ICC Speed limit to increase to 60 MPH.

[WMAveteran]

ICC SPEED LIMIT INCREASES TO 60 MPH
Changes will occur gradually between March 29-30[/size]
The MD Transportation Authority (MDTA) will begin changing roadway signs to officially increase the posted speed limit on the Intercounty Connector (ICC)/MD 200 from 55 mph to 60 mph.  Weather-permitting, on Friday, March 29, signs on westbound MD 200 will be changed to 60 mph; on Saturday, March 30, the eastbound MD 200 signs will be changed to 60 mph.  New warning signs for curves have also been added.
"Following months of careful deliberation and a detailed engineering study and crash analysis, I'm pleased that we are able to safely raise the ICC speed limit to 60 mph," said MDTA Executive Secretary Harold M. Bartlett.  "We needed one year of ICC operations and full consideration of the design speed and geometry of the roadway to ensure that a 60 mph speed limit is safe and justifiable."
With the crash analysis, traffic engineers examined vehicular crashes for the ICC's first year of operations between I-270 and I-95.  The analysis helped the MDTA confirm that the speed limit may be safely raised to 60 mph.
The MDTA anticipates that drivers traveling the ICC from end to end may save approximately 1 ½ minutes of travel time with the speed increase.   
Designed for 60 mph, the ICC has vertical and horizontal constraints along its length.  To reduce environmental impacts, the ICC's footprint was minimized, leading to these geometric constraints and the lower design speed.
The engineering study and crash analysis are available at mdta.maryland.gov.  Follow the MDTA at twitter.com/TheMDTA and facebook.com/TheMDTA.