Most places worry about speed limits on blacktop and gravel. On Lake Minnetonka, the debate is over how fast people should drive on ice.
The emergence of an icy, temporary transportation system on Minnesota's lakes is a standard feature of winter here. As soon as the ice gets thick enough, that straight shot across the lake or out to the ice house holds real allure.
For years, vehicles of all kinds have been able to go 50 miles per hour by day and 30 mph at night on most of Minnetonka. But closer to shore, they could go only 15 mph, and only to get to the main part of the lake.
Starting this year, as soon as the lake freezes at least 12 inches thick and ice roads are created, drivers on Lake Minnetonka will be able to hit the gas a little harder in places where the rules have been slowing them down: motorists and snowmobilers can now drive 25 miles per hour close to shore and near people and ice houses -- 10 mph faster than before. Snowmobilers will be able to go 50 mph at night as well as day.
Even at that, Minnetonka puts the brakes on ice driving more than most parts of the state. There is no speed limit on most lakes for cars and trucks, although drivers can be cited for reckless driving.
The changes on Minnetonka were made to simplify speed limits and to make the rules more consistent with state law, which sets a 50-mph limit for snowmobiles on all lakes except those in areas with local ordinances, said Greg Nybeck, executive director of the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District.
Not everyone is a fan of lake ice as a wintry speedway.
Lt. Steve Hartig of the Hennepin County Sheriff's Water Patrol, while declining to comment on Minnetonka's changes, was blunt about motoring on ice: "I will never tell anybody to go and drive on the ice. We don't recommend it."