Gov. Walker signs 70 mph speed limit bill, but drivers need to wait for the signs

MADISON (AP/WITI) — Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill on Wednesday, May 20th that allows state transportation officials to raise the speed limit to 70 mph on some Wisconsin roads.

Under the law, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) can raise the speed limit to 70 mph only on four-lane roads that have entrance and exit ramps. They can't raise the limit on roads with at-grade access.

WisDOT will oversee installation of about 470 new speed limit and related signs along 726 miles of rural Interstate in Wisconsin. Motorists are advised the 70 mph speed limit will not take effect until a specific highway segment is posted at the higher speed. Drivers are asked to be alert, to slow down and move over for county highway crews as they install the new signs along rural Interstates beginning next month.

WisDOT is also reminding motorists:

Rural interstate segments in Wisconsin where speed limits will be raised to 70 mph:

Highway	From	To	Miles
I-94	Illinois State Line	Milwaukee County Line	25
I-94	I-39/90 in Dane County	WIS 164 in Waukesha County	57
I-39/90	Illinois State line	US 12 in Dane County	41
I-39/90/94	US 151 in Dane County	I-39 split in Columbia County	22
I-39	I-90/94 split in Columbia County	WIS 54 in Portage County	65
I-39	WIS 66 in Portage County	Bus 51 in Marathon County	26
I-90/94	I-39/90/94 in Columbia County	I-90 in Monroe County	63
I-90	I-94 in Monroe County	US 53 in La Crosse County	37
I-94	I-90 in Monroe County	US 53 in Eau Claire County	77
I-94	WIS 312 in Eau Claire County	WIS 35 in St. Croix County	55
I-43	County T in Ozaukee County	WIS 29 in Brown County	91
I-43	I-39 in Rock County	WIS 164 in Waukesha County	54
I-41	South Washington County Line	WIS 441 in Winnebago County	93
I-41	WIS 441 in Outagamie County	WIS 172 in Brown County	20

Brief history of speed limits in Wisconsin: