Average cruising speeds on freeways in your area/state

[andrepoiy]

120 km/h here in Ontario, although sometimes 130 km/h. (75 and 80 MPH)

[US 89]

80 MPH rural freeways: 80-85. Kinda interesting because drive into Utah, and the similar 80 MPH freeways, average more like 85-90.

See I would disagree with this. In Utah I'll usually set cruise for 82 or 83, and I usually find I pass a little bit more traffic than passes me.

Yeah 85-90 might be overselling it a little, but I can say with certainty that at least on my trip taking the whole of I-15, speeds definitely average slightly higher than Idaho, especially south of Payson or so. Just not quite sure how to quantify that in numbers. It was enough difference in the flow of traffic that I found myself averaging around 85 rather than the 80-82 I usually do in Idaho. That said, in trips on I-84 between Idaho and Ogden, there's not as much of a difference.

You know, I have noticed the same thing and I'm pretty sure it's because on I-15 south of the Wasatch Front you're getting a lot more of the California/Vegas tourist traffic, which in my experience is usually in much more of a hurry (isn't I-15 between Barstow and Vegas known for very high freeway speeds?). Whereas I-15 or 84 north of the Wasatch Front is more laid-back, general inland west driving for the most part.

[Roadgeekteen]

120 km/h here in Ontario, although sometimes 130 km/h. (75 and 80 MPH)

Is the speed limit still 100 or did they raise it to 110?

[Sctvhound]

80+ on most highways outside the Charleston metro area.

[andrepoiy]

Code Select Expand

120 km/h here in Ontario, although sometimes 130 km/h. (75 and 80 MPH)

Is the speed limit still 100 or did they raise it to 110?

100 in most places, but there's a pilot project of 110 on like a few sections of freeway. In my experience driving in one of the 110 sections, people still go either 120 or 130 depending on which pack of cars I'm following.

[Roadgeekteen]

Code Select Expand

120 km/h here in Ontario, although sometimes 130 km/h. (75 and 80 MPH)

Is the speed limit still 100 or did they raise it to 110?

100 in most places, but there's a pilot project of 110 on like a few sections of freeway. In my experience driving in one of the 110 sections, people still go either 120 or 130 depending on which pack of cars I'm following.

So they raised the speed limit and the speed of traffic didn't change lol.

[sprjus4]

Code Select Expand

120 km/h here in Ontario, although sometimes 130 km/h. (75 and 80 MPH)

Is the speed limit still 100 or did they raise it to 110?

100 in most places, but there's a pilot project of 110 on like a few sections of freeway. In my experience driving in one of the 110 sections, people still go either 120 or 130 depending on which pack of cars I'm following.

So they raised the speed limit and the speed of traffic didn't change lol.

Pretty much what happens when you have an artificial 60 mph speed limit on a rural freeway.

I don't know why they're so against raising the 401, it's not like people don't already do 70-75+ mph.

[Roadgeekteen]

Code Select Expand

120 km/h here in Ontario, although sometimes 130 km/h. (75 and 80 MPH)

Is the speed limit still 100 or did they raise it to 110?

100 in most places, but there's a pilot project of 110 on like a few sections of freeway. In my experience driving in one of the 110 sections, people still go either 120 or 130 depending on which pack of cars I'm following.

So they raised the speed limit and the speed of traffic didn't change lol.

Pretty much what happens when you have an artificial 60 mph speed limit on a rural freeway.

I don't know why they're so against raising the 401, it's not like people don't already do 70-75+ mph.

Cops want to be able to randomly pull over people.

[epzik8]

I-95 in Maryland from the Wilson Bridge to MD 24 in Harford County - 77 miles - is at least eight lanes. The speed between the beltways and north of Baltimore is posted at 65. Without major traffic, you can easily hit 70 or more on much of this stretch of it, although in Baltimore, where the posted speed is generally 55, it tends to be lower since there are several key exits in the city, not to mention you have to pay a toll at Fort McHenry. From MD 24 northward, which is six lanes, you can get up to around 80. I've reached 70 on parts of I-695, which ranges from four to eight lanes, during off-peak hours.

