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Commissioners approve raising speed limit on northern Rook Williamson Memorial Highway to 55 mph after public hearing
Summary
After a public hearing and engineering presentation, Parker County Commissioners voted 5-0 to raise the posted limit on the northern segment of Rook Williamson Memorial Highway from 45 to 55 mph, citing an 85th-percentile speed study and limited adjacent housing.
Parker County Commissioners voted 5-0 to increase the posted speed limit on a three-mile northern segment of Rook Williamson Memorial Highway from 45 to 55 miles per hour following a public hearing and review of a county-conducted speed study.
Chris Bosco of Freese and Nichols told the court the study sampled six locations and used the 85th-percentile methodology typically applied in road speed-setting. "Given the approach into the intersection at 730 and the curves near FM 51, the 85th-percentile data indicate 55 miles an hour would be appropriate for that segment," Bosco said. Commissioner (mover) noted constituent requests and local conditions backing the change.
The hearing allowed commissioners to ask about behavioral effects of raising posted limits. Bosco said studies generally show posted limits reflect driver comfort and the geometry of the road rather than prompting widespread additional speeding: "You're trying to get 85% of the people at that speed or greater, and we haven't typically seen people push the limit further as a result of these adjustments." A judge's announcement confirmed motion and second; the court adopted the change immediately after the vote.
The order applies to the northern loop from FM 51 to the 730 approach; the court noted the statutory notice and public-hearing timelines were followed before the effective change. The county will install updated signage and proceed with enforcement coordination as appropriate.
