80 MPH speed limit coming to South Dakota

[M86]

South Dakota's Interstates are going to 80 MPH

http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/2015/03/17/mph-speed-limit-gas-tax-hike-signed-law/24924491

http://www.keloland.com/newsdetail.cfm/sd-highway-patrol-set-to-enforce-new-speed-limit/?id=177468

[Duke87]

So does this mean that on April 1st all the 75 signs will change to 80, or will any changes be pending a study of the road in question?

[corco]

It's a statute change from 75 to 80, so all 75s will become 80 automatically.

[SD Mapman]

It's a statute change from 75 to 80, so all 75s will become 80 automatically.

Yeah, DOT will be changing all the 75 signs in the next couple weeks.

[vdeane]

So does this mean that on April 1st all the 75 signs will change to 80, or will any changes be pending a study of the road in question?

If they do all change on April 1, then the DOT should say that the new speed limit is 80 kph instead of mph and see if anyone realizes what day it is.

[SD Mapman]

So does this mean that on April 1st all the 75 signs will change to 80, or will any changes be pending a study of the road in question?

If they do all change on April 1, then the DOT should say that the new speed limit is 80 kph instead of mph and see if anyone realizes what day it is.

That would be funny!

[1995hoo]

Would someone then assert the speed limit is invalid because the proper abbreviation is "km/h" instead of "kph"?

[SD Mapman]

Signs went up a day early. (sorry, no pic) It felt weird to go 80 and not be illegal.

[Crazy Volvo Guy]

Signs went up a day early. (sorry, no pic) It felt weird to go 80 and not be illegal.

[kkt]

I'm a little surprised they let it be posted at 80 mph even with no center divider.

[jakeroot]

I'm a little surprised they let it be posted at 80 mph even with no center divider.

SH-130 east of Austin is 80 without a center divider. Hell, the southern half, posted at 85, has no center divider.

[Brandon]

I'm a little surprised they let it be posted at 80 mph even with no center divider.

Da faq?

There's a perfectly adequate median separating the two carriageways.  That is your center divider.

[kkt]

I'm sure it meets standards, at least when it was built.  But loss of control and accidentally crossing a median is a fairly common accident, and a center divider is inexpensive.

[corco]

I'm sure it meets standards, at least when it was built.  But loss of control and accidentally crossing a median is a fairly common accident, and a center divider is inexpensive.

That's a ditch, not a flat piece of ground. No car at speed is getting across that

[kphoger]

I'm a little surprised they let it be posted at 80 mph even with no center divider.

SH-130 east of Austin is 80 without a center divider. Hell, the southern half, posted at 85, has no center divider.

Having driven TX-130 from I-35 down to I-10, I actually found it to be a little too curvy and there to be too many dips for an 85 mph limit. I think 80 would be more reasonable for the entire stretch. Part of it may be that I was driving a heavy-laden van.

Bear in mind that, on the open highway in the Midwest, if speed limits did not matter, I would generally drive about 85 to 90 mph.

[dfwmapper]

TxDOT posts 75mph limits on non-access-controlled 2 and 4 lane roads with nothing but a yellow line between you and the opposite direction of traffic. 80 on a freeway with a nice wide median is a lot safer than that.

[SD Mapman]

I'm sure it meets standards, at least when it was built.  But loss of control and accidentally crossing a median is a fairly common accident, and a center divider is inexpensive.

We don't do that. Like anywhere. Even in Sioux Falls. (OK, minus I-190)
And also, to put a center divider on Interstates throughout THE WHOLE STATE would get pretty expensive.

[jakeroot]

I'm a little surprised they let it be posted at 80 mph even with no center divider.

SH-130 east of Austin is 80 without a center divider. Hell, the southern half, posted at 85, has no center divider.

Having driven TX-130 from I-35 down to I-10, I actually found it to be a little too curvy and there to be too many dips for an 85 mph limit. I think 80 would be more reasonable for the entire stretch. Part of it may be that I was driving a heavy-laden van.

I just drove it last week in a new-ish Ford Fusion, and I had cruise on 90 the whole time (except where it dropped to 80, where I dropped the cruise to 85). Felt comfortable the whole time. My mom (riding shotgun) didn't say a word, so I can only assume she was perfectly happy with whatever speed I was doing.

Bear in mind that, on the open highway in the Midwest, if speed limits did not matter, I would generally drive about 85 to 90 mph.

As would I.

[Molandfreak]

Now let's get some 75 mph stretches on the expressways and call it good.

[Scott5114]

I'm sure it meets standards, at least when it was built.  But loss of control and accidentally crossing a median is a fairly common accident, and a center divider is inexpensive.

We don't do that. Like anywhere. Even in Sioux Falls. (OK, minus I-190)
And also, to put a center divider on Interstates throughout THE WHOLE STATE would get pretty expensive.

Modern cable barriers ("wait-a-minute cables" in some roadgeek circles) aren't terribly expensive. Most of the interstates in Oklahoma have them throughout the entire state.

Not that I think the absence of barriers should have much of an effect on the speed limit; if you cross over you're going to have a bad time no matter what speed you're going. Hell, Oklahoma posts the Indian Nation Turnpike at 75, and I'm pretty sure that if I laid down crossways in the median both my head and my feet would be on pavement.

[SD Mapman]

Not that I think the absence of barriers should have much of an effect on the speed limit; if you cross over you're going to have a bad time no matter what speed you're going. Hell, Oklahoma posts the Indian Nation Turnpike at 75, and I'm pretty sure that if I laid down crossways in the median both my head and my feet would be on pavement.

Yeah, second that.

[galador]

Hell, Oklahoma posts the Indian Nation Turnpike at 75, and I'm pretty sure that if I laid down crossways in the median both my head and my feet would be on pavement.

I know the median on the Muskogee Turnpike has to be barely 5-6 feet. Every time I drive it, I always marvel at how tiny that thing is.

[Rushmeister]

Hell, Oklahoma posts the Indian Nation Turnpike at 75, and I'm pretty sure that if I laid down crossways in the median both my head and my feet would be on pavement.

I know the median on the Muskogee Turnpike has to be barely 5-6 feet. Every time I drive it, I always marvel at how tiny that thing is.

Using Earth Google's powerful and highly accurate ruler tool the median looks to be about 15 ft wide in the narrow places.  Must be some sort of Einsteinian relativity thing that causes us to misjudge distances while we're in motion!

[galador]

Using Earth Google's powerful and highly accurate ruler tool the median looks to be about 15 ft wide in the narrow places.  Must be some sort of Einsteinian relativity thing that causes us to misjudge distances while we're in motion!

I suppose so, but it seems so darn small.

[kphoger]

I personally think the 75 mph speed limit on Oklahoma's turnpikes with small grassy median humps is too high. I-35 and the turnpikes with barriers can be 85, but those grassy humps should only be 70, IMO.