SOUTH HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Speed limits have been lowered on K-14/ 96 in a small part of South Hutchinson and south of the US50 interchange.
According to Tim Potter with KDOT the change comes after former South Hutchinson Police Chief Scott Jones originally requested that KDOT lower the speed limit at the interchange to 40 mph because of accidents there. That request was followed up by then former Chief Dean Harcrow. A KDOT traffic study following that request recommended lowering the speed limit. There has also been discussion about installing traffic signals at the interchange but for now the intersection is still controlled by stop signs.
Last week, KDOT installed the new speed limit signs north and south of the interchange lowering the speed limit from 45 mph to 40 mph and extending the 40 mph speed limit zone further south, including in some places where there had been a 55 mph speed limit. The changes are from Forest Avenue north of the interchange, to Heartland Drive south of US50.
South Hutch Police say that the changes may catch the motorist off guard at first but Chief Darrin Pickering says that for now they will be educating motorists and not citing them.
The speed limit was also reduced from 65 to 55 from Heartland Drive south to Morgan Avenue near Kutter's Furniture. The speed limit goes to 65 mph at Morgan to near Cruppers Corner where it increases to 70 mph.
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