Current state speed limit increase proposals

[Pink Jazz]

I have come up with a list of states that have recently proposed increasing their maximum speed limits.  Here is what I have found so far:

Passed

   
• Maryland - 65 to 70
• Michigan - 70 to 75 (lowered from 80)
• Montana - 75 to 80
• Nevada - 75 to 80
• New Hampshire - 65 to 70
• Oregon - 65 to 70 (lowered from 75)
• South Dakota - 75 to 80
• Wisconsin - 65 to 70

Pending

   
• Arkansas - 70 to 75
• Illinois - 70 to 75
• Iowa - 70 to 75
• Missouri - 70 to 75
• Oklahoma - 75 to 80
• Washington - 70 to 75

Stalled

   
• Kansas - 75 to 80
• Ohio - 70 to 75
• Nebraska - 75 to 80
• Mississippi - 70 to 75
• North Dakota - 75 to 80
• West Virginia - 70 to 80

Does anyone know of any other proposals that I missed?

[corco]

Montana isn't stalled- the bills that originated in the House all died but the Senate bill is still alive and well. There were several speed limit bills this cycle- this one looks like it will advance because it raises speeding fines to more than $20 for 5-10 over and allows insurance companies to be notified if a vehicle is ticketed for >85 MPH regardless of the posted speed limit (currently any speed <10 MPH over cannot by law be reported to insurance) in addition to raising car and truck speed limits.

The bills that died either also tried to raise the speed limit to 80 off-interstate or didn't also raise truck speed limits.


There's a hearing on it on Thursday.

http://laws.leg.mt.gov/legprd/LAW0210W$BSIV.ActionQuery?P_BILL_NO1=375&P_BLTP_BILL_TYP_CD=SB&Z_ACTION=Find&P_SESS=20151

[hotdogPi]

Passed

New Hampshire - 65 to 70

[vdeane]

Passed

New Hampshire - 65 to 70

Only partially.  The proposal to raise I-93 to 70 passed, but I haven't heard anything on the proposal to do the same for I-89 and NH 101 since it was introduced.

[jakeroot]

Washington going from 70 to 75 is news to me. Any link? If that's true I think that's awesome.

[Revive 755]

Missouri is again considering 75.

[corco]

Washington going from 70 to 75 is news to me. Any link? If that's true I think that's awesome.

Only on I-90 in central Washington
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/feb/26/washington-considers-75-mph-speed-limit/

[cl94]

There was stuff proposing for New York to go from 65 to 75 in rural areas in late 2013, but I haven't seen anything about it in over a year

[gonealookin]

An 85 bill came up in the last Nevada legislature.  It passed in the Senate and passed an Assembly committee but then died without an Assembly floor vote.  I never saw a good explanation, but reading between the lines it sounded like the governor didn't want to sign it because he's the one who gets blamed the first time some kids die.  He's still the governor and it seems unlikely that a GOP legislature would override a GOP governor's veto, but I'm no political insider and we'll see if the dynamic has changed in two years.

[slorydn1]

We had a bill during the last legislative session to bump NC up to 75 but it died, I am not aware of any new bills out there yet here.

[jakeroot]

Washington going from 70 to 75 is news to me. Any link? If that's true I think that's awesome.

Only on I-90 in central Washington
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/feb/26/washington-considers-75-mph-speed-limit/

I-5 could stand an increase between Olympia/Vancouver and Marysville/Canada, but I'll take it as it comes.

[doorknob60]

Source on the Oregon one? I haven't seen anything recent, and anything in the past few years to come out has died as far as I'm aware. Nothing would make me happier than a big increase in speed limits there. I'm gonna drive 75+ anyways (and 65+ on 2 laners), how about letting me focus more on the road than being paranoid for cops while I'm at it.

As for recently passed, last summer Idaho increased rural interstates from 75 to 80. Making the Oregon border even more painful in the process...

[wxfree]

In Washington, there are three bills to raise the speed limit on I-90 to 75, and one bill that would allow a speed limit of 75 on any highway or portion thereof when that speed is found to be reasonable and safe.

http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2015-16/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/2181.pdf

In Oregon, there's a bill to raise the default speed limit to 75 on Interstate highways and 65 on state highways, unless changed by ORS.

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2015R1/Measures/Overview/HB3094

There's also a bill that prescribes a speed limit of 75 on the part of I-84 between The Dalles and Idaho, 70 on "State Highway" 95 and portions of "State Highway" 20 and "State Highway" 97.  This bill enacts these changes, and does not appear to allow ORS to change the speed limits.

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2015R1/Measures/Overview/HB3402

Another bill would raise the default speed limit on Interstates to 70 and 60 for larger vehicles.

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2015R1/Measures/Overview/SB459

These bills all conflict.  If any increases are passed, it will either be one of them, but not the others, or one will be amended to include provisions of others.

[xcellntbuy]

There was stuff proposing for New York to go from 65 to 75 in rural areas in late 2013, but I haven't seen anything about it in over a year

If that ever occurs in the Socialist State of New York, I will find it very hard to believe.  Classic case of a "one house" bill of upstate vs. downstate. 

[cl94]

There was stuff proposing for New York to go from 65 to 75 in rural areas in late 2013, but I haven't seen anything about it in over a year

If that ever occurs in the Socialist State of New York, I will find it very hard to believe.  Classic case of a "one house" bill of upstate vs. downstate.