I-70 from Ellicott City westward is 70 except within Frederick and Hagerstown. This is four lanes between US 29 and the US 40 merge/split, six lanes from there to US 15/340, and four again into Pennsylvania excepting truck lanes ascending and descending two mountains. Traffic is rarely an issue on this corridor and you can hit 80 between I-695 and the approach to Frederick, where it drops to 60. West of Frederick, extra caution is recommended due to the hillier terrain and additional curves. This is the same for I-68, which is 70 the entire way except in Cumberland, where it drops all the way down to 40 due to several sharp curves and tight ramps.

I-83, 60 MPH north of I-695 to Shawan Road (six lanes) and 65 into Pennsylvania (four lanes), can be tackled up to about 75. There are some wide curves around exits 27 and 31. On I-97 which is 65 MPH, six lanes north of MD 3/32 and four lanes south of it, you can really only go above 65 on the latter stretch, regardless of traffic. I-81 is an easy 70-plus in 11 miles. I-270 from about Germantown southward has a lot of lanes and you would be lucky to hit 65 even in good conditions. You used to be able to fly down I-895 west of the B Spur (the connector to I-97 and MD 2) when there was barely any traffic at any time of the day.

On US 29, MD 32 and MD 100 around Columbia you're lucky to hit 60 at any time.

[sprjus4]

I-70 from Ellicott City westward is 70 except within Frederick and Hagerstown. This is four lanes between US 29 and the US 40 merge/split, six lanes from there to US 15/340, and four again into Pennsylvania excepting truck lanes ascending and descending two mountains. Traffic is rarely an issue on this corridor and you can hit 80 between I-695 and the approach to Frederick, where it drops to 60.

Isn't I-70 through Frederick posted at 65 mph?

I recall it used to be 65 mph on either side of the city, then 55 mph through, though about 7 years ago they bumped it to 70 mph on either side and 65 mph through.

[webny99]

Code Select Expand

120 km/h here in Ontario, although sometimes 130 km/h. (75 and 80 MPH)

Is the speed limit still 100 or did they raise it to 110?

100 in most places, but there's a pilot project of 110 on like a few sections of freeway. In my experience driving in one of the 110 sections, people still go either 120 or 130 depending on which pack of cars I'm following.

So they raised the speed limit and the speed of traffic didn't change lol.

Pretty much what happens when you have an artificial 60 mph speed limit on a rural freeway.

I don't know why they're so against raising the 401, it's not like people don't already do 70-75+ mph.

Cops want to be able to randomly pull over people.

Actually not really the case in Ontario. On the freeways you don't usually get pulled over for less than 50 km/h over the limit because then they have the trump card of being able to suspend your license on the spot. 130 km/h translates to 80 mph, I'd be pretty surprised if anyone ever got pulled over for 130 on the QEW considering how much of the traffic usually moves along at that speed or faster.

I believe the reason they haven't raised the limit on the 401 has more to do with exit spacing and highway standards than it does with speed enforcement. They'll probably raise it once the "trial period" for QEW/402/417 is over, whenever that is.

[jmacswimmer]

I-70 from Ellicott City westward is 70 except within Frederick and Hagerstown. This is four lanes between US 29 and the US 40 merge/split, six lanes from there to US 15/340, and four again into Pennsylvania excepting truck lanes ascending and descending two mountains. Traffic is rarely an issue on this corridor and you can hit 80 between I-695 and the approach to Frederick, where it drops to 60.

Isn't I-70 through Frederick posted at 65 mph?

I recall it used to be 65 mph on either side of the city, then 55 mph through, though about 7 years ago they bumped it to 70 mph on either side and 65 mph through.

Yes on both counts - the speed limit was raised to 65 thru Frederick once the 6-lane widening project between exits 54 & 56 was completed in late 2013 or early 2014, then for a couple years I-70 had a uniform speed limit of 65 throughout the state prior to the portions outside Frederick and west of exit 87 getting the bump to 70.

