Texas Speed Limits Raised

Several hundred miles of Interstates 10 and 20 in west Texas will soon have the highest posted speed limits in the country, 1200 WOAI news reported today.

A measure which takes effect next month will allow Tex-DOT to raise the speed limit to 80 miles an hour on Interstate 10 between Kerr and Culverson counties, and on Interstate 20 in Ward and Culberson counties.

"Those stretches of highway are pretty isolated and pretty long, and they're actually designed for that speed of travel," State Rep Pete Gallego (D-Alpine) who wrote the new law, told 1200 WOAI news.

Gallego says he expects Tex-DOT to erect the first "SPEED LIMIT 80" signs in west Texas 'within six weeks,' and he added 'I want to be there when that happens.'

The speed limit in rural west Texas was raised to 70 miles per hour after the national 55 mile an hour speed limit was lifted in December of 1995. In 1999, the limit in west Texas and elsewhere was raised to 75 miles an hour.

"One of the fascinating things we've already learned from raising the speed limit from 70 to 75 is that the accident and fatality rate has actually gone down in those counties, because people get where they're going faster."

The 80 mile an hour limit would be the highest posted speed limit in the country. Arizona law allows speed limits of 'no more than 85 miles an hour' but no highway in Arizona has an 85 mile an hour speed limit, and a measure to raise the speed limits from 75 to 80 on rural stretches on Interstate 10 in that state died in the legislature.

Gallego concedes that raising the speed limit is not the best way to save gasoline, but he is philosophical about that.

"Driving 80 is not a mandate. You don't have to drive 80. If you think it will save gasoline, you can drive 55 through west Texas if you want to. 80 is just the maximum speed you can drive."

Gallego points out that under the ambitious 'Trans Texas Corridor' plan proposed by Governor Perry becomes reality, all of the 'Trans Texas Corridor' highways will have posted speed limits of 85 miles an hour.

 

With fuel prices approaching $3 I'm sure this will be repealed shortly.

 

Hopefully not. Automobile marketing is all about Horsepower now a days. From Hondas, to SUVs to Even Hybrids, it's stupid to promote SPEED and then be strangeled on the roads. The automobile industry and the law needs to get it's message straight or my next ticket is going to the car maker!

 

Hmmmm.

I wonder which applies if I get caught at 102 MPH?

Is it the "24 mph in excess or under = deferred adjudication" law or the "over 100 MPH = reckless driving and go to jail" law?

 

San Antonio to El paso is one of the most boring drives ever created. when I drove to Cali last year I proabably averaged 95 the for that part, so now I wont get as bad a ticket if I get pulled over. I think that is great!

 

Please... the effect of speed on MPG is minimal compared to the effect of bulk. And that's just on highways... most gas is consumed and most exhaust is generated in the city... stop and go and traffic lights... there the bulk is just killer.

If you want to save gas... triple the taxes on vehicles over 4000lbs that eat gas, foul the air, and stress the roads... eliminate taxes on vehicles under 3000lbs.

Finally, the main reason NOT to raise the speed limits these days is those same bulky SUVs eating all the gas... their bulk lengthens their stopping distances and their stability at speed.

Another (slightly problematic) alternative:
Make all the freeway speed limits 85mph for cars and 65mph for SUVs AND disallow SUVs to use the left lanes of freeways. That'll save gas by encouraging people to stop buying SUVs.

 

Filthy evil SUVs. They look so similar to an innocent pickup truck with a small camper, and yet they are the source of all that is wrong on our otherwise pristine planet.

 

Hey Brian, what is your Honda Pilot? A minivan?

 

The simple fact is speed limits and fuel mileage are self limiting. There is simply no reason to lower the speed limit. At $3 per gallon or more people will drive at whatever makes the most sense.

 

Frankly it's easy to argue that all vehicals be governed to 80-85 MPH max anyway. I mean who really needs to go faster than that. It's rediculous to make cars with ever increasing HP, with fuel, space, and safety mindedness being what it is. BORING as it is, I'm sure it's just around the corner.

 

Quite possibly the greatest quote ever made.

 

I love going 140. I disagree with your opinion.

 

On a number of new vehicles you already get hammered with having to pay a gas guzzler tax. Quite a few of those SUV's get better gas mileage than a lot of cars on the road. The freeway concept would only benefit those small towns whose local constabulary have nothing more to do than sit on the interstates and collect (or attempt to collect) revenue at the furthest most annexed city limits out in the middle of nowhere - pretty chicken **** in my opinion.

Carol

 

You go girl!