Speed limits across the US are on the rise! Up-to-date state-to-state info & news...

rotarykid

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380 miles now posted @ 80 in Utah

I am always amazed when I need to go 75mph on I-15 (65mph posted limit) in Utah County just to keep up with traffic and there are still cars flying past me. I think the 80mph zones are good though, a lot of people already go that fast and this will just get everybody up closer to the same speed.
I did a little research so if I did my math right there are now ~380 miles today(40 more miles of 80 zones have been added since this was written) with the new & old 80 zones added together.

this breaks down to;

A total of ~200 miles posted today @ 80 mph on I-15. It breaks down on I-15 to ~166 miles south of Salt Lake starting at Santaquin with a couple of short slower stretches mixed in.

The three areas south of Santaquin on I-15 with a lower limit are ~5 miles through Cedar City, a ~7 miles stretch 5 miles south of the I-70 junction & a ~9 mile stretch in the Old Fort Cove area 3 miles north of the I-70 junction Both areas in the I-70 junction region are where the freeway goes over a mountain pass. And north of Salt Lake ~34 uninterrupted miles north of Brigham City, ~13 miles of this stretch are I-15/I-84 shared freeway.

A total of ~53 miles( 13 miles shared ) with a 40 miles on I-84 in a uninterrupted stretch from the split off of I-15 to the Idaho border.

A total of a little more than ~99 miles on I-80 west of Salt Lake in one long stretch along side the great salt lake & the great salt desert.

There are some stretches of I-70 that UDOT has already studied and concluded could safely see the increase to 80 mph but are not currently allowed under the law today. Before the current law was passed UDOT had made plans for a couple of "test stretches" on I-70 that could see the increase next year. These plans were introduced under the law that allowed the test stretches on I-15 before the current law that allowed the statewide increase. For anything other than test stretches, for a limit increase to be allowed on where ever it is safe on I-70 a change in law is required.


I really hope having a 80 posted limit up against the Nevada border will apply pressure to state government to next year pass a increase to the posted limit.

And I am also hoping that having drivers from bordering states experiencing hundreds of miles safely & legally traveling @ 80+ mph will have a positive effect on Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, & Colorado state governments to push for a region wide increase! ..........
 
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rotarykid

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Arrow Ohio DOT to increase limit 9/29/2013 on 607 miles of Ohio & US routes

ODOT to increase limit 9/29/2013 on 607 miles of Ohio & US routes under the law signed 6/30/2013.

A couple of major freeways that will have major impact on travel across the state getting the increase to 70 are Ohio 2 west of the I-90 split and most of Ohio 11 from Lake Erie down to Wheeling WV. Along with several long stretches of US highways that are built to freeway spec across the state. It is going to be hard for neighboring states to keep their under posted limits once their drivers start to see how safe & comfortable it is to legally drive 70 mph on freeways that they use like Ohio 11 which is a major North /South route in region along the border of Pennsylvania.

odot said:
COLUMBUS - Drivers will see higher speed limits starting Sunday on some sections of U.S. and state routes in Ohio.

The Ohio Department of Transportation will increase speed limits on 607 miles of roadway, according to an ODOT press release. This marks the second time this year speed limits have increased following new legislation passed earlier this year by the Ohio General Assembly.

The speed limit on rural divided highways will increase to 60 miles per hour, affecting nearly 194 miles of roadway. Rural expressways without traffic control signals will limit speeds to 65 miles per hour on 15 miles of roadway. Drivers will be able to travel up to 70 miles per hour on rural freeways - a change coming to 398 miles of roadway.

Updating highway signs will cost ODOT $114,845 in production, according to the press release. ODOT will replace 580 signs while 520 will be updated using overlays that cover part of the existing speed limit sign. Installation for most of the signs should be completed by Friday, Oct. 4.

On July 1, speed limits increased from 65 to 70 miles per hour on 570 miles of rural Ohio interstates. Drivers were already allowed to travel 70 miles per hour on the entire Ohio Turnpike.

For regional maps highlighting the speed limit changes, click here .
 

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70 on the PA turnpike will be nice, although PA has issues with work zones and signage. On my recent trip on the PA turnpike, I found 40 and 55 MPH work zone speed limit signs right next to each other, END WORK ZONE signs immediately followed by more work zone speed limit signs, some signs covered while others weren't, etc. PA's road crews need to study up on how to properly sign their work zones - all of the confusion leads to people not paying attention to the work zone speed limits.
 

rotarykid

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70 on the PA turnpike will be nice, although PA has issues with work zones and signage. On my recent trip on the PA turnpike, I found 40 and 55 MPH work zone speed limit signs right next to each other, END WORK ZONE signs immediately followed by more work zone speed limit signs, some signs covered while others weren't, etc. PA's road crews need to study up on how to properly sign their work zones - all of the confusion leads to people not paying attention to the work zone speed limits.

Apparently after a little more research on this I found that this is the third time in recent years that a increase was put forward for discussion in the legislature.

It looks like last year's effort died with leaders calling for more study on the issue. The pro-tem mentioned this in an interview stating in response, that he now had the required data to quell the concerns brought up during last years try to get the increase passed... If this passes to become law NY will have a hard time not following suit.

In recent years I have been required to drive across the region. 75-80 mph seems to be the norm across every state in the region. I hate the fact that it is such a crapshoot in PA & NY travel when it comes to them enforcing a limit we all know is a bad joke. the game today of "Am I going to be the one they decide to pick out of the crowd traveling safely where the limit should be, but is not.... comes to mind!

With the arbitrary politically posted limit max today being 65, a speed that is 10-15 mph low it really is not safe to even try to go that slow on most of the highways/freeways in the region. Raising the limit even 5 mph will not fix this but it will make this not as much of an issue. A posted 70 limit will at least raise the actual limit threshold to a point where traveling the safe speed today of ~75-80 does not pose as much of a risk of getting a ticket like today with the limit poste @ 65 does......

something else I found with research was that Pennsylvania had a 70 limit from 1941 to 1966. But it was dropped to 65 in 1966 until 1974 when the NMSL went into effect.....
 
