Ohio Speed Limit going to 70 MPH...And Ohio Turnpike Tolls to Rise!!!

[thenetwork]

Changes to the Speed Limit, tolls on the Turnpike, funding of roads in Northern Ohio and new license plate material...all in the new roads bill.

Story Here: http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2013/03/ohio_senate_passes_bill_that_h.html#incart_river#incart_m-rpt-2

[ce929wax]

It's about time, now if we could get Illinois and Wisconsin on board with 70 that would be great.

[thenetwork]

As much as people might say why is the turnpike going to fund non-turnpike ODOT roads, it does make sense (at least in Ohio) since we have three major interstates (I-80/I-90/I-76) that all leave the turnpike at some point and head to other major destinations.  Especially cross-country or regional traffic using I-80 or I-90 into PA.

I'd be curious to see what percentage of cross-state traffic actually rides the entire Ohio Turnpike end-to-end.

[Revive 755]

The article also says rural two lanes roads could be posted at 60.

[vtk]

This article has less info, at the same time less Cleveland-centric:

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/apexchange/2013/03/13/oh--ohio-roads-budget.html

For some reason, when I hear Kasich + Turnpike, I think about leasing to a private company. On closer inspection, that doesn't look like it's happening – right?

As far as the speed increases, I think this change is reasonable, not too big, and not too small (at least for now).

[thenetwork]

This also probably seals the extinction fate of Ohio's unique 65 MPH signs.  Those signs still up have been endangered ever since they raised the limit to 65 for all vehicles a few years back and half of the sign was blanked out.

[6a]

For some reason, when I hear Kasich + Turnpike, I think about leasing to a private company. On closer inspection, that doesn't look like it's happening – right?

As far as the speed increases, I think this change is reasonable, not too big, and not too small (at least for now).

Correct, he has completely ruled out leasing it.  The plan is to issue bonds against future revenue - pretty much what states do anyway.

I like the speed limit idea, although I wonder if the current definition of "rural" will stay.  If so, most of Columbus' interstates will be posted at 70.  Not that there's anything wrong with that...

[tdindy88]

Aren't the beltways already 65. I'd imagine that rural would mean any highway outside of the beltways. Or you could be like that state up north and have them be 70 into the cities too.

I do like the idea of having 60 on the two-lane highways, isn't that a bit rare for eastern states. That means I could travel west on US 36 at 60 in western Ohio and cross over into Indiana and be forced to go down to 55.

[agentsteel53]

I do like the idea of having 60 on the two-lane highways, isn't that a bit rare for eastern states. That means I could travel west on US 36 at 60 in western Ohio and cross over into Indiana and be forced to go down to 55.

I would mind that less than having to go 55 in both states!  I think there are plenty of two-lane roads in each state that are safely signed at 60 (or even 65, but probably not 70).

[6a]

Aren't the beltways already 65. I'd imagine that rural would mean any highway outside of the beltways. Or you could be like that state up north and have them be 70 into the cities too.

I just looked up the relevant law and, at least to my non-lawyer eyes, there isn't a definition of rural.  It basically says if the folks in charge think the road is up to it, the limit can go up to 65.  That would explain the sizable bits of road inside 270 then.  I guess that leaves my original question - if they change 65 to 70, I wonder how much of the current 65 will go up.

[jeffandnicole]

Roads are classified as rural and urban (and then subclassified based on that).  Thus, the classifications are already there.  Of course, some of them may be a bit out of date if there's been significant growth over the past several years.  It'll be up to the DOT engineers to determine if the maximum speed limit permitted is appropriate, or if the roadway should be signed with a lower limit.

[vtk]

The gist I got from the articles on the extent of the 70 MPH zones is exactly in line with what I already thought ODOT should and probably would do with enabling legislatiion.  The circumferential and loop Interstates would be the rough boundaries in most cases, themselves remaining 65 MPH.  So near Columbus, I-70 would probably (going eastbound) drop to 65 at Hilliard—Rome Rd, have its existing 55 stretch downtown, then go back up to 70 MPH at Brice Rd or OH 256.  Similarly, I-71 would be 70 MPH only south of Stringtown Rd and north of Gemini Pl.

I suspect there are still one-piece 65/55 and 60/55 speed limit signs remaining on non-Interstate freeways and expressways, which shouldn't change, unless the truck speed limit on non-Interstates is raised.  Hmm, could we potentially see new 60/55 signs on two-lane roads heading out of cities and towns?

[theline]

I do like the idea of having 60 on the two-lane highways, isn't that a bit rare for eastern states. That means I could travel west on US 36 at 60 in western Ohio and cross over into Indiana and be forced to go down to 55.

I would mind that less than having to go 55 in both states!  I think there are plenty of two-lane roads in each state that are safely signed at 60 (or even 65, but probably not 70).

Without looking it up (always a chancy proposition) I recall that the state speed limit in Ohio was 60 back in the pre-national speed limit days. So it is reasonable to go back up to that level today. I also seem to recall, though it's kind of hazy, that the limit went down to 50 at night. That one went by the wayside at some point, I think.

Indiana had its statewide limit at 65 before the 55 limit came in, which seems excessive for most 2-laners in retrospect. We of course have stuck with 55, except for interstates and a few expressways. Though we shouldn't return to 65, it may be time for Indiana to consider 60.

[vtk]

I thought Indiana already bumped many of its state roads (including some 2-lane highways) up to 60 MPH when its Interstates went up to 70 MPH.

