Colorado Senate Bill 196 takes effect today, requiring truckers driving on Interstate 70 to start moving over for faster traffic. The law also requires trucks in left lanes going up hills with grades of 6 percent or more to drive not less than the minimum speed posted, or if there is no minimum, not less than 10 mph below the regular posted speed.
The new law prohibits state Department of Transportation officials from setting a speed limit for trucks that is more than 25 mph lower than the regular speed limit. In some stretches of I-70, the speed limit for trucks is as much as 30 mph lower than the regular limit.
Taken together, the new requirements are likely to speed trucks up some and get them out of the far left lane more often on mountainous stretches of I-70. Hopefully this will help traffic flow, thus reducing dangerous manuveurs by cars – or it could simply increase the speed of the tractor trailers.
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