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Residents cite safety concerns; Laramie County postpones proposed speed‑limit increases including Whitney Road
Summary
After residents raised safety concerns about narrow lanes, limited sight lines and ice-prone stretches, the county postponed consideration of several speed‑limit changes (items 12–16) to its March 3 meeting and agreed to publish the supporting studies and invite the consultant to answer questions.
Laramie County commissioners voted on a motion to postpone consideration of proposed speed‑limit changes on several rural roads — including a contested proposal to raise parts of Whitney Road from 45 to 55 miles per hour — after multiple residents urged more outreach and a review of the underlying traffic studies.
At a public hearing on the resolutions, Randy Byers, a local property owner, said Whitney Road “has no shoulders, no turn lanes, is not lit” and that raising the limit would “only further exacerbate” danger to bicyclists and motorists because of limited sight lines at intersections such as Say Cali, Elizabeth and Fourmile. Byers cited engineering literature in arguing higher speeds increase the probability and severity of crashes and questioned whether neighboring landowners had been consulted.
John Palmer of Laramie County Public Works told commissioners the proposed changes were based on a speed study by Ingeberg Miller Engineering and that staff could make the study available to the public. Several residents, including Michael White and Mick Finn, said they had not seen the study and urged the commission to advertise the proposals more widely. Finn recommended tabling action to permit additional public comment.
A commissioner moved to postpone items 12 through 16 so that the studies can be published and Ingeberg Miller can attend; the motion was amended to postpone the items to the March 3 meeting. The commission voted unanimously to postpone and directed staff to publish the traffic studies and coordinate participation by the consultant.
The postponement halts immediate changes recommended by the county’s speed studies, including a proposal noted by staff to set a 55 mph limit on sections of Christiansen Road (presented separately). Commissioners emphasized the delay was intended to give residents time to review the evidence and to let technical staff and consultants answer detailed questions when the item returns.
Next steps: staff will publish the Ingeberg Miller studies and invite the firm to the March 3 meeting; the commission will revisit items 12–16 at that session.