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rotarykid

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Unlimited speed coming back to 200km (~125miles) of the NT of Australia

Unlimited coming back in February 2014 to a 200km(~125miles) of the NT Australia Stuart highway.

It is funny no matter where a limit increase is considered there are always the same groups fighting it.




ROAD safety groups, the police union and Royal Australasian College of Surgeons will call on the commonwealth to block the Northern Territory's return to open speed limits, which experts say will increase road deaths and encourage hooning.

The Territory government yesterday announced starting in February 2014 plans for a no-limit trial on a 200km section of the Stuart Highway north of Alice Springs as a first step to opening up other areas, but was unable to provide any evidence in support of its supposedly "evidence-based" approach.

NT Minister for Transport Peter Styles refused to release four taxpayer-funded reports that informed the decision, and would not reveal if any had found increasing speed limits would improve road safety or recommended removing them.

Some motoring enthusiasts welcomed the change, arguing it could attract vehicle testers and tourists to boost the struggling central Australian economy. Alice Springs businessman Scott Anderson, who owns three high-performance vehicles, including a Ferrari 355 with a top speed of 295km/h, said open speed limits would allow motorists to enjoy different types of vehicles.

"If you are limited to 130km/h it becomes fatiguing, and people risk probably not focusing on what they're doing," he said. "Open speed limits are an excellent idea."

But president of the Police Federation of Australia and NT Police Association, Vince Kelly, joined a chorus of voices calling for the plan to be stopped.

"What they are doing is putting a legal framework in place that encourages people to act foolishly," Mr Kelly said. "It just seems to me that politics in the NT is once again being put ahead of sensible public policy."

Open speed limits were scrapped in 2007 by the Territory Labor government in return for an increase in commonwealth funding. The Country Liberal Party promised a review of the decision, ahead of last year's Territory election, which it won.

Pedestrian Council of Australia chief executive Harold Scruby said the announcement breached the Territory's obligations under the UN Decade of Action on Road Safety, and promised to lodge an official complaint.
"It's government by hillbilly," Mr Scruby said. "They will have blood on their hands."

The Territory's fatal accident rate is three times the national average, and studies have shown a direct link between speed and fatality. Mr Scruby and Mr Kelly called on the commonwealth to withhold road funding and force the Territory government to alter its plans.



A spokesman for federal Infrastructure Minister Warren Truss did not respond to questions.

David Read, NT representative of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons' trauma committee, said the present 130km/h limit was already a "massive compromise", and that his organisation would also lobby the federal government.

Motor Vehicle Enthusiasts Club NT president Peet Menzies said he had no concerns about safety and welcomed news of the change. "These days you can buy a vehicle for a reasonable price that would probably do 300km/h. I dare say some people would like to come here and try that," he said.

"It's not as if you're driving on a southern road: it's the north and the number of cars is significantly less."

Founder of the Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party, Keith Littler, said anybody who had driven in the Territory would know its wide open spaces were "conducive to fatigue".

Mr Styles denied removing speed limits was reducing regulation, arguing instead the open limits gave people a "choice to be responsible". "If all goes well then the government will consider its options as to opening up other sections of the road to open speed limits," he said.

NT opposition transport spokesman Gerry McCarthy said the public deserved to see the evidence the cabinet had relied upon in reaching such a controversial decision.
 

rotarykid

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The fight over whether the freeways around chicago & St Louis will see 70 on freeways begins this week!

exert from a couple of articles said:
Illinois' new speed limit law hits bump in road


Provision that lets select counties keep speeds lower than 70 mph creates confusion over which interstates are covered in change

A little more than two months from now, drivers will be able to motor down Illinois interstates at 70 mph.

There's only one snag: It's unclear which interstates.

Bewilderment has surfaced over a bill Gov. Pat Quinn signed in August, against the recommendations of the Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police and road safety organizations, that authorizes higher speed limits on rural interstates starting Jan. 1. The legislation also allows the six counties in the Chicago area and two in the St. Louis area to set their own interstate speed limit.A little more than two months from now, drivers will be able to motor down Illinois interstates at 70 mph.


But the bill's primary sponsor, Sen. Jim Oberweis, R-Sugar Grove, said the law needs clarity.


"There is some confusion," Oberweis said, "but I just want to make it clear our bill covers all interstates and all tollways throughout the state of Illinois, period. This idea that somehow there are urban areas that are not included is just totally wrong."
The situation creates the somewhat unsettling prospect of 70 mph speed limits on the Dan Ryan Expressway or on heavily traveled suburban stretches of Interstate 88, not that those speeds are rare even with 55 mph limits. Oberweis is meeting with transportation officials next week to untangle the issues.

Language in the new law seems clear. "The maximum speed limit outside an urban district ... is 70 miles per hour on any interstate highway," the statute reads. It goes on to say that the state can set 65 mph speed limits on four-lane, divided roads if the Department of Transportation determines that speed is appropriate.

The legislation also states that Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, Madison, McHenry, St. Clair and Will counties may set speed limits lower than 70 mph on "highways, roads and streets."

But county officials in the Chicago area said they never were empowered to change speed limits on interstates running through their counties and they aren't planning on starting now.

"We will work with the Board of Commissioners to determine whether opting out is the best and safest course of action," Cook County spokesman Owen Kilmer said, adding that "an initial review of roads under our jurisdiction suggests few would be impacted." Speed limits on many county-owned and -maintained roads are 45 mph, Kilmer said.

A spokeswoman for Will County Executive Lawrence Walsh had a slightly different view. A county has jurisdiction over county highways only, Anastasia Tuskey said, and "we cannot alter the speed limit on state highways."
The county's transportation experts say other laws prohibit counties from opting out of speed limits set on interstates.

Added DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin: "I'm advised by our state's attorney and the DuPage Department of Transportation that (the law) doesn't affect us."

Oberweis said he hopes meetings with the Illinois Department of Transportation next week will lead to a clearer understanding.

In the meantime, IDOT is expected to spend $150,000 to $200,000 to replace an estimated 900 speed limit signs. The Illinois Tollway, which has said it plans to spend nearly $18,000 on new signs, is set to announce more detailed plans at the organization's board meeting Thursday.

