Texas lawmakers approves new law raising state's speed limit on freeways/highways to 85 MPH

Texas House Backs 85 MPH Speed Limit

BY NBC Houston and AP News wires

Thursday, April 7, 2011

AUSTIN, Texas (AP/MSNBC) -- The Texas House approved a bill that would allow the speed limit on some highways to be raised to 85 mph, which would be the highest in the nation.

The measure passed Wednesday on a voice vote was part of a larger transportation bill. It would authorize the Texas Department of Transportation to raise the speed limit on designated lanes or entire stretches of roadway after doing engineering and traffic studies, the Dallas Morning News reported Thursday.

The Senate is considering a similar bill.

"They have high-speed roadways in Europe, and there could be some merit in having some of those highways in Texas," said Rep. Lois Kolkhorst of Brenham, who introduced the bill. "Given the right engineering, we should consider it."

Texas currently has more than 520 miles of interstate highways where the speed limit is 80 mph.

One such stretch of Interstate 10 "is as nice a road as you can build; it's flat with a long line of sight, wide lanes and good shoulders," said Rep. Joe Pickett of El Paso. "For people like us who travel that long distance, it could be good" to raise the limit to 85 mph, he said.

Some auto insurers oppose the measure, citing safety concerns.

"Obviously, the two things that kill most people on our highways are speed and alcohol. Increasing it to 85, or even 75, will have a dramatic impact on the death and injury rate on those highways where it's implemented," said Jerry Johns, a spokesman for the Southwestern Insurance Information Service.

He said drivers already exceed 70 mph highway speed limits.

"But 85 mph is simply too fast to drive even on a flat road. Any little hitch can cause an accident at that speed. There is still traffic on those roads, and to drive 85 mph is simply ludicrous," he said.

The Transportation Department hasn't done the speed and safety analyses of roadways the legislation would require, said department spokeswoman Kelli Petras.

"It would be awesome to travel it, but you'd have to look at the safety and other factors," she said."

http://www.click2houston.com/automotive/27467802/detail.html

Assuming this is approved i.e signed by Texas Gov. Perry, don't think you can go 'speeding' in places like Dallas, Houston or SA. It would only apply to places in rural Texas such as those along Interstate 10 near El Paso.

id love to legally go 75 on the LIE, its already the de-facto speed limit there most of the time.

Good, this is God's (the state's) way of thinning the heard. I think more states should follow this.

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

id love to legally go 75 on the LIE, its already the de-facto speed limit there most of the time.

I don't know about 75mph for the LIE but I do feel that in eastern suffolk from the Riverhead interchange to about the Nicholas Rd/Stony Brook exit should be 65mph.

The only area in NYS that could be increased to 75 mph(weather permitting)IMO is the "Northway Thruway' from Plattsburgh-Saratoga Springs.

While the NYS Thruway in the area between Syracuse-Buffalo should be

70mph weather permitting.

Good, this is God's (the state's) way of thinning the heard. I think more states should follow this.

Agreed, there are parts of the I-95 that would be much faster if you can go to 85mph. 75mph is way too restrictive.

We should find out a way to somehow get the people with a lack of speed (commercial vehicles and Grandpa Ron in his 1986 Buick Le Sabre) either up to speed or away from people that can hit 85.

That would probably only work on the Interstates as well - our local parkways such as the Grand Central and LI's Southern State are way too narrow and in the case of the Southern State, are way too curved (sharply) for any higher speeds.

Speed does not kill, it's the sudden lack of speed that does...

But going from a higher speed to no speed makes it more likely that your time with us will be cut short.

We have a stupid 55-65mph speed limit over here. Highways should not have a speed limit. Some highways are 50mph, i mean seriously on local roads the speed limit is 50.

In the left lane, you have to do at least 70-90mph to keep up with the flow.

What kills people are the idiots that think they are nascar drivers. And the obvious drunk drivers ect.

Texas enacting population control I see.Hell they can afford to go 85 out there considering how cheap the gas maybe out there.

If they plan any unlimited speed highways in this nation then they should look at the Autobahn in Germany.

See no speed limit so cars can just drive at whatever speed they want.

If they plan any unlimited speed highways in this nation then they should look at the Autobahn in Germany.

See no speed limit so cars can just drive at whatever speed they want.

Thats how it should be on highways.

I can see it now. Ol' Uncle Junebug and Aunt Tillie hitting 85mph while their 20 year old pickup slowly falls apart, mile by mile. BTW what ever happened to fuel conservation? Wasn't it said that higher speeds equals MORE fuel use ? Or maybe America wants to give the Saudis a bigger chokehold than they already have. With our roads in the Northeast I can't see that ever happening here.

What if we develop efficent high speed electric cars that everyone can afford?. Then what would we do then?.

Oh yes, natural selection at work! Can't wait to see the results!

I can see it now. Ol' Uncle Junebug and Aunt Tillie hitting 85mph while their 20 year old pickup slowly falls apart, mile by mile. BTW what ever happened to fuel conservation? Wasn't it said that higher speeds equals MORE fuel use ? Or maybe America wants to give the Saudis a bigger chokehold than they already have. With our roads in the Northeast I can't see that ever happening here.

upon reading the thread title, that's just what I came here to say....

I mean, in some parts of Tx, 80 is already legal.... I mean, for crying out loud, Texas, along w/ NJ, and either VA or MD , you can actually go 30 in a school zone....

85.... The average Texan'll see this & go "yes, 5 mph faster".... Fully not realizing that this is an underhanded way of gettin more motorists to buy more fuel at a higher pace.....

Someone mentioned NASCAR... fuel conservation is something that drivers can actually learn from auto racing....

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Ah yes, the Autobahn. It works over there cuz the road is bigger, less curves , built stringer and, well, cheaper gas. I was watching a show about it on the History Channel some time ago and they say that you can actually get a ticket for driving below a certain speed

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Ah yes, the Autobahn. It works over there cuz the road is bigger, less curves , built stringer and, well, cheaper gas. I was watching a show about it on the History Channel some time ago and they say that you can actually get a ticket for driving below a certain speed

I seen that show also!

I haven't been to Texas (just yet) but I've heard from some of my cousins that most of the roads outside the urban area is relatively flat and straight. I could see why they would permit such a speed (75-85). I mean, if there was a lower speed limit enacted on a rural freeway where you won't see a next city for like another 200-400 miles, it would take more than a few hours to get to that next city than if the speed limit was higher.

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Ah yes, the Autobahn. It works over there cuz the road is bigger, less curves , built stringer and, well, cheaper gas. I was watching a show about it on the History Channel some time ago and they say that you can actually get a ticket for driving below a certain speed

History ch and Nat Geo = ftw!

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

you do realize that's exactly what I said...

I know what you said. At low speeds, a sudden lack of speed doesn't always kill, but when you go from a very high speed to a dead stop, you usually don't survive. And that's not exactly what you said...

id love to legally go 75 on the LIE, its already the de-facto speed limit there most of the time.

75? More like 65 avg when I am on the LIE, west of exit 57. East of there, I've only been a couple times and I don't remember, but it's more rural. The LIE's speed limits should be 60 west of Nicolls Rd and 65-70 east of there. Most people don't even notice that the limit currently drops from 55 to 50 in Queens.

Yeah America should build Autobahn styled interstate highways through the nation. It would just be awesome to be driving at 120 MPH, and yeah I just finished watching the Autobahn documentary by National Geographic.