News:

Thanks to everyone for the feedback on what errors you encountered from the forum database changes made in Fall 2023. Let us know if you discover anymore.

Main Menu

Average cruising speeds on freeways in your area/state

Started by Roadgeekteen, April 20, 2021, 07:10:43 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

sprjus4

Quote from: HighwayStar on April 22, 2021, 03:53:18 PM
and they are not worthy of a defense.
He was cited for breaking the law, but he wasn't.

So how is that not worthy for a defense?


kphoger

Quote from: sprjus4 on April 22, 2021, 04:29:19 PM

Quote from: HighwayStar on April 22, 2021, 03:53:18 PM
and they are not worthy of a defense.

He was cited for breaking the law, but he wasn't.

So how is that not worthy for a defense?

Or, more accurately, he had no way of knowing if he was breaking the law or not.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

CtrlAltDel

#77
This argument is so bad that it makes me wonder if the Attorney General was trying to get the law tossed.

Quote from: Supreme Court of Montana:  STATE of Montana, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. Rudy STANKO, Defendant and Appellant (No. 97-486)
¶ 27 The difficulty that § 61-8-303(1), MCA, presents as a statute to regulate speed on Montana's highways, especially as it concerns those interests which the void-for-vagueness doctrine is intended to protect, was further evident from the following discussion with the Attorney General during the argument of this case:

Q. Well how many highway patrol men and women are there in the State of Montana?

A. There are 212 authorized members of the patrol.   Of that number, about 190 are officers and on the road.

Q. And I understand there are no specific guidelines provided to them to enable them to know at what point, exact point, a person's speed is a violation of the basic rule?

A. That's correct, Your Honor, because that's not what the statute requires.   We do not have a numerical limit.   We have a basic rule statute which requires the officer to take into account whether or not the driver is driving in a careful and prudent manner, using the speed.

Q. And it's up to each of their individual judgments to enforce the law?

A. It is, Your Honor, using their judgment applying the standard set forth in the statute․

Q. Well, if I'm driving down the interstate highway through Montana on a clear day on a dry road with little traffic in the area, at what speed can I assume that I'm complying with the law, or is that up to whichever one of those 190 officers are on duty at that location at that time?

A. It depends, Your Honor, because it will depend upon the application of the statutory factors.   Where are you on the interstate highway on a clear road?

Q. Let's say that I've got a vehicle that's new, there are no problems with the brakes, there are no problems with the steering, it's a clear day, the road is dry, the traffic is light, there are no other conditions which make it dangerous for me to travel at a high speed.   At what speed can I be assured that I'm not violating the law?

A. Your Honor, my response will be, it depends.   There is no numerical limit that I can cite you because it will depend where you are.   And it will depend on an officer's discretion ultimately.   And it will depend upon your own judgment in the operation of your vehicle․

Q. So I just don't know?

A. You don't know, but you have a lot of good guidance provided in the statute․ But to provide you with a number, the legislature hasn't given one, and if they do not give us one, we will continue to apply the statutory factors in every circumstance.

[Edited formatting for readability. –S.]
Interstates clinched: 4, 57, 275 (IN-KY-OH), 465 (IN), 640 (TN), 985
State Interstates clinched: I-26 (TN), I-75 (GA), I-75 (KY), I-75 (TN), I-81 (WV), I-95 (NH)

CoreySamson

Houston and exurbs:
65 mph limit = 70-85 mph cruising speed
60 mph limit = 70-82 mph cruising speed

US 59, eastern Texas:
75 mph limit = 75-82 mph cruising speed

TX-130
85 mph limit = 86-90 mph cruising speed
Buc-ee's and QuikTrip fanboy. Clincher of FM roads. Proponent of the TX U-turn.

My Route Log
My Clinches

Now on mobrule and Travel Mapping!

Roadgeekteen

Quote from: CoreySamson on April 22, 2021, 09:58:20 PM
Houston and exurbs:
65 mph limit = 70-85 mph cruising speed
60 mph limit = 70-82 mph cruising speed

US 59, eastern Texas:
75 mph limit = 75-82 mph cruising speed

TX-130
85 mph limit = 86-90 mph cruising speed
Do people not drive 90-100 on TX-130?
God-emperor of Alanland, king of all the goats and goat-like creatures

Current Interstate map I am making:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&mid=1PEDVyNb1skhnkPkgXi8JMaaudM2zI-Y&ll=29.05778059819179%2C-82.48856825&z=5

sprjus4

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on April 22, 2021, 10:07:01 PM
Do people not drive 90-100 on TX-130?
No.

