News Release

St. Paul, Minnesota – “The HEAT is on” officials from the Minnesota Departments of Transportation and Public Safety announced today. HEAT (highway enforcement of aggressive traffic) is a new statewide speed management program designed to better control speeding, increase safety on state roadways and remind drivers that the posted speed limit is the speed limit.

HEAT is supported by $2.5 million in federal funding for speed limit enforcement on state roadways for one year — translating into nearly 1,400 hours per week of additional enforcement across the state.

Additionally, the speed limit on 930 miles of state highways will increase from 55 mph to 60 mph.

“The program’s goal is to make Minnesota’s roadways safer,” said Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation. “The funding means law enforcement will have more resources to rein in drivers who speed. We want to remind motorists that the posted speed limit is the speed limit and that the HEAT is on.

Engineering shows that the 5 mph speed limit increase on these specific highways will foster consistent speeds and help motorists operate more safely.”

Traffic analysis shows that drivers currently travel anywhere from 55 mph to more than 65 mph on these highways, a spread that poses a safety hazard.

"Increased enforcement of traffic laws on our roads increases public safety for all," said Michael Campion, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. "Illegal and unsafe speeding is as dangerous and costly as impaired driving and not wearing seat belts. It is not acceptable and will not be tolerated."

"To be effective and with as large a scope as possible, law enforcement at local, county and state levels are working in close coordination in this effort," he said. "Ultimately, motorists need to drive responsibly at the posted speed."

Mn/DOT will study the effect of the increased enforcement and increased speed limit over the next year according to Bernie Arseneau, director of Mn/DOT’s Office of Traffic, Safety and Operations.

"Mn/DOT and DPS are partnering with the University of Minnesota to thoroughly evaluate the program,” he said. “We are measuring before- and after-data on actual speeds of vehicles, number of citations issued and number of serious crashes. In addition, we will conduct market research to determine the effect of the enforcement on the perception of motorists relative to safety and driver behavior."

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