But Illinois State Police spokeswoman Monique Bond indicated new speed limits won't alter enforcement.

"Our mission does not change," she said. "If motorists exceed any posted speed limits, they can expect to receive a warning or citation."

In 1987 Congress allowed states to raise limits to 65 mph on rural interstates. In 1995 all states were authorized to set their own speed limits.

Today 70 mph or higher is the speed limit on some portions of roads in 37 states, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports. Motorists are allowed to drive 80 mph on about 270 miles of rural interstates in Utah, and Texas has portions of roads where 80 and 85 mph are the posted speed limits.

Oberweis, whose family business is a dairy company with trucks on the highways, proposed the higher speed limit as what he called a "business-friendly" measure to help enterprises ship goods faster and as a way for all drivers to navigate interstates quicker.

It's a trend that has drawn dire responses from road safety organizations.

The insurance institute reports that a 2009 study showed a 3 percent increase in road fatalities from higher speed limits created since the 1995 repeal of the national speed limit. In the decade after the repeal, researchers estimated that 12,545 deaths in the U.S. resulted from higher speed limits.

The insurance institute also notes that 9,944 deaths — nearly a third of all U.S. motor vehicle fatalities in 2011 — occurred in speed-related crashes.
But Utah experienced the opposite effect on rural stretches of I-15, where an 80 mph speed limit went into effect in 2009. Engineers found reductions of 11 to 20 percent in the number of crashes on the highway since the higher speed limit was set.

Robert Hall, director of traffic and safety with the Utah Department of Transportation, said the new limits shrunk the speed differences among motorists traveling I-15 He also said the stretches already had low crash rates. Raising speed limits, he added, is best done strategically on portions of roads subjected to thorough traffic research.

"If they try to transfer those speeds to West Virginia interstates, for example, you probably would see significant differences from what we've seen," Hall said. "They (higher speed limits) are not applicable anywhere other than where they've been done here.
 

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We came into Ohio via I-33 - it was nice to see the new 70 MPH limit.
 

jackbombay

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It's great but the sections aren't very long. They could do quite a few more 80 mph sections then we currently have.
What I find annoying about the 80 mph sections in Utah is that they are broken up so much with 75 MPH so you really have to pay attention so you can make sure to slow down when the limit changes and not end up speeding unintentionally.

On my last trip to SLC I was happy to see some 80 MPH between SLC and the Idaho border though.
 

rotarykid

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What I find annoying about the 80 mph sections in Utah is that they are broken up so much with 75 MPH so you really have to pay attention so you can make sure to slow down when the limit changes and not end up speeding unintentionally.

On my last trip to SLC I was happy to see some 80 MPH between SLC and the Idaho border though.
I have been making that drive from SLC to Wendover with the cruise set @ ~85 for years, today just over 99 miles marked @ 80...

I really hope Nevada joins the party next year on their part of I-80 & I-15....
 

rotarykid

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NEW YORK joins in! Bill aims to raise NYS maximum speed limit to 75 mph

NEW YORK joins in the push to raise the speed limit!


Bill aims to raise NYS maximum speed limit to 75 mph

October 25, 2013


ALBANY – New York State would join the fast lane with many of the wide-open Western states if a Bronx lawmaker has his way and the state’s speed limit on highways is raised from 65 mph to 75 mph.

Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda, a freshman Democratic lawmaker, on Thursday introduced legislation that would have New York join 16 other states with speed limits of 75 mph. Nearly all with those higher limits are in the West, though Maine a couple of years ago raised its speed limit to 75 mph on a portion of Interstate 95.

The legislation, which does not have a Senate sponsor, would permit the state transportation commissioner to raise the speed limit to 75 mph on any interstate highway, including the Thruway, and permit 65 mph “for all or part of highways that are designated by the department, have at least four lanes of traffic and have a separation between the roadways moving in opposite directions.’’

The bill would permit counties to adopt their own lower limits on highways, roads and streets that would be below the maximum permitted by the new bill.

The Governors Highway Safety Association said 34 states have raised speed limits to 70 mph and higher since Congress repealed the national maximum speed limit in 1995.

Sepulveda’s bill is certain to be opposed by safety organizations, which have long argued that higher speeds lead to higher traffic death rates.
 

rotarykid

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In the coming 2014 NH legislative session the bill filing deadline was today(10/29).

For consideration in 2014,

A bill has been filed for increasing the speed limit on a portion of Route 101 to 70 miles per hour.

Another bill has been filed for increasing the speed limit on a portion of I-89 to 70 miles per hour.


NH Gov signs law allowing increase

Originally Posted by Hassan signs bill raising I-93 speed limit AP / July 2 said:
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Starting in January, drivers can go a little faster on parts of New Hampshire’s Interstate 93.

Gov. Maggie Hassan signed a bill into law Tuesday raising the speed limit effective Jan. 1 from 65 miles-per-hour to 70 miles-per-hour on I-93 from mile maker 45 between Exits 17 and 18 in Canterbury to the Vermont border. There’s an exception: the stretch through Franconia Notch.

Hassan encouraged drivers to obey the new limit and keep their safety in mind and the safety of others.

Lawmakers had considered and rejected raising the speed limit on other stretches of highway. The only increase approved was for the stretch of I-93 that Hassan agreed to on Tuesday.

‘‘We must always be cautious when considering speed-limit increases in order to maintain the safety of our citizens and of visitors using our highways,’’ Hassan said in a statement. ‘‘The limited nature of the 5 mile-per-hour speed-limit increase in a targeted region of the state, along with the overwhelming, bipartisan support for the measure, makes me comfortable with signing this measure into law, bringing the speed limit more in line with the habits of our rural travelers.’’
 

rotarykid

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Florida has joined in with a bill to raise to 75 on freeways

A bill will be introduced to raise the limit effective July 1,2014

Florida's speed limits could hit 75 mph under proposed legislation


The bill proposes new maximums of:

75 mph on interstates and other limited access highways (currently 70 mph)

70 miles per hour on four-lane divided highways outside of urban areas of at least 5,000 people (currently 65 mph)

65 miles per hour on any other road (currently 60 mph)...


