The Idaho Senate has voted 26-9 in favor of HB 619a, which removes from Idaho cities the ability to set local speed limits where state highways pass through town. The bill, now headed to Gov. Butch Otter's desk, reverses legislation passed several years ago to give cities that ability.

Senate Transportation Chairman Jim Hammond, R-Coeur d'Alene, said, “Because it's small communities this affects, they don't have the staffing to do the engineering studies … to do this kind of work. So it's really better for ITD to do that.” He said the Idaho Transportation Department would work with cities on the limits.

But Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, said, “I was part of the effort to pass it many moons ago, in direct response to ITD not being helpful to cities, especially in areas in rural Idaho where the state highways go right through the middle of your town and in some cases residential areas. I'm hopeful that ITD has gotten more responsive. But quite frankly, in my view it tips the balance right back to where we were before. I'm not someone who enjoys a speed trap or slowing down unnecessarily. But at the same time, I'm not sure that this is the right answer.”

Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, said there's a seven-mile stretch of highway between Picabo and Carey that's 55 mph, though the whole rest of his trip home to eastern Idaho from Boise is 65 mph, and he suggested there's no good reason for the difference. Other senators said there are some cities that have extended their speed zones far further than needed.

Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise,  told the Senate, “Of all the things that we give local governments control over, perhaps the speed at which people travel through their towns might be one of them. I'll be voting no.”