 Speed limits on Highway 371 between Niswa and Cast Lake are increasing. The Minnesota Department of Transportation announced today that the speed limit on that stretch of highway will go up to 60 miles per hour. It's currently 55 miles per hour. The speed increase is based on a traffic and engineering study which looked at past crash rates, physical attributes of the highway, such as shoulder widths and access points, and an analysis of current driving speeds. The new speed limit takes effect when the new signs are posted. Speed limits lower than 55 miles per hour along Highway 371 will remain unchanged. In 2014, the Minnesota Legislature directed MnDOT to evaluate its two-lane, two-way, 55 mile per hour highways to determine whether speed limits could be reasonably and safely increased. The statewide study will end in 2019. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.