ST. PETERSBURG, Florida - Two unlikely bedfellows are teaming up in a bipartisan effort to raise the speed limit on Florida's highways.

State Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, tells 10 News he'll file legislation Tuesday with State Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth, that would increase the maximum speed limit on Florida's interstates from 70 miles per hour (mph) to 75 mph. Brandes and Clemens argued opposing sides of 10 News' red light camera safety investigations earlier this year.

"Seventeen other states already allow speed limits above 70 (mph)," Brandes said, adding that many have shown decreases in accident rates. "It's time that Florida review its laws and we look to see if another five miles per hour will help Florida drivers get (to their destinations) a little quicker."

If the bill is signed into law {read it here}, no speed limits would change right away. But starting on July 1, 2014, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) could increase the speed limits on certain roadways if it determined a higher limit was "safe and advisable."
 

rotarykid

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70 law in PA one step away from becoming law..........

In PA a 70 mph limit law has passed in both houses now awaiting gov signature.

Once signed it will likely be some time next year before the limit increases anywhere in the state. Speed and safety studies will likely take a few months.

But once these studies are finished some time next year a list of places to see the higher limit and when it will go up will be released....

___________________________________________________________

Update Monday 11/25,- Gov Tom Corbett announces in interview on Sunday that he will sign the bill allowing a increase in speed limit to 70 mph where state DOT deems it can be done safely......

AP said:
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Tom Corbett plans to sign the bill (today) on Monday that allows the state's transportation secretary to increase speed limits from 65 mph to 70 mph on certain highways.

Highway officials are preparing to spend up to six months reviewing Pennsylvania's interstate system as they decide which areas are suitable for higher speeds.

The limit increases is part of the major transportation funding measure that Gov. Tom Corbett plans to sign Monday. A bill that was passed by both houses last week that allows the state's transportation secretary to increase speed limits from 65 mph to 70 mph on certain highways after speed & safety studies are performed.

PennDOT spokesman Richard Kirkpatrick tells the Tribune-Democrat of Johnstown that Pennsylvania has 700 signs posting the 65-mph limit. It costs $245 to replace each one.

The Pennsylvania AAA Federation doesn't oppose the move to 70 mph, as long as PennDOT adequately studies the safety impact. The Insurance Federation of Pennsylvania also doesn't oppose it.

Most states already have a top speed limit of 70 mph or higher
 
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VeeDubTDI

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In PA a 70 mph limit law has passed in both houses now awaiting gov signature.
Once signed it will likely be some time next year before the limit increases anywhere in the state. Speed and safety studies will likely take a few months. But once these studies are finished some time next year a list of places to see the higher limit and when it will go up will be released....
Finally! :cool:
 

rotarykid

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The head of PennDOT says "The Bar Is High For New PA 70 Mph Speed Limit"

The head of PennDOT says they will not raise shorter segments like 10 miles to 70 mph then back to 65. The limit will likely be raised to 70 mph on less than half of the state's interstates..

AP 10:30 am 11/25/2013 said:
,PA GOV has signed the transportation bill this morning that increases the maximum in the state from 65 to 70 mph.....

Gov. Tom Corbett has signed into law a bill that will provide $2.3 billion a year for improvements to Pennsylvania's highways, bridges and mass-transit systems.

In shivering temperatures, Corbett appeared this morning before dozens of local and state officials at a ceremony in the parking lot of a Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Spring Mills, along busy state Route 322, just outside State College

The Republican governor praised lawmakers for last week's bipartisan vote to approve the measure. He said there is ``barely a spot in Pennsylvania'' that will not benefit from the additional money that will be generated by higher gas taxes and motorist fees.

The governor and his entourage were flying to similar bill-signing events in the Philadelphia suburbs and Pittsburgh later in the day.

The bill will increase gas taxes and motorist fees to generate the additional revenue.

Most of the new money is earmarked for highways and bridges, and the administration says the first projects to be financed with it will likely be scattered across the state.
Philadelphia DEC 9 said:
The state transportation secretary says probably fewer than half of the miles on Pennsylvania’s Interstate highways are in line for the new 70 mile an hour speed limit.

The newly minted transportation law allows PennDOT Secretary Barry Schoch, after required safety studies, to raise the maximum speed limit.

But Schoch says for one thing, he won’t approve a 70 mile an hour speed limit for short stretches of the Interstates.

“We’re not going to go through and let it go up to 70 miles an hour for ten miles and then back down to 65. It’ll be for long stretches of segments of roadway,”Schoch says.

Schoch also says he does not intend to opt for the higher limit on Interstates in urban areas where the speed limit is 55.

The Turnpike Commission will decide what stretches of its roads are eligible for the higher speed limit.

A turnpike spokesman also says don’t expect the speed limit to jump to 70 for short stretches on its roads, but he says it is possible in urban areas where the roadway is six lanes, such as the main line in the Philadelphia area east of Valley Forge.
 

VeeDubTDI

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Good. PA already raises and lowers the speed limit randomly enough in work zones. They don't need to raise it for short sections. Pick a speed and stay with it.
 

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IL is finally getting with the program. 65 MPH was a joke.
 

rotarykid

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I don't know why the route numbers and legend did not come out on the picture?? Green lives are where the limit will go from 65 to 70, ....

Right now there seems to be a fight brewing with IDOT and the person the wrote the bill allowing the freeway increase over what the proper limit should be around Chicago.

New speed limit map leaves Chicago area in slow zone

State Sen. Jim Oberweis, who sponsored law lifting maximum, vows to push for upward adjustment



CHICAGO — There’s a battle raging between an Illinois state senator and the Illinois Department of Transportation on raising the speed limit to 70 mph on Illinois expressways — and Chicago’s expressways are ground zero.

A bill to increase the speed on expressways was signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn in August and is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1. But there seems to be some confusion about how the law should be interpreted when it comes to Chicago's expressways.
State Sen. Jim Oberweis (R-Sugar Grove), the law's sponsor, said Public Act 098-0511 is supposed to apply to all state expressways, including any that run through Chicago.

