Casper City Council Approves Restoring 30 mph E. Second Street Speed Limit

It seemed like a good idea earlier this year, but lowering the speed limit on East Second Street from the hospital to downtown didn’t have the desired results, city officials said Tuesday.

“If it’s not reducing accidents, it’s not the answer,” Casper City Council member Khrystyn Lutz said at a work session.

The speed limit on East Second Street east of the Wyoming Medical Center to Conwell Street was 30 mph, lowered to 20 mph to South McKinley Street, and then back up to 30 mph to Park Street before entering downtown, which is 20 mph.

City Engineer Andrew Beamer said the default speed limit in the city is 30 mph, with some exceptions such as downtown, school zones and around the campus of the Wyoming Medical Center. Those areas are 20 mph.

But East Second Street seemed problematic.

In March, several council members recommended lowering the speed limit to a consistent 20 mph on East Second Street from McKinley to downtown in part to reduce accidents.

Council member Mike Huber said he advocated 20 mph because the changing speed limits -- what he called a "yo-yo" effect -- seemed to him to be an invitation for law enforcement to set up speed traps.

The City Council approved the change to 20 mph.

That decision was met with howls of protest on social media sites.

Unhappy motorists voiced their displeasure to council members.

And it apparently didn't reduce accidents, either, according to reports from Police Chief Keith McPheeters and Beamer.

Tuesday, council members tentatively approved to set the speed limit at 30 mph speed limit from the Wyoming Medical Center to Park Street just before downtown.

Residents also have raised questions about speed limits in other areas of the city.

The council approved raising the speed limit to 40 mph from 30 mph on King Boulevard through the former Amoco refinery site, now known as the Platte River Commons.

Beamer said no one drives the designated 30 mph on King Boulevard anyway, so raising it wouldn't affect anything.

The council also decided to keep the speed limit on 30 mph at 13th and Maple streets.