Speed limit cut on McKenzie Highway

The Oregon Department of Transportation and the state Highway Commission have agreed to a temporary two-year speed zone where the McKenzie Highway passes Sisters Middle/High School. The speed in the new zone will be 40 miles per hour.

"Once it's started there will be quite a bit of police presence to convince people we're serious," said Steve Wilson, an ODOT traffic operations supervisor. Wilson said the new
speed zone should take effect in October.

Such a significant reduction on a stretch of highway outside a city limits requires special action by the highway commission, Wilson said.

The school requested the reduction, with the support of the City of Sisters. Wilson said the highway commission took into account the special circumstances along the highway -- particularly the location of the school -- in allowing the reduction.

"I can't just arbitrarily go out and put up any speed I want," Wilson said. "There's rules that have to be followed."

The effectiveness of the new speed zone will be evaluated every six months. If the speed zone is effective, the two-year experiment may become permanent.