But IDOT, while allowing the speed limits on expressways in rural areas outside Chicago to increase from 65 to 70, is refusing to raise the posted speed limit on the Kennedy, Dan Ryan, Edens, Stevenson or Eisenhower expressways, according to documents obtained by DNAinfo Chicago.

“I think they are thwarting the will of the people and the intent of the law,” Oberweis said. “They are setting speed limits at a point where law-abiding motorists are going to cause an accident. Do you tell them to follow the law and risk an accident or break the law and be safer?”
But according to spokeswoman Jae Miller, IDOT is just following the law, and the agency has the authority to set the limit at any speed up to 70 mph and not just at the maximum.

"Illinois State law requires the department to establish reasonable and safe speed limits, and Public Act 098-0511 allows the maximum speed limits on Illinois interstates to be increased to 70 mph," said Miller.


James Walker, executive director of the driver advocacy organization National Motorists Association Foundation, said a higher speed limit set to established traffic engineering standards is a safer speed limit because it reduces conflicts between those drivers who follow the law and faster-moving motorists.

Armed with a speed gun and a pad of paper, Walker and fellow activist Steve Doner have been performing their own speed studies of area expressways. Based on their data, most drivers in free-flowing traffic are exceeding the posted 55 mph speed limit by 10 to 20 mph.


State Sen. Jim Oberweis is battling the Illinois Department of Transportation to implement 70 mph speed limits on Chicago expressways.

A new law raising the state's speed limit is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, but IDOT has said it won't raise the limit within city limits.


"It's a safety issue, and it's about fairness," Walker said. "How do you justify a posted speed limit that makes 91 to 99 percent of drivers defined as violators or criminals? How does this make any logical sense?"

Walker, Doner and Oberweis all point to a method used by most traffic engineers for determining speed limits, called the 85th percentile.
Traffic speed studies are conducted on roadways by sampling the speed of vehicles when there’s a free flow of traffic. According to this method, a speed limit set closest to the speed of 85 percent of the vehicles that are traveling on a stretch of roadway is safer than speed limits set above or below that number.

Miller said IDOT agrees with using the 85th percentile when establishing speed limits, but he believes other factors should be considered as well.
"If there are hazards of which the driver is unaware, this speed may be too high, and adjustment factors may need to be used," she said. "A safe speed limit is based on these additional considerations which may be applied due to various roadway and traffic conditions."

Oberweis scoffed at what he called the excuses IDOT has been giving him for not raising the speed limit and said IDOT is compromising safety by keeping speed limits on expressways at 55 mph.

“They [IDOT] want to adjust for how many exits there are and other factors," he said. “But in virtually all cases, the studies show the safest speed is the flow of traffic.”

Doner said the majority of accidents per mile don't occur on expressways but on streets with lower speeds.

"On a per-mile basis, expressways are safer to drive than all other roadways," Doner said.

Oberweis said the intent of the law is to raise the speed limit on every expressway in the state — including those within Chicago's city limits.

Oberweis has met with IDOT twice to try to work out a compromise on speed increases on Chicago expressways, but so far the agency has refused to budge. Despite his belief that the law calls for Chicago expressway speeds to be at 70 mph, Oberweis said he'd accept a 65 mph limit.

“We are still negotiating,” Oberweis said. “We are hoping to do it in a more friendly fashion, but we are not there yet. They’re only giving us 55 [mph], and I’m not satisfied with that."

While Oberweis is guardedly optimistic about a compromise with IDOT, he said if no progress is made, he’ll go back to Springfield and force IDOT to set the posted speed limit at 70. He points to the overwhelming majority votes this law got in both houses of the General Assembly, passing 44-6 in the Senate and 85-30 in the House — both veto-proof majorities.

“I’m hopeful that IDOT is in the process of reconsidering their position and hoping they come up with a compromise solution,” Oberweis said. “I think they're hoping this will go away — but it won't. If we don’t get any compromise, we’ll need to go back and get added legislation — short, simple, clarifying legislation saying the law applies in the Chicago area."

Nearly 90 percent of interstate highway miles in Illinois will have 70-mph speed limits starting Wednesday, state transportation officials announced Friday, but the sponsor of the law raising the limits is upset almost all existing posted speeds in the Chicago area will remain unchanged and he vowed to push for them to be higher.

Drivers on almost 1,900 of the state's nearly 2,170 miles of interstate will be able to travel at 70 mph instead of the existing speed limits, generally 65 along rural highways, after crews post the new speed limit signs — weather permitting — Jan. 2-17, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

But only about 30 percent of the Illinois Tollway's 286-mile network will get the higher speed limit, according to a map released by IDOT. And in the Chicago area, the 70-mph limit will be posted only on five fairly short stretches of interstate. Those are sections of I-80 and I-55 in Will County, a stretch of I-57 in far southern Cook County and all of Will County, a portion of the I-88 toll road in far western Kane County and part of the I-94 tollway in northern Lake County.

"It's unacceptable," said State. Sen. Jim Oberweis, R-Sugar Grove, who sponsored the bill that Gov. Pat Quinn signed into law in August. Oberweis said he was upset that IDOT, which had the authority to draw up the speed limit map, left unchanged the 55-mph speed limit across virtually all of the Chicago region. "They're putting law-abiding citizens into danger."
"It's quite clear" that 85 percent of vehicles are traveling at 70 mph or faster on almost all expressways, Oberweis said, and that the variation between the 55-mph legal limit and 70-mph higher speed is a significant factor in crashes. Oberweis, who is running for U.S. Senate, owns a family dairy company that runs trucks on the highways.

The IDOT map was released two weeks after a Chicago Tribune analysis showed the actual speed limit — the point at which most motorists are ticketed on interstates in the six-county Chicago region — is about 80 mph. Earlier Tribune research showed 9 of 10 cars on the tollway disregard and exceed the 55-mph speed limit. The average speed in those stretches was 66-70 mph, Tribune research found.

"It's just clear that they (IDOT) are disregarding the will of the people." Oberweis said, adding that the interstates are designed to handle vehicles traveling 70 mph and speed limits were set at that level before the federal government imposed a national 55-mph limit in 1974. That limit was scrapped in 1995, and states across the U.S. have been raising highway speed limits since then.

