BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL HOLDS 290 SPEEDS TO 60 MPH

  

The Brenham City Council held the U.S. Highway 290 speed limit through the city limits to 60 miles per hour at today’s (Thursday’s) meeting.

The Texas Department of Transportation wanted to increase the speed limit from 65 to 70 miles per hour from FM577/Blue Bell Road, to just past the Fireman’s Training Center, and increase the speed limit from 60 to 65 from there out to the cloverleaf,  at 290 west. 

The proposal however, met with skepticism from several members of the Brenham City Council, including Mayor Milton Tate and City Police Chief Rex Phelps.. All believed the increases would probably endanger drivers while traveling through the city, especially those trying to get on the highway from the entrance ramps.

City Engineer Grant Lischka told the City Council that TxDot had revised their proposal and requested the speed limits be 65 miles per hour through the city.  Even that slower speed met with a strong objection from City Council member Danny Goss.

Goss proposed keeping the speed limit to 60 miles per hour out to the cloverleaf.  He wanted to extend the slower speed out to the northern city limit, and past the cloverleaf.  That would have taken another motion because Highway 290 becomes State Highway 36 at that point.  The speed limit will slow down right before the cloverleaf because of concerns of tractor trailers overturning while getting on 290 west out to Austin.