph when that segment was not explicitly included in a model‑traffic resolution.
Sheriff's office representatives acknowledged the suddenness of the change and said deputies have been instructed to emphasize education rather than strict ticketing while the county reassesses the posting. Commissioners said the county is undertaking a broader update of the model traffic code and that staff will add the Dave Wood segment to the list of roads for review, including asking Road & Bridge and the sheriff for a sign‑placement recommendation and possible advance 'speed limit ahead' warning signs.
Commissioners asked staff for a systematic traffic‑limit review backed by data and recommended the county seek input from Road & Bridge, the sheriff and residents. No immediate policy vote occurred; staff will report back with a recommended fix and possible temporary signage or enforcement guidance.
