Which remaing Northeast 65 state is most likely to raise their speed limit.

Started by dvferyance, July 25, 2017, 06:29:29 PM

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dvferyance

There are 7 NE states were the speed limit still remains at 65. VT,MA,RI,CT,NY,NJ along with DE(sometimes not considered northeast) that have never raised the speed limit since the 90's. Will any of them ever do so or we can assume that will just always be the remaining holdouts?


02 Park Ave

I would think that VT could raise their speed limit.  NY could also do it in many "Upstate" areas.  The other states are too congested.

It is interesting to note that before the 55 MPH national speed limit, the speed limit on the Atlantic City Expressway was 70 MPH.
C-o-H

vdeane

Honestly, I'd say that all of the 65 states have at least some section of road where they could raise the limit.  Whether they would is the question.  There have been bills in CT, MA, and NY.  All have failed.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

shadyjay

I'd like to see something like what Maine did in Vermont... go up 5 mph on all accounts.  For I-91, I'd keep it at 65 up to just past Exit 3, then go to 70 and keep it that way the whole way up (except in White River Jct where it'd drop to 60).  All of I-89's present 65 mph zones would go to 70, and the 55mph zone in Burlington would go to 60 (or kept at 55). 

I'm still not sure why, in NH, I-89 didn't get bumped up to 70, from outside Concord to outside Lebanon.

Duke87

I could see New Jersey doing it... though if so it would probably happen like how Pennsylvania did it, slipped into a larger bill.

Delaware is unlikely because they like their ability to ticket out of staters while giving their own folks leeway, and don't have all that much mileage currently at 65 anyway.

Vermont is unlikely along the same lines, the locals are just fine with the speed limits as they are and resent out of staters complaining about them being too low.

Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island are steady habit central and won't do anything unless enough neighboring jurisdictions demonstrate that raising the speed limit by 5 MPH doesn't make everyone drive 5 MPH faster like everyone seems to think it does.

And New York will have a really hard time convincing downstate politicians to vote for an increase, especially with the whole "vision zero" mindset.
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jeffandnicole

Gov. Christie's term ends this year in NJ. I'll like to see a bill introduced and passed raising the limit to 70, just to see if he'll sign it.

dvferyance

Quote from: 02 Park Ave on July 25, 2017, 06:58:54 PM
I would think that VT could raise their speed limit.  NY could also do it in many "Upstate" areas.  The other states are too congested.

It is interesting to note that before the 55 MPH national speed limit, the speed limit on the Atlantic City Expressway was 70 MPH.
I could see Vermont doing it probably the most likely of all because it's the least populous. NY I highly doubt it they didn't even go to 65 until about 2000. I believe NY,CT and NJ were the last to go 65.

kurumi

Connecticut is a very driver-friendly, pro-freeway state and I can see all of CT 11 going to 70 MPH when the southern segment is completed. Other new freeway segments in rural areas that could go to 70 are: CT 25 between CT 111 and I-84; US 6/I-384 from Bolton to Willimantic; and US 44 from I-291 out to CT 8  /s
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PHLBOS

Quote from: jeffandnicole on July 25, 2017, 09:53:39 PM
Gov. Christie's term ends this year in NJ. I'll like to see a bill introduced and passed raising the limit to 70, just to see if he'll sign it.
If that were to happen; you can bet your bottom dollar that NJ101.5 FM would pressure him to sign it, just like they pressured Whitman sign the bill to raise the limit to 65 many years ago.
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froggie

Quote from: shadyjayI'm still not sure why, in NH, I-89 didn't get bumped up to 70, from outside Concord to outside Lebanon.

I vaguely recall that the bill approving 70 MPH in NH limited that approval to I-93.

Quote from: Duke87Vermont is unlikely along the same lines, the locals are just fine with the speed limits as they are and resent out of staters complaining about them being too low.

This may be the case amongst the older locals, but not everybody.  I would also venture a guess that one reason why Vermont keeps it at 65 is to reduce the speed differential.  We have *A LOT* of up and down grade changes, which makes it hell on the trucks.

Buffaboy

All of Upstate should be at 70 except within Williamsville-Lackawanna (65).

If only Downstate politicians knew how slow 65 really is up here...
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ekt8750

Quote from: Duke87 on July 25, 2017, 09:52:59 PM
I could see New Jersey doing it... though if so it would probably happen like how Pennsylvania did it, slipped into a larger bill.

Delaware is unlikely because they like their ability to ticket out of staters while giving their own folks leeway, and don't have all that much mileage currently at 65 anyway.


Agreed with Jersey given how their government works.

Also the freeway portion of DE 1 as well as I-95 (outside of Wilmington) and I-495 should be 70 MPH. There's plenty of mileage on all three of those roads that would benefit from it.

jeffandnicole

Quote from: ekt8750 on July 26, 2017, 11:50:37 AM
Quote from: Duke87 on July 25, 2017, 09:52:59 PM
I could see New Jersey doing it... though if so it would probably happen like how Pennsylvania did it, slipped into a larger bill.

