ALBANY (AP) - The Legislature has given Oregonians the green light to drive 70 mph, but it's still uncertain if Gov. Ted Kulongoski and the state Department of Transportation will change that to red.

The governor has gone on vacation without signing the speed limit bill. If he eventually signs, the bill would take effect Jan. 1.

House Bill 2661 allows transportation officials to raise the posted speed for cars on interstate highways to 70 mph based on engineering studies and traffic investigations. The speed limit for trucks would be 65 mph.

Edward L. Fischer, the state traffic engineer, said he will examine several factors, such as crash records, before he changes any posted speed limits.

He said there have been discussions in the department that other things should also be considered - the main one being the level of enforcement available.

Based on readings from automatic traffic counters, Fischer says the average speed on Interstate 84 between 65 and 70 mph, and on Interstate 5 it's 65 to 72 mph.

On I-5, 85 percent of drivers go 75 mph or below, with just 15 percent exceeding 75 mph. When the freeways were built in the 1960s, they were designed for a speed of 70 miles an hour.

"If people know they are getting away now with 70 and 75, if we go out and change it to 70, are we giving them the message that it's OK to go faster?" Fischer said.

He is concerned that higher speeds will cause more deaths.

The bill passed by the Legislature also allows the department to change freeway speeds in urban areas, where the limit now is 55 mph.

Fischer said 60 mph might be a more reasonable limit in Eugene and Salem, where I-5 has six lanes or more.