70 MPH Speed Limit Increase To 70 In Pennsylvania???

[Interstatefan78]

But that happens all throughout the country, and always has except when the NMSL was in effect.  The most drastic examples probably include the R&P limit in Montana vs the limit in any bordering state, truck limits where one state has a split limit vs. another that doesn't, and 2 lane roads where one state permits a limit higher than 55 vs. a state which limits them to 55. 

Getting back to PA/NJ, on the PA Turnpike the overriding factor will be that the PA/NJ Turnpike Connector bridge is only currently signed at 50 or 55.  Even if PA signs the Turnpike to 70, it won't be 70 to the state line - it'll be 70 to near the base of the bridge.  NJ is currently 65 to the base of the bridge, where it drops to 50 or 55 as well.  So even if NJ allows 70, it's extremely doubtful this bridge would suddenly jump 15 or 20 mph to 70 as well.

For other crossings between PA & NJ, I believe I-78 is the only one that maintains a continuous 65 mph across the bridge.  The currently signed I-95 bridge should be able to handle it, but that's up to PA to allow 65 on I-95.  And the lack of shoulders probably would hinder a 65 mph limit anyway until they reconstruct that crossing.  Any other crossing is limited by geographical issues or highways on either side that wouldn't permit a 65 or 70 mph limit in the first place.

Jeff I can answer that for you regarding I-78 Delaware river bridge it's 65 mph Eastbound which is the same 65 mph zone that began after exit 60 PA-309 to Bergen Street Overpass in Newark, NJ but the westbound side is 55 mph after the CR-519 Springtown Road bridge to Exit 75 where 65 mph speed limit resumes again

[Roadgeekteen]

Just a musing, but why hasn't PA increased the speed limit to 70 on I-78, I-81, I-84, or I-90? Seems silly to leave them out.

[Alps]

Just a musing, but why hasn't PA increased the speed limit to 70 on I-78, I-81, I-84, or I-90? Seems silly to leave them out.

I-78 does not merit at all, with old geometry and truck traffic in 4 lanes. I-81 is a combo of said truck traffic and hilly terrain. I-84 could stand it, and I-90 if PA stopped trying to justify 55 mph with "it's within a few miles of the outskirts of Erie".

[cl94]

Nice 3 year old thread you revived here...

All of these are due to geometry and character of the road. PennDOT will only post 70 on rural sections of freeway with low-moderate traffic volumes and suitable geometry. 81 and 84 are generally mountainous and the part of 81 that isn't mountainous is high-volume. 78 is very substandard. I-90 is the one that sticks out here, because there is no reason it couldn't be 70 west of Erie. 84 could handle it, but I see why they're hesitant.

PTC will post 70 on most roads they maintain. But PennDOT isn't as generous.

[Roadgeekteen]

Nice 3 year old thread you revived here...

All of these are due to geometry and character of the road. PennDOT will only post 70 on rural sections of freeway with low-moderate traffic volumes and suitable geometry. 81 and 84 are generally mountainous and the part of 81 that isn't mountainous is high-volume. 78 is very substandard. I-90 is the one that sticks out here, because there is no reason it couldn't be 70 west of Erie. 84 could handle it, but I see why they're hesitant.

PTC will post 70 on most roads they maintain. But PennDOT isn't as generous.

The PA turnpike is also mountainous, and I think I-80 is too.

[Alps]

Nice 3 year old thread you revived here...

All of these are due to geometry and character of the road. PennDOT will only post 70 on rural sections of freeway with low-moderate traffic volumes and suitable geometry. 81 and 84 are generally mountainous and the part of 81 that isn't mountainous is high-volume. 78 is very substandard. I-90 is the one that sticks out here, because there is no reason it couldn't be 70 west of Erie. 84 could handle it, but I see why they're hesitant.

PTC will post 70 on most roads they maintain. But PennDOT isn't as generous.

Having of course driven all the roads in question, I-84 is not nearly as mountainous as many stretches of I-80. It may have a couple of hills to it, but I think pretty much the whole route could stand to be 70.

[Ketchup99]

Nice 3 year old thread you revived here...

All of these are due to geometry and character of the road. PennDOT will only post 70 on rural sections of freeway with low-moderate traffic volumes and suitable geometry. 81 and 84 are generally mountainous and the part of 81 that isn't mountainous is high-volume. 78 is very substandard. I-90 is the one that sticks out here, because there is no reason it couldn't be 70 west of Erie. 84 could handle it, but I see why they're hesitant.

PTC will post 70 on most roads they maintain. But PennDOT isn't as generous.

Having of course driven all the roads in question, I-84 is not nearly as mountainous as many stretches of I-80. It may have a couple of hills to it, but I think pretty much the whole route could stand to be 70.

Agreed, or more. For all the talk about the mountains of I-80, it's not really that bad and with the exception of a few short stretches the whole route could be 75 or 80. I-84 could handle a 70 limit with no problems. Can't speak to I-90.

[jmacswimmer]

To throw in one more to this, how about I-70 between Breezewood & Maryland?  The main justification I could see PennDOT having for 55 is the interchanges (in particular, the RIRO-like ramps at 151, 156, and 163 westbound).

