Minden backs lower speed limit on Highway 395

Minden Town Board members are backing a request from residents and businesses to ask the state to lower the speed limit from 35 mph to 25 mph east of Lucerne Street to the junction at highways 88 and 395.

Town Manager Roger Van Alyne said Wednesday he was asked by a Minden businessman about lowering the speed limit.

The request was accompanied by a petition with 78 signatures from residents throughout Carson Valley.

Van Alyne said the town board could request a speed study for a section of the highway.

"Several things are in our favor," he said. "The speed limits in effect were established a very long time ago. There's been tremendous growth in commercial and residential development. And we've got the high school near by," he said.

Chairman Bob Hadfield said the last traffic count was done in 2005 and he believed new figures would be substantially higher.

In a letter to NDOT, the board said, "We realize that we cannot predict the outcome of the speed study, but we hope that the study demonstrates the need to extend the 25-mph speed zone east of Lucerne Street to Minden junction."

"When the speed study is complete, NDOT will determine if a change in the speed limit (either up or down) is warranted and will act accordingly," Van Alyne said.

He was unsure how long the study would take.

"Let's see what we can do to move this along," Hadfield said.