Next state to raise speed limit to 80 mph

[Pink Jazz]

Sorry to bump, but now that several states this year have approved speed limit increases to 80 mph, the only state that still has such bill pending is Michigan.  Not sure if it will pass.  Because of this, I think now is the time to revisit this subject.

If Michigan's bill fails, I think the most likely states that will be the next to increase their speed limits to 80 will be either North Dakota or New Mexico.

[texaskdog]

Montana didn't even had a real speed limit for a while so it's pretty suprising they wouldn't have the highest speed limit in the country

[Pink Jazz]

Looks like Michigan's bill passed, but unfortunately lowered to 75 mph.  However, North Dakota has introduced a new 80 mph bill.

[dvferyance]

I would go with Arizona.

[Pink Jazz]

I would go with Arizona.

Disagree.  Arizona has a law that any speed above 85 is considered criminal, and past attempts to change that have been a tough sell for the state's lawmakers.  A 5 mph buffer is too small; it is within the margin of error of many speedometers.  I see New Mexico doing it before AZ.

[Pink Jazz]

With North Dakota's bill now dead, I wonder if New Mexico will be the next state to raise their speed limits to 80 mph.  Arizona is unlikely due to the 85 mph criminal speeding law. 

However, the wildcard could in fact be Colorado.  Some highways in the non-mountainous parts of the state can easily support 80 mph speed limits.

[bzakharin]

I like a 10mph cushion for those moments when you're passing a potentially unsafe vehicle/driver who's traveling at the posted limit

this could use a total reform of the passing laws.  first, left lane is for passing only.  if you are not passing, move over.  next, pass with a speed differential of 10mph or greater.  third, there is no speed limit when actively passing. 

That is an extremely bad idea. Speed limits exist because it's dangerous to exceed them. Plus, the bigger the differential the more accidents there will be.

if the average American driver were indoctrinated to believe that farther-left lanes on a road with multiple lanes in each direction were designed to act exactly like the opposite-traffic lane on a two-laner with a dashed yellow line (i.e. pass, make quick work of it, and then get the hell back over) then we would not have nearly as much trouble with bad driving.

The reason drivers get out of the oncoming lane quickly when passing is that it's the oncoming lane, not because anyone was indoctrinated. People will continue to ignore traffic signs and regulations unless there is an obvious danger or widespread enforcement.

[jakeroot]

the wildcard could in fact be Colorado.  Some highways in the non-mountainous parts of the state can easily support 80 mph speed limits.

At the rate that the consortium was raising the limit for a while there, I'd except an 80 mph limit on the E470 at some point. If only to encourage even more drivers to use it. Though it does already have one of the highest ring road speed limits in the US (75).

[kphoger]

I like a 10mph cushion for those moments when you're passing a potentially unsafe vehicle/driver who's traveling at the posted limit

this could use a total reform of the passing laws.  first, left lane is for passing only.  if you are not passing, move over.  next, pass with a speed differential of 10mph or greater.  third, there is no speed limit when actively passing. 

That is an extremely bad idea. Speed limits exist because it's dangerous to exceed them. Plus, the bigger the differential the more accidents there will be.

(1) You're replying to a 2½-year-old post from a member who is no longer active and–last I knew–doesn't even remember his password to the forum.

(2) In what world is it safe enough to drive 80-85 mph on TX-130 that it's signed as such, yet is it dangerous enough to drive 80 mph on every highway in Virginia that it's automatically reckless driving?

[jeffandnicole]

I like a 10mph cushion for those moments when you're passing a potentially unsafe vehicle/driver who's traveling at the posted limit

this could use a total reform of the passing laws.  first, left lane is for passing only.  if you are not passing, move over.  next, pass with a speed differential of 10mph or greater.  third, there is no speed limit when actively passing. 

That is an extremely bad idea. Speed limits exist because it's dangerous to exceed them. Plus, the bigger the differential the more accidents there will be.

(Let's ignore the post is from 2014...)

Ha.  Well, that statement is correct in theory. In reality, one speed limit may be set for safety reasons.  The next speed limit down the road is there because a politician's younger brother didn't like the noise traffic made, so they reduced the limit to make it quieter for him.  Then his parents got another job in another state and he moved out of the house, but the limit has remained that way for the next 25 years.

Or, the limit is a state statute limit.  A highway could be 5 or 10 mph faster, but the Governor who has absolutely no engineering experience whatsoever won't permit it.

That said, "Third" is an extremely bad idea.  If I'm actively passing a line of traffic, I'm now allowed to do 120 mph in the left lane because I'm simply passing a motorist who's going 110 mph in the center lane because he's passing someone going the speed limit in the right lane?

[hotdogPi]

That said, "Third" is an extremely bad idea.  If I'm actively passing a line of traffic, I'm now allowed to do 120 mph in the left lane because I'm simply passing a motorist who's going 110 mph in the center lane because he's passing someone going the speed limit in the right lane?

agentsteel53 has admitted that he has gone 120 mph before.

