BATON ROUGE, La. — Drivers traveling U.S. 165 through Richwood, located in Louisiana’s Ouachita Parish, will notice reduced speed limits along a portion of the route. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announced the new limits, along with additional safety measures being implemented, on June 29.
The speed limit on U.S. 165 from Richwood Road to just south of the U-Pull-It Auto Parts has been reduced from 65 mph to 55 mph. In addition, the school-zone speed limit in the area has been lowered from 45 mph to 40 mph.
“It can’t be reiterated enough that the safety of our roadways is top priority for all types of road users,” said Shawn Wilson, DOTD Secretary. “These corridor enhancements are an important improvement, but we continue to urge motorists, pedestrians, and other road users to remember that safety is a shared responsibility among all of us.”
Overhead signs warning motorists of the possible presence of pedestrians have also been installed in the area. The southbound sign is located just south of Louisiana State Highway 15, and the northbound sign is located south of Charleston Drive.
“I’m glad to see that many of the safety measures have been put into place, and that the street lighting project continues to move forward. The safety of our citizens is of utmost importance, and I continue to support bringing the lighting project to construction as quickly as possible, said Louisiana state Sen. Katrina Jackson (D-34).
To further improve safety, a traffic signal will soon be installed at the intersection of U.S. 165 and Richwood Road No. 2, just north of Richwood Junior High School. This change comes as the result of a required traffic signal study performed for this location.
According to a statement released by DODT, design plans continue to progress for a new street lighting system to be constructed on U.S. 165 in Richwood from Winnsboro Road to Charleston Drive, a little more than 3.5 miles of roadway. Currently, the project is scheduled to go to bid in May 2022.
These changes are being implemented following in-depth data analysis of crash history and other factors for this particular section of U.S. 165, which is a busy thoroughfare for both motorists and pedestrians, DODT says. The targeted measures are aimed at improving safety for both motorists and pedestrians.
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