In a statement, IDOT said the new speeds will be placed on interstate stretches "where deemed reasonable and safe." Department spokesman Paris Ervin said the agency conducted traffic engineering studies of all locations with limits below the existing 65-mph maximum and "other locations deemed necessary."

IDOT considered the widely accepted 85th percentile — the speed at which 85 percent of the traffic is traveling at or below — and "additional considerations" on those stretches before reaching its recommendations, Ervin said.

"IDOT's top priority is the safety of those using our transportation system," she added. The department and Illinois Tollway will continue reviewing "any roadway speed limit as needed, including monitoring changing traffic behaviors and the completion of construction projects," the agency's statement reported.

Oberweis said he will try to bring his push for 70-mph Chicago-area speed limits to the legislature and may settle on a 65-mph limit.
"It's a safe, reasonable and consistent speed," Oberweis said of 70 mph.
 

Bob_Fout

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I can finally drive 75 to 78 like the rest of traffic and not worry as much.
 

rotarykid

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No 70 limit in wisconsin this year, ignorance rules the day on setting proper limits

Ignorance and lies from the safety lobby(insurance lobby) have won the day in wisconsin, for now at least.......

Next year it will be really hard to block a increase with wisconsin citizens driving 70 legally on highways across the border in ILL built to the exact same spec. So not killed for good, just for this year....

Senate puts brakes on 70 mph speed limit


If you want to drive 70 mph in Wisconsin, you'll have to keep breaking the law to do it.


State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said too many of his fellow Republicans oppose the measure that was passed by the Assembly in October.

GOP Transportation Committee member Rob Cowles of Green Bay said people are already driving 70 or more on rural interstates and raising the legal limit could cause more traffic deaths.
 

rotarykid

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NEw Hampshire get some 70 mph zones Jan 1 on I-93

NH going 70 on one stretch of interstate Jan 1...

Speed Limit Jumps To 70 MPH On ~80 miles Of NH's northern I-93 In 2014


Drivers will see new speed limits on 80 miles of the northern part of Interstate 93 starting Wednesday.


A law passed earlier this year increases the speed limit from 65 to 70 miles per hour north past Canterbury to the Vermont border.

The law goes into effect January 1.

The only exception is through Franconia Notch, where the speed limit will not change.

Department of Transportation spokesman Bill Boynton says signs for the new speed limits are already in place, and will be uncovered Wednesday.
But he says drivers should still use caution.
There have also been bills introduced to raise two other highways to 70 next year.

In the coming 2014 NH legislative session the bill filing deadline was today(10/29).

For consideration in 2014,

A bill has been filed for increasing the speed limit on a portion of Route 101 to 70 miles per hour.

Another bill has been filed for increasing the speed limit on a portion of I-89 to 70 miles per hour.
 

rotarykid

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80 mph bill introduced again in Wyoming for next months' session

Wyoming legislature has another bill introduced today for this years' session to raise the limit maximum from 75 to 80 on rural freeways across the state. This will be the third time in recent years they have tried to raise the maximum.

Maybe the third time is/will be the charm......

Legislation again aims to boost some speed limits to 80 mph


When the session opens Feb. 10 a introduced bill would allow an 80 mph speed limit on certain highway segments. The current legal limit is 75 mph.

Interstate 80 westbound near Elk Mountain, has had a top speed limit of 75 mph for many years. But a new proposal to raise it to 80 mph on some segments was introduced today.

Wyoming lawmakers are taking another run at raising the maximum speed limit for Wyoming's highways. A group of legislators today filed a bill that would allow the state to raise the speed limit from 75 to 80 mph on certain stretches of highways.

The legislation, filed as House Bill 12, will be debated during the coming session that begins Feb. 10 in Cheyenne.
The bill will need to receive a two-thirds majority to be introduced since it is a non-budget bill.

The bill introduced today would require the Wyoming Department of Transportation to study what sections of the highway system could handle the increased speed limit. The department could then set the 80 mph limit where and when it considers "reasonable and safe."

Rep. Dave Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne, who co-chairs the Joint Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Interim Committee, is among the co-sponsors of the bill.

Rep. Zwonitzer said

"It makes sense for the state to study whether some of the long, straight highways in rural parts of the state should have a higher limit. The higher legal speeds could even be safer. Obviously, we want to maintain a safe atmosphere," he said. "But it could be debated that getting somewhere five miles quicker is safer or it could be debated that it is detrimental to have that higher speed. But I think that should be debated, and the studies would point out those facts."

Utah and Texas are the only states that allow motorists to legally drive 80 mph or higher on ~1,000 miles of their highways.

Utah designated 380 miles of roads, including much of Interstate 80 west of Salt Lake City, as 80 mph zones in the past few months. Texas has ~700 miles posted @ 80 mph or higher....

According to the Utah Department of Transportation, the changes came after studies found that the faster speeds were as safe or safer for motorists on those sections of highways.
But local law enforcement officials brought up safety concerns in 2012 when Wyoming lawmakers last considered a proposal to increase the speed limit here. Sam Powell, representing the Wyoming Peace Officers Association, told a legislative committee that it has the potential to make driving more dangerous.

The 2012 version of the bill passed the House of Representatives on a 56-to-1 vote.

But it died in the Senate when a committee refused to advance it to the floor.



Zwonitzer said said:
"He is optimistic of the bill's chances this time. He believes the bill could have the needed support this time to get the required two-thirds majority to become law in this session. He's confident, based on the support the proposal received in the House in 2012 that there are the votes to at least introduce the measure and bring it up for more debate."
The bill also has the backing of several influential lawmakers.

The other sponsors are Senate President Tony Ross, R-Cheyenne; Speaker of the House Rep. Tom Lubnau, R-Gillette; and Sen. Michael Von Flatern, R-Gillette, who is the other co-chairman of the Joint Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Interim Committee.
 
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rotarykid

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75 Limit bill introduced in the "show me" state today!

A bill that would increase the maximum from 70 to 75 on rural freeways across Missouri was introduced today....

Today 80 seems to be the allowed maximum across Missouri today. A posted 75 would make me a little more comfortable at speed while crossing the state....