[theline]

If any 2-laner in Indiana is up to 60, I missed it. I'd welcome it if warranted. The only places I've seen the 60 limit is on divided highways, like US 31 between Plymouth and Kokomo, SR 2 west of South Bend, and SR 49 north of Valparaiso. They raised it to 65 on some freeways that aren't interstates, like the St. Joseph Valley Parkway.

If anyone has seen Hoosier 2-laners with a 60 limit, I'd like examples.

[tdindy88]

There aren't any, which is why I made my comment about US 36, as an example of a highway that crosses the state line from Ohio to Indiana.

[PurdueBill]

If any 2-laner in Indiana is up to 60, I missed it. I'd welcome it if warranted. The only places I've seen the 60 limit is on divided highways, like US 31 between Plymouth and Kokomo, SR 2 west of South Bend, and SR 49 north of Valparaiso. They raised it to 65 on some freeways that aren't interstates, like the St. Joseph Valley Parkway.

If anyone has seen Hoosier 2-laners with a 60 limit, I'd like examples.

Never seen one either.  55 is the highest I've ever seen on any state-numbered or US-numbered undivided Indiana road, no matter how rural.  It would indeed be interesting to go from a speed limit of 60 in Ohio on something like US 224 (which I will use instead of 30 to 469 to CR 900 on occasion as a change of pace on my way to US 24 in Huntington) to 55 in Indiana.  I would have thought that if it ever did change, it would change the other way around.

What is odd in my mind is that on Interstates, Indiana has posted more liberal speed limits than Ohio for years (although Ohio's truck limit on rural interstates (same as for cars) is now the same as Indiana's 65) while the rural four-lane dual carriageway expressway speed limit is often more liberal in Ohio.  I always find it odd on US 30 heading into Indiana from Ohio that the limit drops from 65/55 to 60.  Yes, the trucks may not mind, but the drop from 65 to 60 seems somewhat arbitrary especially when Indiana offers a higher Interstate limit.  There are always quirks, but this one always struck me as odd.

70 on Interstates in Ohio does seem reasonable when you consider that it's probably closer to the real 85th %ile anyway and that roads like US 30 that are expressways with intersections are already posted for 65 just like Interstates.  It's got to be possible to travel a little faster on a completely access-controlled Interstate than on expressway with intersections...

[vtk]

roads like US 30 that are expressways with intersections are already posted for 65 just like Interstates.  It's got to be possible to travel a little faster on a completely access-controlled Interstate than on expressway with intersections...

Actually, some rural expressways in Ohio are 60, and some are only 55.  I don't expect those to change under the new law.



What's got me wondering now is whether or not I-75 will get a higher speed limit between Cincinnati and Dayton.  It's well outside of each city's "outerbelt", but solidly suburban in character for the whole stretch.

[PurdueBill]

roads like US 30 that are expressways with intersections are already posted for 65 just like Interstates.  It's got to be possible to travel a little faster on a completely access-controlled Interstate than on expressway with intersections...

Actually, some rural expressways in Ohio are 60, and some are only 55.  I don't expect those to change under the new law.

I definitely didn't mean that all were 65, just that they go that high.  Indiana doesn't post any higher than 60 despite the same fundamental design and conditions.  The speed limit dropping from 65 in Ohio to 60 in Indiana on US 30 just seems odd when Indiana has a higher ceiling on speed limits overall.  They can and do post some things higher and some things lower than other places.

[ftballfan]

Indiana only allows 70 mph on 2x2 interstates. Another strange thing about IN is that US-31 in northern Hamilton County (no access control, but four lanes divided) has a 60 mph speed limit, while fully access controlled I-465 in the same county has a 55 mph speed limit.

[tdindy88]

Indiana only allows 70 mph on 2x2 interstates. Another strange thing about IN is that US-31 in northern Hamilton County (no access control, but four lanes divided) has a 60 mph speed limit, while fully access controlled I-465 in the same county has a 55 mph speed limit.

Yeah, but there's a difference between northern Hamilton County and southern Hamilton County. Not that I'm arguing that the speed limit along 465 should be 55, it should be 65 if not 70. It just seems that regardless of what kind of 2x2 highway it is, there's a definition between rural and urban and southern Hamilton County these days can be considered urban (assuming too that suburban is lumped in there with urban.) Plus, with US 31 being turned to a freeway through most of the county, the 55 speed limit will be extended up north to at least Westfield.

[Brandon]

Indiana only allows 70 mph on 2x2 interstates. Another strange thing about IN is that US-31 in northern Hamilton County (no access control, but four lanes divided) has a 60 mph speed limit, while fully access controlled I-465 in the same county has a 55 mph speed limit.

That should be 2x2+.  I-94 (all 3x3 or more) is 70 mph from the Toll Road east to Michigan.

[ShawnP]

Not one in southern Indiana from what I have seen. Far, far too fast for the curvy roads around here. US-150 is dangerous enough.......

If any 2-laner in Indiana is up to 60, I missed it. I'd welcome it if warranted. The only places I've seen the 60 limit is on divided highways, like US 31 between Plymouth and Kokomo, SR 2 west of South Bend, and SR 49 north of Valparaiso. They raised it to 65 on some freeways that aren't interstates, like the St. Joseph Valley Parkway.

If anyone has seen Hoosier 2-laners with a 60 limit, I'd like examples.

[monty]

I can recall in Indiana, before the national mandate of 55 mph speed limits, on state highways there were signs simply stating "Resume Safe Speed" when leaving city / town limits. 

[theline]

You recall right Monty. I remember as a child telling my dad that "resume safe speed" meant the driver could go any speed that he felt was safe. Dad assured me that the state troopers would have a different idea. It meant you could resume Indiana's rural speed limit, 65.

I don't recall if they commonly had "resume safe speed" signs in other states.