The Oregon Speed Zone Review Panel is set to meet on December 9 to consider proposed speed limit reductions on two roads: River Road in Eugene and Lane County, and the Oregon Coast Highway (U.S. 101) in North Bend and Coos Bay.
According to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), the meeting will be held both virtually and in person at ODOT’s Mill Creek Building in Salem. The public can attend either in person or online. Accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request by calling ODOT at least 48 hours before the meeting.
The panel will review two cases. The first concerns a proposal from the City of Eugene and Lane County to lower the speed limit on River Road from 40 and 45 mph to 35 mph between Azalea Drive and just north of Beacon Drive. The second case involves a request from North Bend and Coos Bay to reduce the speed limit on U.S. 101 from 45 mph to 35 mph between Stanton Avenue and Hemlock Avenue.
Testimony will be heard from applicants, ODOT, and members of the public.
Decisions about speed zones in Oregon are generally made jointly by ODOT and local road authorities after an investigation by ODOT, which occurs when requested by a city or county. If both parties agree on a recommended speed, it is established as law. When there is no agreement, the matter goes before the Speed Zone Review Panel for a final decision. The panel also acts as an advisory body to ODOT.
The panel includes representatives from several organizations: “the Governor’s Transportation Safety Committee, the Oregon State Police, the Association of Oregon Counties, the League of Oregon Cities, and ODOT.”
The Speed Zone Review Panel does not meet regularly but convenes when there are requests for changes—typically two or three times per year. This December session marks its second meeting of 2025; it previously met in September.
More information about Oregon’s Speed Zone Review Panel can be found on its official website: https://www.oregon.gov/odot/Safety/Pages/Speed-Zone-Review-Panel.aspx
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