ATHENA — The Oregon Department of Transportation lowered a posted speed limit along the Oregon-Washington Highway (Oregon Highway 11) near Athena due to recent crash history and safety concerns, according to a press release on Friday, Dec. 4.

The posting, which sits between mileposts 16.18 near Pambrun Road and 17.80 near Banister Road, was lowered from its previous speed of 55 miles per hour to 50.

The previous posted speed limit was raised in 2017 to match the speed of the rest of the route. Since that change, eight accidents have been reported and “numerous near misses observed.”

Dense traffic on the highway lead to crashes as drivers swerve on and off the highway, according to the press release.

“We performed another speed study of the area,” ODOT Traffic Investigator Rick Stanton said. “Based on that information and safety concerns we’ve adjusted the speed limit back to what it used to be. Our goal is to improve safety on the state’s transportation system, and we believe this will help do that along this stretch of (Highway) 11.”