The couple times I've been on it, I drove between 85 and 90 mph, got passed a couple times (probably 95 mph top speed), though passed a number of vehicles going between 65 (commercial vehicles) - 85 mph.

The road was lightly traveled.

Do people hit 100 mph? Sure. But it's not the norm for everyone. A reasonable speed limit = compliance.

CoreySamson

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on April 22, 2021, 10:07:01 PM
Do people not drive 90-100 on TX-130?
What sprjus4 said. I might add that TX-130 honestly had the best speed limit compliance I've ever seen on a freeway ever, at least when I drove it.
Buc-ee's and QuikTrip fanboy. Clincher of FM roads. Proponent of the TX U-turn.

My Route Log
My Clinches

Now on mobrule and Travel Mapping!

jeffandnicole

Quote from: HighwayStar on April 22, 2021, 03:53:18 PM
Quote from: webny99 on April 22, 2021, 03:45:44 PM
Quote from: HighwayStar on April 22, 2021, 03:34:38 PM
Quote from: webny99 on April 22, 2021, 03:06:30 PM
My mind is blown by the fact that, in 1996, a Camry cost(ed?) that much more than a Camaro.

Given that fact, the current 2021 connotations of the two vehicles are pretty much irrelevant.

Those connotations were no different in the 90's, one is a practical car you buy because you need transport, the other is something you buy to display wealth.

And yet, the practical car is significantly more expensive? That makes no sense, and that's why I don't believe the current 2021 connotations were the same in the '90's.

Sure, there is no reason that the practical car should be cheaper, the fact that it has more utility should actually make it more expensive than a cut rate sports car. The difference is the Camry is a car you buy because you have to and it is your only car, the Camero is a weekend toy you buy on top of the other vehicles you already own.

For that matter, I cannot understand why everyone is going to such lengths to defend a guy that was clearly an ass out to cause trouble for Montana and what was a perfectly good speed limit. Its no different than the guys that got laser jamming gear banned in Texas by blowing right past the police at high speed with them on. Some people do bad things that ruin a good system for more reasonable people, and they are not worthy of a defense.

Frankly, I can't understand why someone would care about a state that, and maybe I'm wrong, they have never driven in.  If you want to go fast, there's several highways in the Philly area you can do so without much of an issue.  My best example was up north in the dual-dual zone of the NJ Turnpike.  I was in a line of vehicles in otherwise light traffic in the middle lane going about 90.  A State Trooper was coming up in the left lane, and passed us like it was completely normal for traffic to be going 25 over the limit. He was probably going about 100 - 105.  Trooper didn't even glance over at us.  This is probably so routine they don't give it a second thought sometime, unless they are on speed detail hiding off on one of the "Authorized use only" ramps.

SkyPesos

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on April 21, 2021, 01:27:58 AM
Quote from: SkyPesos on April 21, 2021, 12:00:13 AM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on April 20, 2021, 11:56:44 PM
Quote from: FrCorySticha on April 20, 2021, 11:21:30 PM
In Montana, people generally drive ~5 MPH above or below the speed limit, so speeds generally range from 75-85 in 80 MPH zones and 60-70 in 65 MPH zones within city limits. Of course, the mountainous stretches are different as the speed limits are set more by terrain, and speeds vary accordingly.
Wow, a state with reasonable speed limits!
I'm still waiting for Indiana to raise the speed limit on most of I-465. You're just asking to get crashed into driving at 55 mph, when almost all other vehicles are going at least 15-20 mph over. Pretty sure the cops don't even care at this point, though there are still occasional speed traps (one in the Carmel area and one somewhere in the south loop I think).
At least Indiana has 70.
Yea, but that's mostly exclusive to rural interstates. I-465 is still signed at 55 mph on its entire length just because of a couple of chokepoints, and considering that it has miles of fairly straight stretches up to 10-12 lanes wide at some areas, that's way too low, and no one follows it anyways. Should really be at least signed at 65 mph.