Delaware is unlikely because they like their ability to ticket out of staters while giving their own folks leeway, and don't have all that much mileage currently at 65 anyway.


Agreed with Jersey given how their government works.

That's not how it works in NJ.  They probably would've done it already.  The last speed limit change was an actual bill to raise the limit. 

Quote from: Duke87 on July 25, 2017, 09:52:59 PM
Delaware is unlikely because they like their ability to ticket out of staters while giving their own folks leeway, and don't have all that much mileage currently at 65 anyway.

Honestly, that doesn't make any sense.  They just raised the speed limit on the portion of I-95 driven by most out-of-staters from 55 to 65 mph.  If they like their ability to ticket out of staters, they would've left that limit at 55.  And for what it's worth, I rarely see cops pulling people over on that road.

MASTERNC

Quote from: jeffandnicole on July 26, 2017, 12:24:50 PM
Quote from: ekt8750 on July 26, 2017, 11:50:37 AM
Quote from: Duke87 on July 25, 2017, 09:52:59 PM
I could see New Jersey doing it... though if so it would probably happen like how Pennsylvania did it, slipped into a larger bill.

Delaware is unlikely because they like their ability to ticket out of staters while giving their own folks leeway, and don't have all that much mileage currently at 65 anyway.


Agreed with Jersey given how their government works.

That's not how it works in NJ.  They probably would've done it already.  The last speed limit change was an actual bill to raise the limit. 

Quote from: Duke87 on July 25, 2017, 09:52:59 PM
Delaware is unlikely because they like their ability to ticket out of staters while giving their own folks leeway, and don't have all that much mileage currently at 65 anyway.

Honestly, that doesn't make any sense.  They just raised the speed limit on the portion of I-95 driven by most out-of-staters from 55 to 65 mph.  If they like their ability to ticket out of staters, they would've left that limit at 55.  And for what it's worth, I rarely see cops pulling people over on that road.

Agreed.  I commute into DE every day from PA and I can count on one hand the number of times I have seen police in DE running radar.

vdeane

Quote from: froggie on July 26, 2017, 09:15:34 AM
I vaguely recall that the bill approving 70 MPH in NH limited that approval to I-93.
A bill was introduced a year later to raise I-89 and NH 101.  It never went anywhere, unfortunately.  I-89 doesn't strike me as being much different from parts of the I-93 70 mph zones.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

Alps

Quote from: MASTERNC on July 26, 2017, 08:22:04 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on July 26, 2017, 12:24:50 PM
Quote from: ekt8750 on July 26, 2017, 11:50:37 AM
Quote from: Duke87 on July 25, 2017, 09:52:59 PM
I could see New Jersey doing it... though if so it would probably happen like how Pennsylvania did it, slipped into a larger bill.

Delaware is unlikely because they like their ability to ticket out of staters while giving their own folks leeway, and don't have all that much mileage currently at 65 anyway.


Agreed with Jersey given how their government works.

That's not how it works in NJ.  They probably would've done it already.  The last speed limit change was an actual bill to raise the limit. 

Quote from: Duke87 on July 25, 2017, 09:52:59 PM
Delaware is unlikely because they like their ability to ticket out of staters while giving their own folks leeway, and don't have all that much mileage currently at 65 anyway.

Honestly, that doesn't make any sense.  They just raised the speed limit on the portion of I-95 driven by most out-of-staters from 55 to 65 mph.  If they like their ability to ticket out of staters, they would've left that limit at 55.  And for what it's worth, I rarely see cops pulling people over on that road.

Agreed.  I commute into DE every day from PA and I can count on one hand the number of times I have seen police in DE running radar.
That's funny, because I see it a lot. Maybe because I'm always there on weekends or holidays when the most out-of-staters are there...

SteveG1988

Just drove that section of 95 in the truck, i'm governed at 65, but i have a traffic radar on the truck, and it picked up people doing 70,80 and one person even doing 90.
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roadman65

Mass could do it west of Springfield where the exits are scattered miles apart.

CT has no 55 off freeways and ditto for VT.  US 7 is a super two so it don't count, but both would be least likely to go 70 especially with US 7 in CT being mostly 40 where it should be 55 or at least 50 mph in its rural stretches.

NJ south of Toms River and north of the ACE along with NJ 55 and the ACE.  I-80 west of US 206 and east of NJ 94 could use be 70 and the NJ Turnpike south of Exit 4 for sure.
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Brandon

Quote from: 02 Park Ave on July 25, 2017, 06:58:54 PM
I would think that VT could raise their speed limit.  NY could also do it in many "Upstate" areas.  The other states are too congested.

Congestion is not an excuse for a lower speed limit.

Quote from: froggie on July 26, 2017, 09:15:34 AM
This may be the case amongst the older locals, but not everybody.  I would also venture a guess that one reason why Vermont keeps it at 65 is to reduce the speed differential.  We have *A LOT* of up and down grade changes, which makes it hell on the trucks.

