Stearns County Asks State for Speed Study on County Road 75 in St. Augusta

(KNSI) – Residents along County Road 75 in St. Augusta have been asking Stearns County to slow traffic down on the road, and commissioners are now passing that request along to the state.

The board approved a resolution asking the Minnesota Department of Transportation commissioner to complete a speed study on the stretch that runs southeast from the Harvest Bank corner toward Opportunity Drive. The speed limit there is 55 miles per hour, and data from the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office indicates about 8% of vehicles are traveling faster than 65.

Under state law, speed limits on county highways stay at 55 unless MnDOT studies the road and sets something different. Whatever the study recommends, the county is required by statute to post it.

County Engineer Chris Byrd told commissioners conditions along the corridor have changed enough to justify the request. “There has been some recent development in the last two years that could be a reason to have that looked at. There’s been some commercial development, therefore new accesses onto our county highway.”

Commissioner Jeff Bertram, who represents St. Augusta on the board, backed the request with a caveat. “I’ve seen it firsthand. I mean, they go down that road like nuts. What I’m concerned about most, the speed studies that I’ve been involved in, they come back with a higher speed limit, believe it or not. And the logic they use is they say, well, we go with what the majority of the traffic is driving.”

Byrd said he does not expect that result on this road. “From an engineering standpoint, this location, I think we’re at low risk of it being higher than 55. So I think this is a good location for a study.”

Byrd told commissioners the district traffic engineer’s backlog means results are roughly nine months out. Commissioners also asked him to inform St. Augusta city staff, since the roadway falls entirely inside city limits.

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