NEW SPEED LIMITS POSTED ALONG HIGHWAY 290 IN BURTON CITY LIMITS
Drivers on Highway 290 in and around Burton will need to be mindful of new speed limits posted along the highway.
Following unanimous approval earlier this month by the Burton City Council, TxDOT on Wednesday officially reduced the speed limit for the portion of Highway 290 inside city limits from 70 miles per hour to 65 miles per hour. The new posted speed limits were installed Wednesday.
Bob Colwell, Public Information Officer for TxDOT’s Bryan District, said law enforcement has been notified of the speed change, and will be patrolling the area.
Burton city officials at the time of the council’s vote cited safety for residents and ease for travelers entering or exiting the city as the main reasons for the change.
Drivers are reminded to, as always, obey the posted speed limits and drive to conditions.
WOW! I’m just shocked that someone in that town changed something!
Burton is not designed like Carmine, Giddings, Paige, or Manor. Burton already has an overpass. However it’s not used like it should be, like the ones in towns toward Houston.
Imminent domain the north and south side of the bridge, if need be (You know, effect 5-6 local residence not 1000’s daily), put in frontage road/ramps from the bridge, set the speed limit to 75mph (so y’all don’t slow “Commerce” to the rest of the world and you’re not labeled as a speed trap.), call it a day, have a cold one at the White horse, enjoy the peacocks, gin cotton once a year, and let the outside world move on by…
But unfortunately, this would require change, and we all know too well that’s not going to happen….
Also Commerce is a huge contributing factor for the State decisions. You are competing with Large cooperation’s who contribute funds to our state and federal Reps and Senators to get what they want, Their goods to market fast! I’d bet that’s one reason y’all only got a 5 mph reduction for the length you have.
Lowering the speed limit is a complete waste. There is no point to it, except to keep the time honored tradition of Burton being a speed trap. Yes Ms First Lady, Back in the good ole days Burton was known for being a speed trap, even had more than 3 officers on the payroll. If SAFETY is the backbone for this nonsense then City of Burton and TxDOT need to look into modifying the existing overpass into the “run” and making a feeder road/acceleration lane on the south side of 290 with entrance and exit ramps, along with a longer acceleration lane on the north side. This would allow travelers going west to enter and exit burton with more time to merge, and travelers going east to exit the feeder road and enter burton by going over the current overpass. When leaving Burton and going east, travelers would go over overpass, and not have to cross lanes of travel to enter traffic. NO need for lower limits, NO need for stop lights, only need is common sense and use of current resources.
I do live in the Burton area & it’s very difficult to get on Hwy 290 from Burton, either way, because the cars are going much faster than 70 mph. There are many elderly people in our town who have to get onto Hwy 290. I’m scared for them, because there have been some killed at these intersections. I know the speed limit was lowered for safety reasons. We love our families & neighbors & don’t want to see them injured or killed on the highway. Thank you to the City of Burton for thinking of your residents!
It’s amazing to me that “nay sayers” of the speed change in Burton were not at the council meeting when the issue was addressed. It does little good to know a persons thoughts after the fact! The agenda is posted outside CityHall, sent to KWHI radio and posted on the city web site each and every month. So, there is no excuse for not voicing your opinions concerning agenda items.
To be clear, the change is only 5 mph less than what it was, not 10 as someone had complained. The speed drops to 70 before Burton Sausage then to 65 at the city limits.
The claim that Burton was and is a speed trap is something that I have never heard in the 14 years I’ve lived here! Am I to assume that people think Chappell Hill , Brenham, Carmine, Paige, and Giddings are all speed traps because they have lower speeds on 290? If these towns can have lower speeds then why not Burton?
A final note is that the petition to have a lower speed had been at City Hall for two years with a great many signatures. I can assure the reader that safety was the main issue and not a slush fund that, as far as the Mayor knows, doesn’t exist. And, May I point out, that Burton doesn’t have a police force to enforce the speed change. I’m anxious to hear from the many who signed the petition. First Lady Lynda Zajicek.
Dropping the speed limit wont do a thing, the cars on 290 are FLYING at least 80-85 (or higher) all the time now. Those city people blowing through there do not care what speed limit signs say, they are gonna continue to speed bigtime unless theres a Trooper or County Deputy out on the highway using radar forcing them to slow down. Putting out 5mph lower signs wont change a thing.
As a naysayer, I am not a citizen of Burton and so I doubt my voice would hold much weight with the city, but to address a few of your points. When Burton did have a police officer, Burton was without a doubt a huge speed trap. I live in the county and travel 290 often and would watch this officer pull people over for minor speed violations; often the apprehension and stopping of the vehicle seemed to present more of a safety hazard than the minor speed violation. Secondly, the cities you mention are directly on 290, not offset like the City of Burton. Lastly, the Burton police officer the city once had was not the only person who will stop people, there are other law enforcement agencies that patrol that area and the City of Burton has chosen to put them and the public traveling through Burton at risk forcing them to pull people over (which always carries risk) for 5 mph which makes has very little impact on safety.
I think we can put this speed trap issue to rest with one overwhelming fact. Just take a look at the city of Burton patrol vehicle. Over the years these law enforcement vehicles have been painted to blend in with the other traffic on the highway NOT to show a police presence. The “ghosted” lettering on the sides and the low profile and concealed lights are not there to show the citizens of Burton that there is a police presence patrolling the streets within the city limits or working the school zone as a way to slow down that traffic. That vehicle is solely meant to hide in plain site as a way to more easily catch speeders which, makes it in and of itself a trap. Case closed!