[vdeane]

Code Select Expand

120 km/h here in Ontario, although sometimes 130 km/h. (75 and 80 MPH)

Is the speed limit still 100 or did they raise it to 110?

100 in most places, but there's a pilot project of 110 on like a few sections of freeway. In my experience driving in one of the 110 sections, people still go either 120 or 130 depending on which pack of cars I'm following.

So they raised the speed limit and the speed of traffic didn't change lol.

Pretty much what happens when you have an artificial 60 mph speed limit on a rural freeway.

I don't know why they're so against raising the 401, it's not like people don't already do 70-75+ mph.

Cops want to be able to randomly pull over people.

Actually not really the case in Ontario. On the freeways you don't usually get pulled over for less than 50 km/h over the limit because then they have the trump card of being able to suspend your license on the spot. 130 km/h translates to 80 mph, I'd be pretty surprised if anyone ever got pulled over for 130 on the QEW considering how much of the traffic usually moves along at that speed or faster.

I believe the reason they haven't raised the limit on the 401 has more to do with exit spacing and highway standards than it does with speed enforcement. They'll probably raise it once the "trial period" for QEW/402/417 is over, whenever that is.

Yeah, the OPP probably would like it if the speed at which someone is 50 kph over and causes that law to be invoked would stay exactly where it was - hence why Ontario was stuck at 100 for so long.

[epzik8]

I-70 from Ellicott City westward is 70 except within Frederick and Hagerstown. This is four lanes between US 29 and the US 40 merge/split, six lanes from there to US 15/340, and four again into Pennsylvania excepting truck lanes ascending and descending two mountains. Traffic is rarely an issue on this corridor and you can hit 80 between I-695 and the approach to Frederick, where it drops to 60.

Isn't I-70 through Frederick posted at 65 mph?

I recall it used to be 65 mph on either side of the city, then 55 mph through, though about 7 years ago they bumped it to 70 mph on either side and 65 mph through.

I-70 from Ellicott City westward is 70 except within Frederick

[democratic nole]

In Tampa, where the freeway speed limit is mostly 55, I'd say traffic usually drives between 65 and 75 mph. On the Pinellas side, 275 is 65 mph, so probably between 70 and 80. On the Howard Frankland Bridge, with 65 mph limit, people regularly go 75 to 85 mph. Lots of speeding on the Gandy Bridge too, which has 55 limit but drivers will regularly drive 75 or 80.

[sprjus4]

I-70 from Ellicott City westward is 70 except within Frederick and Hagerstown. This is four lanes between US 29 and the US 40 merge/split, six lanes from there to US 15/340, and four again into Pennsylvania excepting truck lanes ascending and descending two mountains. Traffic is rarely an issue on this corridor and you can hit 80 between I-695 and the approach to Frederick, where it drops to 60.

Isn't I-70 through Frederick posted at 65 mph?

I recall it used to be 65 mph on either side of the city, then 55 mph through, though about 7 years ago they bumped it to 70 mph on either side and 65 mph through.

I-70 from Ellicott City westward is 70 except within Frederick

I was questioning where you said I-70 is posted at 60 mph through Frederick... it's 65 mph.

Also, Hagerstown never drops on I-70, it holds 70 mph through.

[Flint1979]

I was talking to a Michigan State Trooper several years ago and we came to the agreement that the average speed on an Interstate highway is 77 mph.

[Roadgeekteen]

I was talking to a Michigan State Trooper several years ago and we came to the agreement that the average speed on an Interstate highway is 77 mph.

In speed limit 70 or 75 zones?

[GaryV]

I was talking to a Michigan State Trooper several years ago and we came to the agreement that the average speed on an Interstate highway is 77 mph.

In speed limit 70 or 75 zones?

Probably in 70 zones (especially depending on how many "several years ago" the comment was made).  But when you go from a 70 to a 75 zone, the speed often doesn't increase by that much.  I typically set my speed control at 78 in a 75 mph zone, which already decreased the gas mileage quite a bit.  Many other drivers are not comfortable driving over 80 mph, the 95-100 minority notwithstanding.