HighwayStar

#84
Quote from: jeffandnicole on April 22, 2021, 11:01:23 PM
Quote from: HighwayStar on April 22, 2021, 03:53:18 PM
Quote from: webny99 on April 22, 2021, 03:45:44 PM
Quote from: HighwayStar on April 22, 2021, 03:34:38 PM
Quote from: webny99 on April 22, 2021, 03:06:30 PM
My mind is blown by the fact that, in 1996, a Camry cost(ed?) that much more than a Camaro.

Given that fact, the current 2021 connotations of the two vehicles are pretty much irrelevant.

Those connotations were no different in the 90's, one is a practical car you buy because you need transport, the other is something you buy to display wealth.

And yet, the practical car is significantly more expensive? That makes no sense, and that's why I don't believe the current 2021 connotations were the same in the '90's.

Sure, there is no reason that the practical car should be cheaper, the fact that it has more utility should actually make it more expensive than a cut rate sports car. The difference is the Camry is a car you buy because you have to and it is your only car, the Camero is a weekend toy you buy on top of the other vehicles you already own.

For that matter, I cannot understand why everyone is going to such lengths to defend a guy that was clearly an ass out to cause trouble for Montana and what was a perfectly good speed limit. Its no different than the guys that got laser jamming gear banned in Texas by blowing right past the police at high speed with them on. Some people do bad things that ruin a good system for more reasonable people, and they are not worthy of a defense.

Frankly, I can't understand why someone would care about a state that, and maybe I'm wrong, they have never driven in.  If you want to go fast, there's several highways in the Philly area you can do so without much of an issue.  My best example was up north in the dual-dual zone of the NJ Turnpike.  I was in a line of vehicles in otherwise light traffic in the middle lane going about 90.  A State Trooper was coming up in the left lane, and passed us like it was completely normal for traffic to be going 25 over the limit. He was probably going about 100 - 105.  Trooper didn't even glance over at us.  This is probably so routine they don't give it a second thought sometime, unless they are on speed detail hiding off on one of the "Authorized use only" ramps.

Lived there for years, and spent plenty of time driving there and still do. Checkmate.  :spin:
Furthermore, it is not about some childish desire to "go fast" legal or not. I am more than familiar with the speeding etc. that goes on in the East, but that is A) illegal, and going to be a serious problem for you if you are the one guy they finally pull over doing 30+ over the speed limit. And B) not purposeful in my view since it is really driving too fast for conditions.
No, the point is that speed limits in ANY state (if we have them at all) should not limit motorists to a speed well below that which is safe. In a state like Montana this becomes particularly irritating because A) it is a large state with considerable distances to traverse and B) a much higher limit would be perfectly safe for many of the roadways. I don't have to go fast for the sake of going fast, which is why I am not making a point to find some place in NJ to blow by the cops and have them not care. Rather, if I have to transverse 400+ miles of basically nothing, I would prefer to be able to cruise at the highest safe speed for geometry and conditions.
There are those who travel, and those who travel well

doorknob60

Idaho:
65 MPH urban freeways (my main experience is I-84 but may apply to others): 70-75. Some people push 80 but in my experience cops will ticket for >75.
    60 MPH I-184: 70
80 MPH rural freeways: 80-85. Kinda interesting because drive into Utah, and the similar 80 MPH freeways, average more like 85-90.

US 89

Quote from: doorknob60 on April 23, 2021, 01:18:35 PM
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.

Agreed on your assessment of Idaho though, and I think it's because police in Idaho are known to pull people over for lower speeds than they do in Utah (I don't know how true this is, but it is a sentiment I have heard expressed more than once).

At any rate, my assessment for Utah would be:

Urban 70mph freeways (most interstates): 70-80

Urban 65mph freeways (201 and some interstate segments): 65-75
- Exception: Legacy Parkway (65mph) speeds tend to be lower (65-70) probably thanks to the history of a semi-strictly enforced 55mph environmental limit. Although the law requiring this has expired and the limit raises to 65, it still moves a little slower than one might expect.

