The Texas Department of Transportation has begun work to remove the 65-mile per hour nighttime speed limit and all truck speed limit signs on Lubbock District roadways.

House Bill 1353, which took effect on September 1, eliminated the 65-mile per hour nighttime speed limit and all truck speed limits on Texas roadways.

"This week, contractors began removing 950 nighttime and 1050 truck and truck nighttime speed signs in the Lubbock District's 17 county area," said Doug Eichorst, P.E., Lubbock District Engineer. "This should be a relatively fast moving operation and we anticipate that it will take approximately four weeks to remove all the signs in our district."

Work crews began the sign removals in the district's northern counties, and will work their way south. Motorists are asked to drive with caution through the various work zones, be on the lookout for workers and avoid distractions for their own safety and the safety of the workers, Eichorst added.

HB 1353 legislation has also allowed TxDOT to create a 75-mile per hour speed limit on any state highway found to be reasonable and safe through a speed study. TxDOT will be reviewing existing 70-mile per hour speed limits to determine where a 75-mile per hour speed limit may be safely posted. The complete evaluation of the state highway system and posting of all new 75-mile per hour speed limits should be complete by early 2013.