161 miles of state freeway segments to be posted at 70 mph

Signs boosting the speed limit on about 161 miles of Wisconsin freeway will go up beginning this week, state traffic officials said.

Two stretches of road in Dane County are part of the nine areas total to get the new 70 mph signs posted, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation said Tuesday morning.

Twenty-two miles of Highway 151 from Sun Prairie at interstate 39 to Columbus at Highway 73 will have speed limits lifted from 65 mph to 70 mph, according to a news release. Nine miles of Highway 14 from the Beltline to the Highway 138 interchange will also be part of the update.

The other areas to get the signs are parts of state highways 29 and 57 in Brown County; Highway 12 in Walworth County; Highway 45 in Washington County; Highway 16 in Waukesha County; Highway 53 in Chippewa and Barron counties; and Highway 29 in Chippewa County.

Much of the work on the multilane non-interstate freeway segments chosen by the DOT is is expected to be completed this week, except areas where construction activity is wrapping up and will be completed soon, the DOT said.

The DOT said state legislation increased the speed limit to 70 mph along interstate segments previously posted at 65 mph. The bill passed the Senate and Assembly on voice votes earlier in the year, and Gov. Scott Walker signed the bill on May 20.