Texas higher speed limits map

[wxfree]

This is a map I've been making, just for my own interest.  I thought someone here might be interested in it, too.  It shows 75 and 80 mph speed zones in Texas.  When the laws changed, I wanted to have a quick view of where the 75 mph zones were being put up.

Yellow is 75, red is 80, and green is 85.  I made the map in Topo, which shows USGS and National Geographic maps.  The markers were set in a different zoom level and they don't always line up with the roads in the zoom level displayed, but they're close enough.  In some cases, TxDOT has weird mile point and control section calibrations, so I had to guess at where the new zones are.  The red flags show the ends of some zones, but I stopped using those.

I started the map in September and update it each month.  The current version is valid as of December, when new zones were added in the Fort Worth and Wichita Falls districts.  Many of the newer limits have not yet been posted on the signs. There are still large gaps where districts have not yet had the higher limits approved on non-Interstates.  The current map is at http://www.patternsandprinciples.com/otherfiles/7580.jpg  If you see any mistakes or omissions let me know.  Somehow I left off I-30 for months and just now fixed it.

For comparison, old maps are at
http://www.patternsandprinciples.com/otherfiles/7580sep.jpg
http://www.patternsandprinciples.com/otherfiles/7580oct.jpg
http://www.patternsandprinciples.com/otherfiles/7580nov.jpg
http://www.patternsandprinciples.com/otherfiles/7580dec.jpg
http://www.patternsandprinciples.com/otherfiles/7580jan.jpg
http://www.patternsandprinciples.com/otherfiles/7580feb.jpg
http://www.patternsandprinciples.com/otherfiles/7580mar.jpg
http://www.patternsandprinciples.com/otherfiles/7580apr.jpg

One interesting thing I noticed is that it appears that districts previously influenced whether higher limits were posted.  The Odessa district had many 75 mph roads, and the San Angelo district has none other than short stretches surrounded on both sides by the Odessa district.  This is in spite of the fact that many counties in the San Angelo district qualified for the higher speed limits under the old law.  Odessa seemed to be most enthusiastic about raising speed limits, and as far as I can tell that district is the only one the 75 mph limits on FM and RM roads, while some districts (Lubbock, Amarillo, Abilene, Childress, and Wichita Falls) could have before last year but didn't.

Edit: Added links to newer archived versions.

[kphoger]

If I'm reading this right, you have labeled the Camino Colombia toll road (SR-255 near Laredo) as 75 mph.  I can personally verify that it was only 70 mph as of June of this year; did something change?

[wxfree]

If I'm reading this right, you have labeled the Camino Colombia toll road (SR-255 near Laredo) as 75 mph.  I can personally verify that it was only 70 mph as of June of this year; did something change?

The speed zone minute order in October included 75 mph speed zones in the Corpus Christi and Laredo districts.  SH 255 was included.  A short stretch at the west end was left at 70.

[kphoger]

If I'm reading this right, you have labeled the Camino Colombia toll road (SR-255 near Laredo) as 75 mph.  I can personally verify that it was only 70 mph as of June of this year; did something change?

The speed zone minute order in October included 75 mph speed zones in the Corpus Christi and Laredo districts.  SH 255 was included.  A short stretch at the west end was left at 70.

Interesting.  There are so many bumps and dips along the highway, I rarely go too much over 70 mph (and I like to speed).  In fact, on much of it, 70 is simply too fast for a vehicle with anything approaching a heavy load.

[wxfree]

Not to revive my own inactive topic, but TxDOT finally released this month's list of new speed zones.  75 mph zones have been added to many roads in the San Angelo district, and some roads that were left off in the El Paso district.  There are a few other new ones here and there.  I found an error I made last month, and found a long-time 75 zone in south Texas I'd omitted.  Both have been corrected.

The new map is at the same address http://www.patternsandprinciples.com/otherfiles/7580.jpg and the archived one for last month is at http://www.patternsandprinciples.com/otherfiles/7580dec.jpg

[kphoger]

I'm still confused by this.  I can personally guarantee that the 75 mph limit on I-35 does not extend north all the way to I-410 near San Antonio, and that the Camino Colombia (TX-255) is still only 70 mph.  I just drove both of them last month.