A southwest Missouri lawmaker wants to let motorists push the pedal down a little farther when they're driving on rural highways.

Rep. Mike Kelley, a Republican from Lamar, pre-filed a bill Monday to raise the maximum speed limit to 75 mph in rural parts of the state. The state's current limit is 70 mph.

His measure would apply to cars and trucks traveling on parts of interstates and other four-lane roads that lie outside urban areas.

The change would put Missouri in line with Kansas' rural highway limit. Missouri's current speed limit was put in place after Congress repealed the 55 mph federal limit in 1995.

Missouri lawmakers are scheduled to begin their annual session Wednesday.
Here is a article from Jan 8, with a little more info on the possible increase.....


As Missouri lawmakers return to Jefferson City Wednesday, one of many issues they are expected to consider is raising the state's speed limit.

Along Interstate 49 here, the speed limit is 70 miles an hour, but that could jump up to 75 if this proposal becomes law.

A southwest Missouri lawmaker wants drivers in the Show-Me State to be able to go faster on rural highways. Rep. Mike Kelley from Lamar, further south on I-49, wants to raise the speed limit to 75 miles an hour on 4-lane highways away from the cities.

Currently Missouri's speed limit is 70 miles an hour. But you won't find any highways posted at 70 in Kansas City, St. Louis or other large cities. The proposal would keep the urban area speed limit at 65. Many drivers say they see vehicles already speeding faster than 5 miles more than the posted limit of 70.

Jean Lininger said:
I go to Dallas because I have relatives there, Everybody goes to 75 anyway when they get down south. They really do.
The change would match Missouri with Nebraska and Oklahoma, both have had 75 maximums since the end of the National Mandated Speed Limit in 1995. And the increase would bring the state in line with Kansas which raised its' rural highway speed limit to 75 in 2011.

Proving that increased limits do not pose a danger when done on highways designed for higher allowed speeds KDOT collected data shows travel to be safer since the increase to 75 was put in place in 2011.

KDOT said:
A KDOT spokesmen said in an interview recently, "Since the Sunflower State increased its' speed limit to 75, there have been fewer traffic deaths! Highway deaths dropped from 430 in 2010, the last full year of the 70 mile an hour limit, to 405 in 2012.
The Missouri Highway Patrol declined to comment on this legislative issue when asked today. Saying, "Its' job is to enforce whatever laws are approved." But one trooper when asked said, "Safety is always a concern with increased speed. He says the faster traffic travels, the more horrible any crash is likely to be."
 
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VeeDubTDI

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It looks as if there is a movement to gradually increase limits to 80 MPH in most of the Midwest and West. I, for one, welcome it! :cool:
 

rotarykid

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It looks as if there is a movement to gradually increase limits to 80 MPH in most of the Midwest and West. I, for one, welcome it! :cool:
I have been driving across the US for close to 35 years now. I remember well the era of the NMSL. Until that ended it was rullet as to how fast you could drive without getting a ticket. Many states passed laws that short circuited the penalties of the NMSL. My home state was one of the states that made the defacto limit 65 in the late 70s by removing penalties for being pulled over for less than 65.

But in some ways the late 80s with the allowed rise to 65 to the end of the NMSL was even worse when it came to guessing how fast you could drive without getting tagged. Some states kept the penalties from the NMSL enforcement days others changed laws back to pre-NMSL rules..... If had to drive across the US it was on you to figure out what was allowed and what wasn't......

Now today we have a even more unbalanced system as to what you can get away with where.

We have the states that have adopted enforcement policies that are not aimed at speed, like Colorado & California. As long as you don't follow too close, don't change lanes without signalling, or don't exceed 90 mph you will not get pulled over while crossing the plains. In the mountains both states rigorously enforce posted limits....

In the mountains of CO if you want to avoid a ticket 65 means 65 !

California won't give a second look if stay below 90 on their rural freeways outside of the mountains. 80 is the cutoff on most urban freeways. In CA when driving in the mountains north of LA on I-5( the grapevine) & on I-80 at the Nevada border the limit is the limit......

Wyoming will let you pass if you stay under 83-84( 78-82 is usually safe ) while crossing the region today on their freeways, 85 will get you pulled over if you are clocked at speed. Stay under 70 on the states' two lane 65 zones to avoid a ticket. Most of the time I stay below 83-84 when crossing the state if traffic is light. If there are other cars around and you have a detector a little faster can be done in good weather during daylight hours.

Also in Wyoming due to weather related crashes in recent years the tolerance has been dropped on certain stretches of I-80. And in the recently installed variable speed limit Zones on I-80 obey the limit when it is dropped for safety sake and to avoid a ticket. I-25 can be driven on a little faster on certain stretches in good weather during daylight hours. But when the sun goes down the tolerance drops to just above 80 over most of the states interstate miles....

In Nebraska as long as you stay below 85( 81-83 will not get you a second look all day long ) they will not bother you on the interstate. But as mentioned above stay below 70 in 65 & 65 in 60 posted two highway zones across the state.

One of my friends in Denver has been popped several times in the last 18 months for just above 70 while crossing Wyoming, South Dakota & Nebraska in two lane highway 65 zones. Another friend was popped on both two lane highways and interstates that cross Nebraska in recent years. His 65 zone ticket was for 72 and the 75 zone ticket was for 85. Both tickets were given during daylight hours in good weather. He was clocked by airplane on I-80 and met the trooper coming at him with the two lane highway ticket.....

Utah and Nevada seem to allow speeds up to 85 today, they have for years. I have not driven on two lane highways in these states very much so I don't know what their tolerance is....


Then you have Kansas, a state that could safely have no posted limit! A state in the same region that recently went to a posted 75 limit but still tickets for just above the limit. On two lane highways posted @ 65 under 70 to avoid ticket.....

Then once you get to Missouri you don't have to worry until you get above 80......

ILL has been a nightmare in the midwest for years now! Traffic routinely pushed above 75-80 mph on their max posted @ 65 freeways. With the heavy penalties in law giving you the problem of having to go with traffic to be safe but risk a high cost ticket! I have avoided this state for years because of this stupid setup.......I am looking forward to crossing the state at speed with traffic without the worry of being the one singled out for a ticket.....

