Tim Leeds Havre Daily News tleeds@havredailynews.com
The Montana Department of Transportation announced today that a new night-time speed limit has been approved for Beaver Creek Highway. Mike MacDonald, Havre area maintenance chief for MDT, said the Montana Highway Commi s s ion approved implementing a 35 mph night-time speed limit for the period cattle are grazing in the park, from the day after Labor Day to the end of December. The new speed limit is intended to reduce the number of car-cow collisSions in the park. MDT reported last week that six collisions occurred this year since cattle were put in the park. MacDonald said MDT crews will be on the park Monday putting up the new night-time speed limit signs, which will be removed after the grazing period. A large message board will be placed just south of Havre warning drivers of the new night-time speed limit, he said. MacDonald said he has visited with the Montana Highway Patrol and the Hill County Sheriff’s office, and was told that law enforcement patrolling the park will have a grace period for a few weeks when they issue warnings until drivers are used to the new speed limit. After that, the officers will issue tickets to people violating the speed limit.