[bassoon1986]

Hmmm....an interesting question. This map shows that US 59/US 71 north of Texarkana is 75mph. For the section that is indeed on the state line, is it 75 mph on the Southbound lanes only? What's the speed limit on the AR lanes?

[wxfree]

I'm still confused by this.  I can personally guarantee that the 75 mph limit on I-35 does not extend north all the way to I-410 near San Antonio, and that the Camino Colombia (TX-255) is still only 70 mph.  I just drove both of them last month.

I've added to the map what has been approved by TTC in minute orders.  According to the latest one, the speed limit on I-35 should be 75 to just north of Loop 1604.  On the map it was displayed as far as north of Von Ormy, which is how it was originally set in January 2012.  It was moved back several miles in the April 2012 minute order.  I realized my flawed process (not seeing when the change points are moved from the original points) recently and have been going back and making corrections.  I haven't yet gotten as far back as last April.  I've made the adjustment in the records, and it will appear on next month's map.  If it hasn't been signed to just north of Loop 1604, I don't know why that would be.

I'm not surprised about SH 255.  Some of the districts are taking longer to get the highways signed than others.  Thousands of signs are being  replaced statewide, and it takes time.  I've seen news reports indicating that the signs were being installed as soon as the week after the changes were approved, and I saw the signs in Navarro County, in the Dallas district, take over one year to be installed.  It took nearly a year on some of the highways in the Paris district.  The 75 mph speed zones in the Laredo district were approved in October.  I have no idea how long it will take to get the signs installed.

[wxfree]

Hmmm....an interesting question. This map shows that US 59/US 71 north of Texarkana is 75mph. For the section that is indeed on the state line, is it 75 mph on the Southbound lanes only? What's the speed limit on the AR lanes?

That's something I'd like to know, but don't.  If I ever head that way, I'll certainly take note of it.  On the other hand, Google, Bing, and USGS maps don't show the relevant stretch of road being exactly on the state line, but just to the west.  Those three maps agree that the highway is on the state line from about AR 296 to the south.  Aside from the 75 mph speed limit, it would be interesting to see if there are different limits on opposite sides of the section that is certainly on the state line.

[Road Hog]

Hmmm....an interesting question. This map shows that US 59/US 71 north of Texarkana is 75mph. For the section that is indeed on the state line, is it 75 mph on the Southbound lanes only? What's the speed limit on the AR lanes?

That's something I'd like to know, but don't.  If I ever head that way, I'll certainly take note of it.  On the other hand, Google, Bing, and USGS maps don't show the relevant stretch of road being exactly on the state line, but just to the west.  Those three maps agree that the highway is on the state line from about AR 296 to the south.  Aside from the 75 mph speed limit, it would be interesting to see if there are different limits on opposite sides of the section that is certainly on the state line.

I think the whole of US 59/71 is controlled by TxDOT south of the Red River Bridge to Texarkana. Speed limit was 70 the whole way the last time I was up there. In Arkansas it drops to 55.

[longhorn]

I thought I-10 in west Texas was 85?

[1995hoo]

I thought I-10 in west Texas was 85?

Only the new southern portion of the Route 130 toll road (the portion between I-10 and the Austin area) has an 85-mph speed limit.

[jeffandnicole]

I thought I-10 in west Texas was 85?

As of now, only newly built highways are permitted to be signed at 85 mph. 

[wxfree]

I thought I-10 in west Texas was 85?

As of now, only newly built highways are permitted to be signed at 85 mph.

That isn't precisely correct.  The version of the bill first passed by the House would have allowed the higher speed limit only on roads on which construction was completed on or after June 1, 2011.  The final version that became law says that the higher speed limit is allowed if "that part of the highway system is designed to accommodate travel at that established speed or a higher speed..."

