A few months after the speed limit was raised from 65 to 70 mph on certain stretches of Iowa interstates, an Iowa Department of Transportation report shows almost no change in the average speed of traffic.

“It’s really kind of what we expected to see,” Tim Crouch, state traffic engineer, told The Quad-City Times.

The higher speeds have been in effect since July. Through the end of September, the average speed on rural interstates was 71.86 mph, up from 71.5 mph for the same time period a year ago.

The average speed on rural stretches of Interstates 29, 35, 80 and 380 was collected from on-road sensors.

From July through September this year, 67 percent of drivers exceeded the 70 mph limit. In 2004, 88 percent exceeded the 65 mph limit.

Supporters of the higher limit – who said it would help ensure more vehicles on the road travel at similar speeds – took the report’s findings in stride.

“I didn’t think there would be any wild swings in behavior,” Sen. Jeff Danielson, D-Waterloo, told The Times.

Danielson, however, cautioned it is too early to make any sweeping arguments about the effect of changing the speed limit.

“This is just a three-month window and three months does not a trend make,” Danielson said.

As the bill moved through the House and Senate this spring, opponents contended the higher limit would lead to more accidents and lower fuel mileage. State officials told the newspaper it will take years of accident data to make any conclusion about the safety of the higher limit.