Urban 55 or 60mph freeways (parts of Bangerter, US 89 in Davis County): 55-70

Flint1979

US-131 yesterday going into Grand Rapids. I had my cruise set at 83 in the 75 mph zone and went back to 80 in the 70 mph zone. I kept getting passed and for awhile traffic was ahead of me with nothing else behind me so I bumped my cruise to 90 mph and couldn't even catch the traffic ahead of me.

ftballfan

Quote from: Flint1979 on April 24, 2021, 10:03:15 AM
US-131 yesterday going into Grand Rapids. I had my cruise set at 83 in the 75 mph zone and went back to 80 in the 70 mph zone. I kept getting passed and for awhile traffic was ahead of me with nothing else behind me so I bumped my cruise to 90 mph and couldn't even catch the traffic ahead of me.
US-131 north of Grand Rapids (especially north of Rockford) feels like the Autobahn. Traffic is routinely going 85+ through there.

Also on US-131, but south of Grand Rapids, there are times I can be going 80-82 and still get passed and others where I'm lucky to be going 65 (especially if there are trucks)

On many rural two-lane state highways, average cruising speed seems to be between 60 and 65. If the speed limit is 65 (some highways in the Superior and North MDOT regions, as well as two highways in the Grand region (M-37 in northern Lake County [which was formerly in the North region] and M-231)), cruising speed is around 70.

Flint1979

Quote from: ftballfan on April 24, 2021, 05:29:21 PM
Quote from: Flint1979 on April 24, 2021, 10:03:15 AM
US-131 yesterday going into Grand Rapids. I had my cruise set at 83 in the 75 mph zone and went back to 80 in the 70 mph zone. I kept getting passed and for awhile traffic was ahead of me with nothing else behind me so I bumped my cruise to 90 mph and couldn't even catch the traffic ahead of me.
US-131 north of Grand Rapids (especially north of Rockford) feels like the Autobahn. Traffic is routinely going 85+ through there.

Also on US-131, but south of Grand Rapids, there are times I can be going 80-82 and still get passed and others where I'm lucky to be going 65 (especially if there are trucks)

On many rural two-lane state highways, average cruising speed seems to be between 60 and 65. If the speed limit is 65 (some highways in the Superior and North MDOT regions, as well as two highways in the Grand region (M-37 in northern Lake County [which was formerly in the North region] and M-231)), cruising speed is around 70.
I start out at the speed limit then figure out how fast everyone is moving. Half the time in a 70 zone in doing 80 and of course getting passed. If I set it at 85 I can keep up with the flow.

FrCorySticha

Quote from: HighwayStar on April 22, 2021, 01:45:39 PM
There never was "75 everywhere" in Montana I was referring to 75 everywhere on interstates, not everywhere on other roads. And yes, there was a period where all interstates were 75.
Yes, most of of the interstates in Montana were 75. Again, cities were specifically written into the law at 65, and mountains were and still are slower. So, no, there never was a period where all interstates were 75.

Quote from: HighwayStar on April 22, 2021, 01:45:39 PM
And no, 80 is not a reasonable speed limit for most of the interstate highways in the state. Given traffic counts and the geometry of the roads a speed of 110+ would not be an issue whatsoever. Its ridiculous to limit people to 80 when you could drive 20 or 30 MPH faster than that without issue. Having MT posted 80 is like having every highway in NJ posted at 40, it makes no sense.
Perhaps it would be best to let someone who actually lives here tell you whether or not a particular speed is reasonable instead of assuming you know better. 110 would absolutely be an issue. Traffic counts and road geometry do not tell the story of drivers' particular aptitude behind the wheel, the condition of their car, weather and more. Wildlife accidents alone are bad enough at 80, much less 100 MPH or better.

I have no problem with your area being posted at 40 on interstates. After all, you all have a lot of people there, and traffic, and bad roads, and it's a lot safer for you to drive 40 than 55 or 60. I mean, it's easy for me to judge what speed you should be driving when I'm not the one out there doing it.

FrCorySticha

#91
Quote from: HighwayStar on April 23, 2021, 11:00:25 AM
Lived there for 20 years, and spent plenty of time driving there and still do. Checkmate.  :spin:
I've lived and driven here for 30 years, minus a few years for USAF service and school.

Then you should know that 80 is fine, and anything over about 90 is stupid. What you propose is not a safe speed on Montana's interstates, period.

jeffandnicole

Quote from: FrCorySticha on April 24, 2021, 11:11:51 PM
it's easy for me to judge what speed you should be driving when I'm not the one out there doing it.