Now I have hated to drive in the north east with all of the states until recently sticking NMSL posted but allowing speeds above 80 most of the time....I am hoping the north east will soon follow Penn raising their limit to levels that actually make sense in coming years....

My point is, If you must drive in any place away from your home freeways/highways it is important to know ahead of time what is allowed and what is not today.
 
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Just to add, for those traveling in Wyoming, and Colorado, I will say that I drive 80-84 mph most of the time and have no problems in either state. Though as rotarykid mentioned, don't exceed the limit in the mountain roads(I go skiing every weekend and see 2-6 troopers per trip, if I don't make it to the passes by 8:00 am).

Wyoming has me confused. I drove at 80-84 mph for a long time with no problems, until this past fall and was pulled over twice for a 71 in a 65 and 84 in a 75. Got away with a warning on the first, but not so lucky with the second. I-80 seems to have become more strict of late, and I would advise caution to those exceeding 78 mph, at least near Rawlins, WY.

No problems on my trip to California, passing through Utah and Nevada, during October. Montana seems to be alright with 80 mph, as of this past Spring.

I also passed through Oregon and Idaho a few times this year with no problems, but didn't see any troopers, so the accepted speed is unconfirmed, as of yet.

I've got 6k more miles planned between now and February to hit 60k(total of 40k miles this past 10 months) before I get my stage 1.5 Malone tune in Oregon. I take any chance I get to visit family or friends, anywhere in the country. I have really enjoyed driving my TDI everywhere, any chance I get, near or far.

Cheers and happy driving to all!
 

WardB

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Thank you very much. Utah troopers won't stop you for going five over the limit by GPS. I set the cruise for seven over by speedo as soon as cruise came along.

I suppose you guys who want faster are driving for a living? Since I retired and drive for recreation only, I don't go as fast as I can get by with. . . ALL THE TIME.

Utah highways have about three times as many cars than they did when I started driving in 1964. People drive faster, more aggressively, and with far less skill these days. That makes it a lot less fun.

Starting a couple years ago, I actually started moderating my speed for improved economy. Fuel was over $4 a gallon, and I calculated how much going faster would cost. I found that I saved money and never got tensed up the way our society (in general) seems to be.

I still like sport driving and do it on the local mountain roads; I don't on a crowded freeway. And I can't imagine a place like Chicago where everyone is going balls out at rush hour.

I go through places like that between 2 and 6 a.m.

PS Check out my avatar, I used to drive FAST all the time.
 
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rotarykid

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Utah,New bill allows increase in statutory limits across the state to 80 mph

Salt Lake city UTAH, A new bill has been put out there for the coming legislative session to allow more areas to see a increase in the statutory limits. The increased limits law would allow up to 80 mph where UDOT confirms higher speeds are safe.

Under the new law Some areas like around built up areas could see a increase to 70 or 75 mph. While other areas like I-70 from Green River to the Colorado border could see 80 mph.

Rep. Jim Dunnigan, R-Taylorsville, is drafting a bill that would give the Utah Department of Transportation the flexibility to determine whether some freeways and highways are be eligible for increased speed limits, including 80 mph in some areas.

Dunnigan said the measure will be submitted for consideration during the 2014 Legislature, which gets underway Jan. 27.

"If it passes, then we will look at the rest of the interstate system to see which areas might accommodate a (higher) speed limit.

Dunnigan says he has data from five years of highway tests to prove that even if given the chance to go from 75 to 80 mph, most Utahns wouldn't put the petal to the metal. "We know from data if we raise it to 80, they will go 81," he said. Last year, four different sections of highway in Utah, all in rural places, went from 75 to 80 mph limit.

Dunnigan said in those spots crashes and fatalities did not increase. He said in a couple of spots, fatalities decreased. UDOT began studying about five years ago to determine whether drivers could benefit from increased limits in some long stretches of relatively straight roadways in mostly rural areas. Since then, data have shown that safety isn't necessarily compromised just because vehicles are moving faster.

Dunnigan said if the legislature approves, then testing on different highways could begin as soon as the end of spring. The testing would go for about two months. UDOT would gather information on the prevailing speed in that section of road, and then analyze those numbers along with crash/accident data and the design of the highway to see if it could safely accommodate a speed limit increase.

On the busiest roads, like I-15 in Salt Lake County, where the limit is 65 mph, an increase might only mean 70mph.

If the bill becomes a law, he predicts that drivers could be able to travel faster on additional sections of Utah highways by this summer.

Dunnigan said portions of I-70 from Green River east to the Colorado border would be of particular interest for higher limits, along with I-15 and I-215 in some urban areas along the Wasatch Front.

We have not seen an increase in crashes, (and) we have not seen an increase in fatalities, Dunnigan said. "The data showed that if you wanted to decrease injuries and fatalities, then wear your seat belt, which was the most common determining factor in a crash.

Last year, UDOT crews installed 80 mph speed limit signs on a total of 380 miles of freeway sections on I-80 from the Nevada border to state Route 36; I-15 between Leeds and Santaquin, with sections of 75 mph zones through two mountain passes and Cedar City; and I-15 and I-84 from the Brigham City north interchange to the Idaho border.

The speed limit increase was the result of HB83, passed during the 2013 Legislature, which allowed UDOT to study and establish speed limits higher than 75 mph on some interstates.

UDOT's data from speed studies of existing 80 mph zones shows that vehicle crashes have slightly dropped over the past three years, attributed to more vehicles traveling at the same speeds and less variation in the speed of surrounding vehicles.
Robert Hull, UDOT traffic and safety director, said before any new speed limit increases are seriously considered, the agency would have to carefully review crash data to decide the best course of action.

The best way to go about looking at this is to see what the engineering studies are showing by looking at the crash data, Hull explained.

Statutorily, speeds are capped at 75 mph on rural highways and 65 mph on urban interstates, he said. Bills passed in previous years have allowed for exceptions where higher limits could be permitted if extensive study indicated safety would not be compromised, Hull added.

The key element is going through the process of focusing on the engineering studies and allowing the data to determine the best way rather than arbitrarily setting limits, he said.
 
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