Residents press for lower construction speeds; TxDOT points to state rules and enforcement limits

"Why has it not been reduced to 30, 35 miles an hour to slow the traffic down?" asked David Schmitz, who emphasized safety for new drivers and residents during construction.

Jennifer Aboster and a TxDOT district representative responded that speed limits on state roadways are governed by the Texas Administrative Code and are set after a speed study measuring the 85th-percentile speed of drivers. "It's the most boring thing ever, but the Texas administrative code sets how TxDOT sets speed limits," a district official said, adding that studies can result in higher, unchanged, or lowered posted speeds and that visible enforcement by city police is often required for compliance.

TxDOT said it will review crash and speed data for the corridor and can perform a study if the City of Parker requests it; the agency cautioned that merely posting a lower limit without enforcement often does not change driving behavior.