Questioning Numbers & Pedal to the Metal

Questioning Numbers & Pedal to the Metal. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report.

Oregon has been looking at the possibility of raising the speed limit to 75mph on most interstate highways but Washington State's legislature has passed a bill that would bump the speed from 70 to 75 in areas that are deemed safe for that speed. The legislature passed the bill with seven senators and 19 representatives voted against the bill. If the governor sign the bill it would be 90 days before it would take effect. Oregon currently has a speed limit of 65 so an increase to 75 there would be a major change. Rural roads would remain as posted. Senator Curtis King:

KING: It's a simple bill. It authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to raise the maximum speed limit on a state highway to 75mph. If you've ever travelled between Ellensburg and Spokane I can tell you that I believer there are places that that would be appropriate.

Not everyone was in favor of the change. Senator Marko Liias.

LIIAS: We know that speeding and impaired driving are the two leading causes of traffic fatalities on our highways. I think that encouraging higher speeds will unfortunately lead to more fatal collisions.

Idaho officials are being accused of overestimating the number of wolves in the state. The Center for Biological Diversity says the number of breeding wolves in the the state is 26 while the state is estimating 770 wolves and they say that number is low and claim the the number is well above the minimum 15 breeding pairs and 150 wolves required before action needs to be taken.

That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West.