[kphoger]

That said, "Third" is an extremely bad idea.  If I'm actively passing a line of traffic, I'm now allowed to do 120 mph in the left lane because I'm simply passing a motorist who's going 110 mph in the center lane because he's passing someone going the speed limit in the right lane?

agentsteel53 has admitted that he has gone 120 mph before.

I've gone 120 mph before.

[bzakharin]

Oops, didn't realize the old date somehow. What I meant is that no speed limit for passing is a bad idea and that there should be some sort of speed limit for safety reasons, not that I agree with 80 MPH (or anything else currently posted or proposed) being correct for any and all roads.

[thenetwork]

For those who bet money on West Virginia going to 80 MPH next, prepare to cash your 100-1 odds tickets at the betting window.

http://www.wowktv.com/news/politics/bill-to-increase-speed-limit-on-wv-interstates-and-highways-introduced/909274898

[Buck87]

For those who bet money on West Virginia going to 80 MPH next, prepare to cash your 100-1 odds tickets at the betting window.

http://www.wowktv.com/news/politics/bill-to-increase-speed-limit-on-wv-interstates-and-highways-introduced/909274898

Wow. If that somehow passes I'd be rather surprised.

[thenetwork]

For those who bet money on West Virginia going to 80 MPH next, prepare to cash your 100-1 odds tickets at the betting window.

http://www.wowktv.com/news/politics/bill-to-increase-speed-limit-on-wv-interstates-and-highways-introduced/909274898

Wow. If that somehow passes I'd be rather surprised.

80 MPH speeds will only be likely on downhill grades.  My 4-cylinder car would have a hard time reaching 70 on many of the uphill climbs.

[1995hoo]

For those who bet money on West Virginia going to 80 MPH next, prepare to cash your 100-1 odds tickets at the betting window.

http://www.wowktv.com/news/politics/bill-to-increase-speed-limit-on-wv-interstates-and-highways-introduced/909274898

Wow. If that somehow passes I'd be rather surprised.

I'll second that, and even if it did pass I would not expect them to post 80-mph limits on all roads that might be eligible. It seems like an 80-mph limit might be too fast on the West Virginia Turnpike, given the twisty segments and the truck traffic. I think speed differential between the slow-moving trucks and the car traffic would be the real hazard.

I tried hitting 80 mph on Corridor H once and it felt too fast.

[Thing 342]

Struggling to think of anywhere in WV where 80, let alone 75, would be a good idea. Only places I can think of are I-81 and the relatively straight portion of I-64 between Charleston and Barboursville, and that's a stretch due to the small size of the median.

[hbelkins]

Struggling to think of anywhere in WV where 80, let alone 75, would be a good idea. Only places I can think of are I-81 and the relatively straight portion of I-64 between Charleston and Barboursville, and that's a stretch due to the small size of the median.

80 is too fast for West Virginia, except for aforementioned stretch of I-64 (I said Barboursville to the St. Albans area) and that's because traffic moves around 80 mph there already.

To me, 70 is too fast for most of I-79 and also much of I-77 north of Charleston. Of course, I think 60 on the turnpike is too low.

[Hurricane Rex]

I think 70-75 is fine in most areas of West Virginia. It's too bad my Speed Limit Sunday schedule doesn't take me there until week 40 or so (Next state Wisconsin going around the country counterclockwise, then inner states). Subject to change: Currently 50% of the milage is 70, 40% is 75 and 10% is 80.

I would be surprised if 80 passes through. 75 though is plausible if an engineering study is performed.

[jakeroot]

I think we're debating a little too much about curves and other bullshit.

Here's my idea: the speed limit should be 80 in the stretches where traffic is already going 80.

[thenetwork]

Struggling to think of anywhere in WV where 80, let alone 75, would be a good idea.

I-70 through Wheeling?   

[Flint1979]

I'm already doing 80 mph on the Interstate. I even drive that speed in Detroit if traffic conditions favor it.

I have never been on an Interstate that I felt unsafe doing 80 mph in any stretch.

[myosh_tino]

The only stretches of California freeway that I would feel comfortable doing 80 MPH are the rural sections of I-5, from Redding to the Grapevine, and I-10, I-40 and I-8 across the Mojave desert.  I thought about adding in I-15 east of Barstow but there's too many hills and grades.

Granted, getting speed limits raised in California is never going to happen because they would have to raise the current 55 MPH limit on trucks (80/55 is way to big of gap between limits).

[jakeroot]

Granted, getting speed limits raised in California is never going to happen because they would have to raise the current 55 MPH limit on trucks (80/55 is way to big of gap between limits).

While common practice in North America is to have truck limits that are [speed limit] minus 5, 10, or 15, Germany has a 80 km/h speed limit for trucks on all roads. On the non-limited sections of the Autobahn, the suggested limit for cars is 130. So it wouldn't be unprecedented.

The only stretches of California freeway that I would feel comfortable doing 80 MPH are the rural sections of I-5, from Redding to the Grapevine, and I-10, I-40 and I-8 across the Mojave desert.  I thought about adding in I-15 east of Barstow but there's too many hills and grades.

My driving in California is limited to Southern California, but traffic in the left lanes seem to flow at 80+ already. I-5 between LA and SD, I swear I hit 100.