The meaning isn't as certain as the House version wording.  TxDOT established a speed limit of 80 mph on SH 130 Sections 1-4 and SH 45 SE, both of which were open before 2011, using that provision.  Under other law, the highest speed limit would be 75.  This means they aren't interpreting the law to apply only to highways built after the law became effective.  The only thing I've read in actual news sources about the rural Interstates is that TxDOT had no plans at the time (2011) to conduct the studies required for establishing 85 mph (or new 80 mph) speed limits on those roads.  The legal issue would be whether the older highways were "designed to accommodate travel" at those speeds.

A bill that failed in the last session would have required TxDOT ("shall" rather than "may") to establish 85 mph speed limits on roads that meet the existing legal qualifications.

[pctech]

Interesting article about the new high speed toll road just east of Austin Tx..
http://www.npr.org/2013/12/17/248757580/even-an-85-mph-highway-cant-fix-austins-traffic-tangle

[bugo]

That part of highway 71 is completely west of the state line.

[Henry]

This is crazy! As I-10 and I-20 in the western part of the state run through sparsely populated areas (at least compared to the eastern part), there's no reason why they can't be signed at 85. Same goes for I-27 and I-40.

[agentsteel53]

This is crazy! As I-10 and I-20 in the western part of the state run through sparsely populated areas (at least compared to the eastern part), there's no reason why they can't be signed at 85. Same goes for I-27 and I-40.

most of those roads could be signed with no speed limit at all, really.  just throw in greater enforcement of reckless-driving charges, which would be much more dependent on the level of traffic.  really, 100-110mph is safe on most of those roads. 

the two-laners can stay generally at 75; there's enough side traffic to merit a speed limit.  a lot of the four-lane expressways with the occasional at-grade crossing could become 80 or 85.

[nolia_boi504]

Per the article in the post below, Grand Pkwy Segment E between I-10 and US 290 will have a posted speed limit 80mph. I'm not sure what the speed limit will be between Westpark Twy to US-59 when that segment is ready, but I assume it wont be different than the 60mph limit between I-10 and Westpark Twy.

Currently there is no part of Grand Pkwy shown on this map. Its almost time to update the map as these segments start to open!

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=11113.msg265580#msg265580

[wxfree]

I haven't updated the map since September.  The past two months, and this month, there's basically nothing new.  The map is based on TxDOT minute orders, with some adjustments made according to my observations of actual signing.  As I read the statutes, only TxDOT can establish a speed limit above 75, while cities, regional mobility authorities, regional tollway authorities, and Harris County can establish speed limits as high as 75.  CTRMA established a speed limit of 75 on 183A, but I don't know if Harris County has anywhere on its toll road system.  A statement at the TTC meeting last month indicated that the speed limit on Loop 49 (now run by NETRMA) was still 70.  It's possible I'm going to miss some of the 75s that aren't set by TxDOT.

There have been no 80 mph speed limits in recent minute orders.  When the preliminary speed limit was set at 85 on SH 130, that was in a minute order.  But when the preliminary speed limit was set at 45 on the new Loop 567 extension, it wasn't in a minute order.  The new speed limit of 50 was in a minute order.  It seems that sometimes preliminary speed limits aren't in minute orders, but I think permanent ones are.  If I see a future minute order, or a news story about it, I'll add it to the map.

By the way, since they put 75 mph speed limits on a bunch of FM/RM roads, the map's gotten crowded.  I have a bigger map, called big.jpg.  I hadn't put up a link to it, since it seems excessive, but the more zoomed in view is helpful in rural areas with a lot of yellow markers.  It's over 20 MB, but it shows much more detail.
http://www.patternsandprinciples.com/otherfiles/big.jpg

[wxfree]

This project is still active.  I update my original map each month, but the map online isn't updated as often, due to small and infrequent changes.  An updated map will be uploaded soon due to some larger changes this year (including ESL cancellations).  This month's speed zone minute order includes speed limits of 75 on Tarrant County's managed lanes.  I don't think I want the map to include those speed limits (and don't know how I would show them if I'd wanted to), but it's appropriate to note that they exist and are not shown.