- Florida Legislature is considering a bill to raise speed limits.
- Concerns about traffic safety are voiced by local officials and residents.
- Watch the video to find out the proposed maximum speed limit.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
If you drive through Jefferson County, you could soon be seeing higher speed limits.
“It’s dangerous. So, I think increasing the speed is just asking for trouble.”
I’m Lentheus Chaney, your Monticello neighborhood reporter, talking to neighbors and law enforcement about a new bill that could change how fast you can legally go.
In Tallahassee, state lawmakers are reviewing a transportation bill that would increase the maximum speed on certain highways from 70 to 75 miles an hour.
The change could impact drivers on I-10 through Jefferson County — including busy exits like 217, 225, and 233, which feed right into local roads such as U.S. 19 and U.S. 90 that lead to downtown Monticello, where Police Chief Fred Mosley says he has concerns.
“I would like it just to stay the same because we have a lot of semi-traffic coming through here. And I just don’t want to see any fatalities within my city,” Mosley said.
And this isn’t just a local conversation. Several other states proposed speed limit increases last year. In fact, Florida attempted this in 2014, but the bill was vetoed by then-Gov. Rick Scott following pushback from law enforcement.
Ashley Cowen, a Monticello neighbor, says she wants more community input — suggesting a vote before any speed changes.
“Everybody, you know, goes over the speed limit anyway, but I’m kind of worried about in town here,” Cowen said.
Cowen says she’d rather see speed tables or more flashing lights downtown to help calm traffic, while Chief Mosley hopes the state gives local governments the power to set speed limits in their own communities. In Monticello, I’m Lentheus Chaney, ABC27.
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