The speed limit is being increased on Highway 49 between McKnight Way and Sacramento Street from 55 to 60 miles per hour.  Caltrans spokesperson Rochelle Jenkins says the new speed limit signs have already been posted and the reason for the change is that every two years Caltrans is required to do a traffic study of the prevailing speed of traffic  on state roadways and adjust the posted speed limit accordingly.
click to hear Rochelle Jenkins
Jenkins says the speed limit could have been increased as high as  65 miles per hour but the majority of drivers were not going that fast on the highway.  She says Highway 20 past Sacramento street will remain at 50 miles per hour as that was the prevailing speed on that stretch of the highway.