It was actually proposed by someone from The Bronx. Part of it was to raise parkway speed limits above 55 to get everything closer to the 85th percentile speed. In most of the state (outside of Western New York), traffic typically moves at 75 or higher.

[roadfro]

An 85 bill came up in the last Nevada legislature.  It passed in the Senate and passed an Assembly committee but then died without an Assembly floor vote.  I never saw a good explanation, but reading between the lines it sounded like the governor didn't want to sign it because he's the one who gets blamed the first time some kids die.  He's still the governor and it seems unlikely that a GOP legislature would override a GOP governor's veto, but I'm no political insider and we'll see if the dynamic has changed in two years.

If I remember correctly, Nevada's previous proposal (2013 legislative session) was for 80, not 85.  That not passing didn't have anything to do with the governor... It just didn't get out of committee.


EDIT: After looking it up, the 2013 proposal (SB 191) was for an 85 mph speed...my mistake.

EDIT 2: The current proposal (SB 2) was actually pre-filed prior to the start of the 2015 legislative session. The bill text is substantially similar to the previous version.

[Pink Jazz]

Looks like the Maryland House of Delegates and Senate have approved the 70 mph bill as of today, and will likely head to the Governor for final approval.

[1995hoo]

Looks like the Maryland House of Delegates and Senate have approved the 70 mph bill as of today, and will likely head to the Governor for final approval.

Great news! Thanks for the info.

I don't want to be too political, but this is one example of a scenario where an election can matter. There was considerably higher turnover than normal in Maryland's legislature this winter, plus there's a new governor.

[oscar]

In Oregon, there's a bill to raise the default speed limit to 75 on Interstate highways and 65 on state highways, unless changed by ORS.

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2015R1/Measures/Overview/HB3094

Any hope of that going anywhere with the recently-sworn in new governor?  IIRC, her predecessor was a major obstacle to speed limit hikes in Oregon. 

[corco]

I'm listening to the Montana SB 375 hearing now. The Montana Highway Patrol testified in support of this bill, so I think that's going to help carry the day.

The Montana Truckers actually oppose the bill, even though it raises the speed limit to 70 for trucks (on two lane roads as well as interstates). They feel it risks raising their insurance premiums.

MDT's chief engineer is in favor of the bill, which means the governor is in favor of the bill.

The legislature seemed to be getting hung up on the $250,000 price tag to change the signs.

My gut after listening to the whole thing is that it's not going to pass, but I could be wrong.

[SSOWorld]

http://www.weau.com/home/headlines/Speed-limit-bill-continues-coasting-through-the-Capitol-294878021.html

Did they fail to mention AAA is in the insurance business??

[doorknob60]

In Washington, there are three bills to raise the speed limit on I-90 to 75, and one bill that would allow a speed limit of 75 on any highway or portion thereof when that speed is found to be reasonable and safe.

http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2015-16/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/2181.pdf

In Oregon, there's a bill to raise the default speed limit to 75 on Interstate highways and 65 on state highways, unless changed by ORS.

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2015R1/Measures/Overview/HB3094

There's also a bill that prescribes a speed limit of 75 on the part of I-84 between The Dalles and Idaho, 70 on "State Highway" 95 and portions of "State Highway" 20 and "State Highway" 97.  This bill enacts these changes, and does not appear to allow ORS to change the speed limits.

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2015R1/Measures/Overview/HB3402

Another bill would raise the default speed limit on Interstates to 70 and 60 for larger vehicles.

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2015R1/Measures/Overview/SB459

These bills all conflict.  If any increases are passed, it will either be one of them, but not the others, or one will be amended to include provisions of others.

Awesome! Probably shouldn't get my hopes up though, these have come up many times, but never get anywhere. Maybe with Kitzhaber out of office, maybe it has a better chance? But it's Oregon, so probably not...

[jakeroot]

clipped

Awesome! Probably shouldn't get my hopes up though, these have come up many times, but never get anywhere. Maybe with Kitzhaber out of office, maybe it has a better chance? But it's Oregon, so probably not...

I know Oregon is constantly proposing/denying an increased speed limit, but I don't think it's too common in Washington? Then again, I don't watch house bills very often.

[doorknob60]

clipped

Awesome! Probably shouldn't get my hopes up though, these have come up many times, but never get anywhere. Maybe with Kitzhaber out of office, maybe it has a better chance? But it's Oregon, so probably not...

I know Oregon is constantly proposing/denying an increased speed limit, but I don't think it's too common in Washington? Then again, I don't watch house bills very often.

Yeah, I haven't paid much attention to Washington I admit, because they don't get on my nerves as much. They don't discriminate between Interstates and US/state routes, for one. US-395 from Pasco to Ritzville is 70 MPH just like the interstates. In Oregon, it'd be a painful 55. Plus they usually post at least 60 (and sometimes 65) on the 2 laners, and of course 70 instead of 65 on the interstates. Not perfect, but so much better than Oregon.

[jakeroot]

On its third reading, Washington's increased speed limit bill (HB 2181) passed the House with a 78:19 margin.

Now, for some Washington State House/Senate info...the House is led by Democrats 51 to 47, but the Senate is led by Republicans 25 to 23. These are similar margins, so I would think the bill would pass through the Senate without issue. If that's the case, I'm certain Inslee would pass the bill (though he might ask the House/Senate to amend the bill to increase truck speed limits, since he's big into moving freight through our state faster).

HB 2181's only change is for the RCW to read "75" instead of "70", and opens up the possibility of having 75 along I-5 (perhaps even along I-82 or maybe even US-395).