But know the patrol car is setting in the ema parking lot doing nothing. How is it supposed to control the speed trap. Don’t think it going to happen by the burton police anytime soon. Next they will be wanting a new patrol car
They need to put up a red light and stop traffic to solve the problem. Works in Brenham and works in Giddings to allow people to cross the highway safely.
If an honest safety issue is the reason , then there are other and better alternatives. Country and city of Burton should ask our state representatives to get TXDOT involved. Best option would be to install service road on south side of 290 which routes 290 East bound traffic across the Burton bridge currently crossing 290. Change the current access road for 290 to west bound only. Get our state Senator and Representative involved.
Think about all the Round Top Antique show traffic that comes thru Brenham to get there. It may be a speed trap gold mine for Burton, but bad news for Washington county sales tax dollars. Those drivers who are caught in this trap and pay hefty fines will not forget and will take I-10 to bypass Brenham or not stop and do business here, much less in Burton. Burton council very short sighted, three good restaurants in their burg and traffic fines killing future business. Small towns in a Texas have earned permanent bad reputations thru the decades for this ploy.
Speed trap revenue will not replace what is lost in sales in brenham or Washington county. When you reflect on it, it only satisfies the immediate. People will avoid the area because unfortunately, most do not go the speed limit. I do and will recognize and go said speed limit if I go that way, but most will just avoid the area.
The speed limit on 290 in Brenham is already 65, and 60 for a mile or so west of town. According to your logic, those drivers should have bypassed here YEARS ago.
GREAT MOVE! If you have ever tried to enter Hwy 290 from Burton, especially going towards Brenham – GOOD LUCK! They should have dropped it to 55, such as Carmine. No one is THAT important, that one cannot slow down for the 30 seconds it takes to go through. And Burton can always use a little extra in the slush fund. (no, I do not live in Burton)
“Burton city officials at the time of the council’s vote cited safety for residents and ease for travelers entering or exiting the city as the main reasons for the change.” Well, I won’t be entering or exiting. US 290 is off to the side anyway. This is a fund raiser. Burton was once one of the major speed traps in Texas, I guess that is where they are headed again. What a shame. Burton was beginning to lose that image. They were starting to be known for good things. Kiss that goodbye.
I hate to see the lower speed limits as much as anyone but as someone who has to turn East on 290 out of Burton every day this may make it safer. Only time will tell. I do agree that the city will very likely exploit the lower speed limit to boost their slush fund.
Sadly, the above comments are true. As an area resident, I know from habit to slow down when I hit the speed change at Burton. Now it will be even worse, requiring a 10MPH drop. Most speed limit changes are for safety, for example at Giddings where one drives thru town. But there is NO REASON for a speed limit change here, and non-locals will zip on by, and get ticketed.
SCAM!
“Bob Colwell, Public Information Officer for TxDOT’s Bryan District, said law enforcement has been notified of the speed change, and will be patrolling the area.”
Folks you read it right here, this is exactly what it is all about. It is all about the chance to raise more money in a speed trap than it is about safety. Face the fact the City of Burton sits substantially off the highway and people driving 70 mph have no effect what-so-ever on the safety or quality of life for those citizens. Further, dropping the speed limit by 5 mph has almost zero impact on safety, noise, or access to the highway. It sounds to me like the fine citizens of Burton are looking to PREY on others from outside the area to fund their police and other city operations. This includes other citizens of Washington County who must pass through there as we travel to Austin and other places. This is WRONG!
I live in the city of Burton and own a business on 290 in the city limits of Burton. The local population has exploded here in the last few years and the amount of people exiting and entering has increased exponentially. Add in new businesses, oil field traffic… not to mention school drop off and pick up times? I can tell you that this is NOT for the purpose of revenue from a speed trap, we dont even have an officer anymore and DPS/Sheriff/ Constable never sit on this area intentionally unless oil field equipment is being moved. I watch this section of road most days out of the week and I can tell you that at 70MPH speed limit, most are doing well over that and lowering it to 65MPH is most probably not enough.We have had multiple major accidents here in the past year and near misses almost every day, this is a PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.
Respectfully
Brian Shirley
I can respect your opinion, but if the City of Burton actually thinks a 5 mph speed reduction will actually make any difference in safety or significant changes in traffic flow, I think they are sadly mistaken. My suspicion is that Burton will soon have a new police officer who keeps himself/herself busy on 290 raising revenue for the city. They could have done this without the speed change. I travel through the city of Rosebud which is one of the most notorious speed traps in the state, so bad in fact that some citizens have actually posted signs outside the city to warn motorists of the speed traps that prey on innocent travelers passing through. It looks to me like Burton is looking to join ranks with Rosebud!
Mr. “This is so wrong”, How many accidents have you seen on 290 inside the city limits? I’ve seen more than my fair share. Not a bad thing to slow people down.
Always a speed trap….the legacy continues….
I love how they worded this to try and fool the average reader as if they actually CARE about safety or well-being of any citizen’s affected. If I recall correctly, when driving towards Austin, the speed limit jumps up to 75. Are we supposed to believe that safety is no longer an issue once you reach this special area? Or is this just another prime example of the aforementioned soeed trap that’s been funding the city’s revenue for years… The answer is business as usual. “Welcome to our city, that’s actually nowhere near the highway, but technically still within our jurisdiction, (so we will undoubtedly profit from this, in every ‘now legal’ way possible.) Y’all have a safe trip, come back and see us, ya hear.”
I have been driving to and from Burton for work for 16 years. Entering the highway is awful, especially on Friday and Sunday. While on the highway, people are going well over the speed limit! Even worse when you see many people texting too.