Clearly it's not.

FrCorySticha

#93
Quote from: jeffandnicole on April 24, 2021, 11:43:55 PM
Quote from: FrCorySticha on April 24, 2021, 11:11:51 PM
it's easy for me to judge what speed you should be driving when I'm not the one out there doing it.

Clearly it's not.
Sorry it didn't come across. It was sarcastic. I no more believe that NJ should have only 40 MPH speed limits than I do MT allowing 100+.

My point is that although I've driven on roads in the Eastern US, and agree that some may be posted with speed limits not fitting for road conditions, I'm not the one to determine whether or not they truly are. It's for those who live there and drive on them on a day-to-day basis. The same goes for someone who currently lives in the Eastern US, or at least puts his location as a major city in that region, who may have lived here at one time. I'm the one who is driving on the roads in Montana on a day-to-day basis and have been for quite a few years, so I'm probably a better judge of what is safe and reasonable for road conditions here than someone who no longer lives here.

achilles765

Quote from: CoreySamson on April 22, 2021, 09:58:20 PM
Houston and exurbs:
65 mph limit = 70-85 mph cruising speed
60 mph limit = 70-82 mph cruising speed

US 59, eastern Texas:
75 mph limit = 75-82 mph cruising speed

TX-130
85 mph limit = 86-90 mph cruising speed


Yep I mostly agree with these with a few exceptions/additions:
IH 45 north at night: often 80-85
Between Houston and Dallas 80-90

IH 10 between Houston and San Antonio 75-80
Between Houston and Louisiana: 75-80

When US 59 is fully converted to IH 69 the speed limit between Houston and Corpus Christi needs to be like 80 because there are some long empty stretches out there. There are long empty stretches on pretty much every interstate with the only the exception probably of IH 35
I love freeways and roads in any state but Texas will always be first in my heart

doorknob60

Quote from: US 89 on April 24, 2021, 09:42:30 AM
Quote from: doorknob60 on April 23, 2021, 01:18:35 PM
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.

corco

Quote from: doorknob60 on April 23, 2021, 01:18:35 PM
Idaho:
65 MPH urban freeways (my main experience is I-84 but may apply to others): 70-75. Some people push 80 but in my experience cops will ticket for >75.
    60 MPH I-184: 70
80 MPH rural freeways: 80-85. Kinda interesting because drive into Utah, and the similar 80 MPH freeways, average more like 85-90.

Damn, 70 on I-184? I clinched that multiple times a week for years until a month ago and felt like one of the fastest cars on the road at 65. I feel like in Idaho five over generally puts you at about 85th percentile except where it's 80 and then it might be a couple mph less.

doorknob60

Quote from: corco on April 26, 2021, 02:57:38 PM
Quote from: doorknob60 on April 23, 2021, 01:18:35 PM
Idaho:
65 MPH urban freeways (my main experience is I-84 but may apply to others): 70-75. Some people push 80 but in my experience cops will ticket for >75.
    60 MPH I-184: 70
80 MPH rural freeways: 80-85. Kinda interesting because drive into Utah, and the similar 80 MPH freeways, average more like 85-90.

Damn, 70 on I-184? I clinched that multiple times a week for years until a month ago and felt like one of the fastest cars on the road at 65.
When I commuted on the road (stopped in 2018), if it wasn't too crowded for traffic issues, yeah pretty much. 65-70 is probably more accurate. I almost always park it at 70 on when I happen to drive it (not super common anymore, usually off peak now), usually feels about right. Maybe it's different at different times of the day, or maybe my memory is a little off.

Pink Jazz

#98
Arizona mostly seems to be 75-80 mph in 65 mph zones and 80-85 mph in 75 mph zones (Arizona has no 70 mph zones).  There will be the occasional above 85 mph super speeder in both 65 and 70 mph zones, although that is considered a criminal offense in Arizona.

jdbx

I was speaking to a highway patrolman last year while our sons were both playing on the same basketball team.  He said that the average speed on the freeways in my part of the Bay Area was about 74 MPH.  The regular limit on nearly all of these roads is 65 MPH.  His advice was basic common sense:  "Don't stand out from the crowd"



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.