BRISTOL - Next month, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will change the speed limit on a section of Route 23/58/421, increasing the speed limit from 55 mph to 60 mph in the Gate City area of Scott County.

VDOT will install the new speed limit signs in November.  The changes will affect about 2.5 miles of Route 23/58/421.

This area met the criteria for VDOT to consider a speed limit change as set forth in Senate Bill 408 that was passed by the General Assembly in 2004.   This law allows VDOT to conduct engineering studies on limited access roads and consider raising the speed limit up to 70 mph. VDOT examined the alignment of the road, spacing of interchanges, operating speed and crash history to determine that 60 mph was an acceptable speed limit for the following section of Route 23/58/421:

VDOT coordinated with the Virginia State Police and local officials before the speed limit changes were finalized.  (END)

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