Well, it’s official. Between here and the Canadian border, the speed limit for a couple of miles of Interstate 5 in the Burlington area — between the Skagit River Bridge and the Chuckanut Drive interchange in Skagit County — is now 60 mph, reduced from 70. New speed-limit signs were unveiled Friday.

The reduced speed extends an existing 60-mph zone an extra 2 miles from neighboring Mount Vernon, where it’s been 60 mph for some time.

The state Transportation Department says the speed reduction should improve safety in an area that has experienced significant population growth. The state posted 60-mph speed-limit signs in October, but it temporarily covered them over with black plastic after the state determined that the change had been made without a proper public-comment process. That environmental review has since been completed.