Indiana bill to raise speed limits. 70 to 75mph on rural interstates.

[Moose]

https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2024/bills/house/1308/details

[edwaleni]

https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2024/bills/house/1308/details

Look for yet more Mario Kart between Indy and Columbus on I-70.  People will be weaving in and out of the trucks.

[1995hoo]

What are the chances of it passing?

[SP Cook]

What are the chances of it passing?

This is important.  About 2/3rds of the states have part time legislatures, and almost all of these meet about this time of year (this goes back to farming times, have the legislature in the winter when everything was fallow).  All over the internet people get in outrage mode over Senate Bill this or House Bill that, not really understanding that it just takes (in most states) one legislator to introduce anything, and 99% of these bills never see the light of day after introduction.

As to the idea, of course, Indiana should raise its speed limits.  Higher speed limits save lives and divert police resources to important things.  I'm all for saving lives and fighting serious crime.  Although 75 is still way too low.  They should just adopt the science based 85%ile system.

[Buck87]

If this were to pass Indiana would be only the 3rd state fully east of the Mississippi to make the jump to 75

[Moose]

What are the chances of it passing?

Well it does have "some legs" it won't die in committee without a hearing. It got a hearing today (Which a vast majority of Indiana bills never get). The toll Road Concessionaire, INDOT and a society of road engineers testified against it.

It might not be this year. We are a part time legislature state as mentioned. So what they do is reintroduce the bill each session and the person that wants to pass it keeps hammering on it until it passes.

Once the replay video is posted today I will post the link here for you all to watch.

[Moose]

What are the chances of it passing?

This is important.  About 2/3rds of the states have part time legislatures, and almost all of these meet about this time of year (this goes back to farming times, have the legislature in the winter when everything was fallow).  All over the internet people get in outrage mode over Senate Bill this or House Bill that, not really understanding that it just takes (in most states) one legislator to introduce anything, and 99% of these bills never see the light of day after introduction.

True. as I said, most bills die in committee without a hearing. But this one already got the first hearing. So this one "has some legs" as we say around here.

[jnewkirk77]

I would rather see the Interstates left at 70, but raise the other multi-lane routes from 60 to at least 65.  It'd make more sense.

[jnewkirk77]

What are the chances of it passing?

This is important.  About 2/3rds of the states have part time legislatures, and almost all of these meet about this time of year (this goes back to farming times, have the legislature in the winter when everything was fallow).  All over the internet people get in outrage mode over Senate Bill this or House Bill that, not really understanding that it just takes (in most states) one legislator to introduce anything, and 99% of these bills never see the light of day after introduction.

True. as I said, most bills die in committee without a hearing. But this one already got the first hearing. So this one "has some legs" as we say around here.

Looks like the committee has stricken the text of the bill and replaced it with a request to send the subject to an interim study committee following this year's session. So, this one appears to have had its legs cut out from under it, at least for this year. https://iga.in.gov/pdf-documents/123/2024/house/bills/HB1308/committee-amendments/drafts/AM130801.pdf

[Joe The Dragon]

what about putting in high speed tolling on the toll road to go along with it?

[Great Lakes Roads]

what about putting in high speed tolling on the toll road to go along with it?

They just spent $$$$ on upgrading the tolling equipment, so you got to wait 10-15 years for the next upgrade!

[NWI_Irish96]

what about putting in high speed tolling on the toll road to go along with it?

The Toll Road is leased, so the legislature can't do anything about it.

[Moose]

What are the chances of it passing?

This is important.  About 2/3rds of the states have part time legislatures, and almost all of these meet about this time of year (this goes back to farming times, have the legislature in the winter when everything was fallow).  All over the internet people get in outrage mode over Senate Bill this or House Bill that, not really understanding that it just takes (in most states) one legislator to introduce anything, and 99% of these bills never see the light of day after introduction.

True. as I said, most bills die in committee without a hearing. But this one already got the first hearing. So this one "has some legs" as we say around here.

Looks like the committee has stricken the text of the bill and replaced it with a request to send the subject to an interim study committee following this year's session. So, this one appears to have had its legs cut out from under it, at least for this year. https://iga.in.gov/pdf-documents/123/2024/house/bills/HB1308/committee-amendments/drafts/AM130801.pdf

Well that's how it goes, and the bill author admitted as much. It's how things work in this state. First year your plant the seed in all the representatives' minds, get support slowly built up, and a few years after studies and introducing it every year, you round up your collected supporters and ramrod it through.

But it has already gotten farther then most bills get.

I can't directly link to the recording of the session. But if you want to see todays hearing.
https://iga.in.gov/session/2024/video/committee_roads_and_transportation_1700 go here, and pick the Tuesday, Jan 23 - 8:30am meeting.

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://www.tristatehomepage.com/news/indiana-news/indiana-bill-could-increase-speed-limit-on-some-roads/

My least favorite part of this news article:

"Eyewitness News spoke with several local drivers, nearly all of which say they would support an increase. However, private chauffeur Joseph Wilkins disagrees, saying he's not only against the proposal, but believes the speed limit should go down.