Somehow Colorado and Utah manage just fine.
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jp the roadgeek

Quote from: Brandon on July 28, 2017, 05:46:43 PM
Quote from: 02 Park Ave on July 25, 2017, 06:58:54 PM
I would think that VT could raise their speed limit.  NY could also do it in many "Upstate" areas.  The other states are too congested.

Congestion is not an excuse for a lower speed limit.

Quote from: froggie on July 26, 2017, 09:15:34 AM
This may be the case amongst the older locals, but not everybody.  I would also venture a guess that one reason why Vermont keeps it at 65 is to reduce the speed differential.  We have *A LOT* of up and down grade changes, which makes it hell on the trucks.

Somehow Colorado and Utah manage just fine.

A few stretches that are currently 65 in New England (excluding Maine) and New York State that I could see going to 70:

I-84 from east of Exit 65 in CT to Exit 2 in MA
I-87 Thruway Exit 16-23, then Northway Exit 9 to the Canadian border except through Plattsburgh
I-89 entire length except through White River Junction and the Burlington area
I-90 on Thruway except for Lackawanna-Williamsville and from 25A to 24. Free 90 east of the Hudson. Berkshire Spur and Mass Pike west of I-84.

I-91 from Exit 20 in MA to the Canadian border except through White River Junction
I-95 from Exit 88 in CT to Exit 9 in RI. Then all of MA except 128 portion
I-195 east of New Bedford
I-295 from Exit 3 in RI to Exit 1 in MA
I-384 east of Exit 1 to the end
I-395 in CT north of Exit 13 to the Mass Pike.


Stretches that are currently 55 that should go to 65:

I-84 in CT from Exit 25A-33, then Exit 36-41
CT 8 from the Merritt Parkway to Exit 25
US 7 from I-84 to end of expressway
LIE East of Exit 40
NY 27 east of Heckscher Parkway
Taconic Parkway north of I-84
I-93 portion in NH just north of the MA border.

Connecticut considered 75 in a bill once, but that was quickly killed.  We were the last Eastern state to adopt 65, and at the speed our legislature moves (except to raise taxes and spend like drunken sailors) and some of the ludicrously low speeds on secondary roads (25 on a couple of state highways not in downtown areas), we'll be the last to raise above 65.
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hotdogPi

Quote from: jp the roadgeek on July 28, 2017, 06:23:40 PM
I-93 portion in NH just north of the MA border.

This segment has electronic speed limit signs that usually say 65. (I have seen them say 55, but 65 is much more common.)
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jeffandnicole

Quote
NJ south of Toms River and north of the ACE along with NJ 55 and the ACE.  I-80 west of US 206 and east of NJ 94 could use be 70 and the NJ Turnpike south of Exit 4 for sure.

Because it's only 2 lane per direction, the section between 1 & 4 seems to actually have lower speeds than North of there.  I would say easily up to Exit 6 would qualify, and probably up to Exit 8A.

Parts of I-295 may qualify too.

SidS1045

As has been posted elsewhere, US-3 in MA between I-95/MA 128 and the NH border, now posted at 55, really ought to be posted at least at 65, and 70 wouldn't be a huge stretch either.  According to several news accounts, the State Police vetoed the idea.  (Gee, I wonder why?$?$?$?)

The road's design makes it, effectively, a 19 mile long speed trap.
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froggie

Quote from: roadman65CT has no 55 off freeways and ditto for VT.

This is not true.  There are segments of US 2 (N of Burlington and W of St. J), US 7 (Wallingford-Rutland), and VT 63 that are non-freeways but still 55.  A better way to say what you were trying to is that Vermont doesn't allow a speed higher than 55 on roads that are not a 4-lane freeway.

cl94

Quote from: froggie on July 29, 2017, 06:08:23 PM
Quote from: roadman65CT has no 55 off freeways and ditto for VT.

This is not true.  There are segments of US 2 (N of Burlington and W of St. J), US 7 (Wallingford-Rutland), and VT 63 that are non-freeways but still 55.  A better way to say what you were trying to is that Vermont doesn't allow a speed higher than 55 on roads that are not a 4-lane freeway.

Yes. The rule of thumb for VT is that super-twos and 4 lane at-grade expressways are 55, 4-lane freeways are 65 outside of urban areas and 55 in urban areas, everything else 50 in rural areas. Most of US 7 between Bennington and Rutland is 55 and virtually none of it is a 4-lane freeway.

Quote from: SidS1045 on July 28, 2017, 09:48:45 PM
As has been posted elsewhere, US-3 in MA between I-95/MA 128 and the NH border, now posted at 55, really ought to be posted at least at 65, and 70 wouldn't be a huge stretch either.  According to several news accounts, the State Police vetoed the idea.  (Gee, I wonder why?$?$?$?)

The road's design makes it, effectively, a 19 mile long speed trap.

I have thought that forever.
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