A stretch of Interstate 10 in Southeastern Arizona just got its speed limit reduced to a decidedly non-interstate speed — and blowing dust is to blame.
I-10 between Bowie and San Simon now carries a speed limit of 45 mph, down from 75 mph, the Arizona Department of Transportation and Department of Public Safety announced last week.
ADOT and DPS officials also said they'll be closing the highway more quickly during dust storms, to prevent more crashes like several that occurred last month. None was fatal, but one left a driver with serious injuries.
Officials said they're looking into who owns the land along this stretch of I-10 so they can pursue measures to keep the dust from getting airborne. Until then, drivers will simply have to slow down on the roughly 20-mile segment of the interstate.
This is a good time to review the principles of ADOT's "Pull Aside, Stay Alive" campaign, intended to help motorists stay safe when they're caught in a dust storm. Of course, it's best to avoid dust storms altogether, but if it's too late for that, slow down and pull off the highway (completely exit the highway if you can). Don't stop in a travel lane or an emergency lane. Turn off all vehicle lights, set your emergency brake, and take your foot off the brake. And stay in your vehicle, with your seat belt buckled, until the dust storm has passed.