"I think the speed limit of 70 is too high; I think 65 shouldn't be just for trucks, it should be for passenger vehicles as well," says Wilkins. Citing the new Interstate 69 extension, he says even reducing your speed proves faster than before the extension was complete. "Let's just say from the new corridor, from Evansville to Indianapolis, they've already shaved about 40 minutes off of it from the old route. If you take the corridor and go 65 instead of 70 on a three-hour trip, it saves you approximately 14 minutes...It's not worth it. If you don't have an extra 14 minutes, then leave 14 minutes earlier."

[Henry]

If this 75 MPH limit goes into effect, will this be the easternmost state to use it? I think currently, it is IA.

[Great Lakes Roads]

If this 75 MPH limit goes into effect, will this be the easternmost state to use it? I think currently, it is IA.

Easternmost? That would be in Maine on I-95 north of Bangor.

[Molandfreak]

If this 75 MPH limit goes into effect, will this be the easternmost state to use it? I think currently, it is IA.

Nah, Maine has 75 MPH zones. Michigan does, too.

[TempoNick]

I've got a lead foot, so normally I would say, "Great!" But much of I-70 east of Indy sucks and probably so does I-65 to the north. (Haven't driven it in 20 years.) I can see it on I-74, though.

[GaryV]

However, private chauffeur Joseph Wilkins disagrees, saying he's not only against the proposal, but believes the speed limit should go down.

He must get paid by the hour.

[JREwing78]

If this 75 MPH limit goes into effect, will this be the easternmost state to use it? I think currently, it is IA.

Maine and Michigan have 75mph limits on certain freeways (but the maximum truck speed limit in Michigan is still 65 mph). There are no other states east of the Mississippi with speed limits exceeding 70 mph.

The stretches of freeway posted for 75 mph in both Michigan and Maine are relatively low-traffic and uncongested. They also largely meet modern Interstate highway standards (I-94, I-96, US-23, and US-131 have numerous substandard sections). It's unlikely that the current Democratic Party majority in Michigan would push to expand the 75 mph freeway segments south of Grand Rapids, Lansing, or Flint.

Depending on where Indiana decides to post 75 mph speed limits, it could be the widest deployment east of the Mississippi. Or, they could relegate it to lower-traffic roads like I-74 west of Indianapolis and I-69 south of Bloomington. The former might cause neighboring states to discuss the matter. If the latter, I wouldn't expect any other state to join in the 75 mph club.

SM-G991U

[Genghixiani]

https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2024/bills/house/1308/details

Look for yet more Mario Kart between Indy and Columbus on I-70.  People will be weaving in and out of the trucks.

Toad's Turnpike who?

[I-55]

Worth noting that a bill to increase the speed limit on several stretches of rural 4-lane was introduced around this time last year and never really went anywhere. The difference last year was that the speed limit changes were to effect four specific roads, and this year looks to be a blanket change.

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=7946.msg2806722#msg2806722

[kphoger]

Just in case everyone forgot, |Pink Jazz| once created a catch-all thread for state speed limit increase proposals.  Personally, I'd like to see this thread revived and updated periodically as people read new information.

Current state speed limit increase proposals

[sprjus4]

https://www.tristatehomepage.com/news/indiana-news/indiana-bill-could-increase-speed-limit-on-some-roads/

My least favorite part of this news article:

"Eyewitness News spoke with several local drivers, nearly all of which say they would support an increase. However, private chauffeur Joseph Wilkins disagrees, saying he's not only against the proposal, but believes the speed limit should go down.

"I think the speed limit of 70 is too high; I think 65 shouldn't be just for trucks, it should be for passenger vehicles as well," says Wilkins. Citing the new Interstate 69 extension, he says even reducing your speed proves faster than before the extension was complete. "Let's just say from the new corridor, from Evansville to Indianapolis, they've already shaved about 40 minutes off of it from the old route. If you take the corridor and go 65 instead of 70 on a three-hour trip, it saves you approximately 14 minutes...It's not worth it. If you don't have an extra 14 minutes, then leave 14 minutes earlier."

Don't let this guy travel out west...

Also, let's say I travel 1,000 miles. At 65 mph, that would take me 15 hours and 23 minutes. At 75 mph, that would take me 13 hours and 9 minutes. Okay, now let's look at 80 mph. 12 hours and 30 minutes.

Big difference.. These increased speed limits, if safely applicable, can make significant differences in travel times on long road trips.

But these news articles only use short trips and small time savings, ignoring the big picture.

[kphoger]

Don't let this guy travel out west...

Also, let's say I travel 1,000 miles. At 65 mph, that would take me 15 hours and 23 minutes. At 75 mph, that would take me 13 hours and 9 minutes. Okay, now let's look at 80 mph. 12 hours and 30 minutes.

Big difference.. These increased speed limits, if safely applicable, can make significant differences in travel times on long road trips.

But these news articles only use short trips and small time savings, ignoring the big picture.

Heck yeah, a small speed increase matters a lot on a long trip.  My personal benchmark for a normal day's drive is 700 miles.

700 miles @ 62 mph = 11 h 17 m
700 miles @ 67 mph = 10 h 27 m
700 miles @ 72 mph = 9 h 43 m
700 miles @ 77 mph = 9 h 5 m

Depending on the speed limit, speeding by just 5 mph over the limit can shave 45 minutes off the trip.