[Flint1979]

I was talking to a Michigan State Trooper several years ago and we came to the agreement that the average speed on an Interstate highway is 77 mph.

In speed limit 70 or 75 zones?

This was well before Michigan had 75 mph speed limits.

[Flint1979]

I was talking to a Michigan State Trooper several years ago and we came to the agreement that the average speed on an Interstate highway is 77 mph.

In speed limit 70 or 75 zones?

Probably in 70 zones (especially depending on how many "several years ago" the comment was made).  But when you go from a 70 to a 75 zone, the speed often doesn't increase by that much.  I typically set my speed control at 78 in a 75 mph zone, which already decreased the gas mileage quite a bit.  Many other drivers are not comfortable driving over 80 mph, the 95-100 minority notwithstanding.

It was probably around 2008 or 2009.

[Flint1979]

I've been cruising at the speed limit lately, most I've done is 5 over and to be honest it doesn't get you that far to go that much faster. I was coming over the Holland Street Bridge in Saginaw earlier at 30 mph which is the speed limit and a guy blows past me at about 50 or so and the light at Michigan was green so I knew it was going to change soon so I slowed down and this car raced up to the light and it changed before he got there so I just rolled up to the red light thinking that got you far plus you used up more gas to get here.

[sprjus4]

I've been cruising at the speed limit lately, most I've done is 5 over and to be honest it doesn't get you that far to go that much faster. I was coming over the Holland Street Bridge in Saginaw earlier at 30 mph which is the speed limit and a guy blows past me at about 50 or so and the light at Michigan was green so I knew it was going to change soon so I slowed down and this car raced up to the light and it changed before he got there so I just rolled up to the red light thinking that got you far plus you used up more gas to get here.

Depends. On a surface arterial, maybe. On a long distance interstate trip? Driving 80 or 85 mph vs. 70 mph for hundreds of miles can easily cut an hour or more off.

[I-55]

I've been cruising at the speed limit lately, most I've done is 5 over and to be honest it doesn't get you that far to go that much faster. I was coming over the Holland Street Bridge in Saginaw earlier at 30 mph which is the speed limit and a guy blows past me at about 50 or so and the light at Michigan was green so I knew it was going to change soon so I slowed down and this car raced up to the light and it changed before he got there so I just rolled up to the red light thinking that got you far plus you used up more gas to get here.

Depends. On a surface arterial, maybe. On a long distance interstate trip? Driving 80 or 85 mph vs. 70 mph for hundreds of miles can easily cut an hour or more off.

Driving the 115 miles to/from Indy comparing me vs my brother is its own story. I usually drive 15-20 minutes quicker than my brother who drives at the limit, me about 77-80 regardless of whether I'm in a 65 or a 70 on that stretch. He's yet to drive I-65 south of Indy but I made it from 265 to 465 in about an hour 25 (~80 mph average). Driving at the limit on that stretch is hardly possible, you're either 10 below or 10 above, so it'll be interesting to see how long it takes him.

Point 1: the extra 5-10 definitely makes a difference in travel time on longer trips
Point 2: the extra 5-10 definitely makes a difference on how you interact with traffic around you. Because that 5-10 mph difference can quickly turn into 15-20, especially in states like Indiana that have truck limits.

[Flint1979]

Well I cheat I have adaptive cruise control and it works well I seriously like the stress it takes off and I can keep my eyes on the road and don't have to keep looking at my speed. If I set it and come up to stopped traffic or slower traffic it adapts to the speed the car in front of me is doing and comes to a stop. I love it.

There are times where I bump it up and do 75 or 80. I don't like doing 80 for a long time so I usually do 70 or 75 or sometimes just 77. I usually go past state cops who don't even bother me because they are looking for people doing 85-90 and above. Usually about 6 or 7 over is when you trigger them but they let you do 80 on the freeways. My theory is as long as you don't stand out you'll be fine.