[sprjus4]

To throw in one more to this, how about I-70 between Breezewood & Maryland?  The main justification I could see PennDOT having for 55 is the interchanges (in particular, the RIRO-like ramps at 151, 156, and 163 westbound).

Even with those interchanges, the speed limit should be at minimum 60 mph, preferably 65 mph.

If those interchanges were improved, then 70 mph.

In reality, most traffic is usually moving at least 65 or 70 mph through there.

[jeffandnicole]

To throw in one more to this, how about I-70 between Breezewood & Maryland?  The main justification I could see PennDOT having for 55 is the interchanges (in particular, the RIRO-like ramps at 151, 156, and 163 westbound).

I-295 in NJ is 65 mph, and they have THREE RIRO interchanges...within a mile total! (Exits 15, 16A & 16B).

[cpzilliacus]

To throw in one more to this, how about I-70 between Breezewood & Maryland?  The main justification I could see PennDOT having for 55 is the interchanges (in particular, the RIRO-like ramps at 151, 156, and 163 westbound).

This is also the one place in Pennsylvania where the PSP runs a speed trap every time I pass that part of I-70 - there is usually at least one trooper working speed limit enforcement on the eastbound side of I-70 descending Sideling Hill from PA-915 (Exit 151) to U.S. 522 (Exit 168).  The cynic in me says that most of the traffic here is not registered in Pennsylvania, and probably plenty of speeders looking to get through this in-the-middle-of-nowhere section of Interstate.

[Alps]

To throw in one more to this, how about I-70 between Breezewood & Maryland?  The main justification I could see PennDOT having for 55 is the interchanges (in particular, the RIRO-like ramps at 151, 156, and 163 westbound).

I-295 in NJ is 65 mph, and they have THREE RIRO interchanges...within a mile total! (Exits 15, 16A & 16B).

That may be the oldest Interstate highway in the Northeast granted a 65 mph speed limit. I-78 in PA is close.

[Roadgeekteen]

To throw in one more to this, how about I-70 between Breezewood & Maryland?  The main justification I could see PennDOT having for 55 is the interchanges (in particular, the RIRO-like ramps at 151, 156, and 163 westbound).

I-295 in NJ is 65 mph, and they have THREE RIRO interchanges...within a mile total! (Exits 15, 16A & 16B).

That may be the oldest Interstate highway in the Northeast granted a 65 mph speed limit. I-78 in PA is close.

Weren't parts of the Mass pike completed in the 50s?

[Alps]

To throw in one more to this, how about I-70 between Breezewood & Maryland?  The main justification I could see PennDOT having for 55 is the interchanges (in particular, the RIRO-like ramps at 151, 156, and 163 westbound).

I-295 in NJ is 65 mph, and they have THREE RIRO interchanges...within a mile total! (Exits 15, 16A & 16B).

That may be the oldest Interstate highway in the Northeast granted a 65 mph speed limit. I-78 in PA is close.

Weren't parts of the Mass pike completed in the 50s?

I'm more referring to the design of the highway not being updated from the time it was built. There's a small part of I-78 that hasn't been, but it's shrinking.

[webny99]

I-295 in NJ is 65 mph, and they have THREE RIRO interchanges...within a mile total! (Exits 15, 16A & 16B).

That may be the oldest Interstate highway in the Northeast granted a 65 mph speed limit. I-78 in PA is close.

I-490 between Rochester and Victor would have to be a contender, if you consider it to be in the Northeast.

[cpzilliacus]

Just a musing, but why hasn't PA increased the speed limit to 70 on I-78, I-81, I-84, or I-90? Seems silly to leave them out.

I-78 does not merit at all, with old geometry and truck traffic in 4 lanes.

Agree.  And plenty of crashes involving heavy trucks along its entire length in Pennsylvania.

[roadman65]

I-80 is still 65 mph west of I-380 where its 10 miles to PA 115 and up to standards for high speeds.  In fact is not I-380 posted at 70 mph, and that has more frequent interchanges than Route 80?

[Roadgeekteen]

Just a musing, but why hasn't PA increased the speed limit to 70 on I-78, I-81, I-84, or I-90? Seems silly to leave them out.

I-78 does not merit at all, with old geometry and truck traffic in 4 lanes.

Agree.  And plenty of crashes involving heavy trucks along its entire length in Pennsylvania.

Yeah, I looked at it on streetview, it seemed very narrow.

[crispy93]

PTC will post 70 on most roads they maintain. But PennDOT isn't as generous.

I drove on the PA Turnpike for the first time last summer (explored the abandoned section) and was impressed by the 70 MPH limit on a winding section. My passenger, who grow up on Long Island, immediately remarked on the first 70 MPH sign we passed and I later called it generous when we started winding around the mountain. Was a fun day.

[jemacedo9]

I-80 is still 65 mph west of I-380 where its 10 miles to PA 115 and up to standards for high speeds.  In fact is not I-380 posted at 70 mph, and that has more frequent interchanges than Route 80?

There are two curves, one just west of PA 940/I-476, and one west of PA 93, both with westbound downhill approaches, that are truck advisory posted for 45. The 70MPH sections starts at the county line just west of that second one.  I think that's factor of why I-80 keeps it's 65 MPH that far west.

[Ketchup99]

Is 70 really as high as PA could get? I feel like there are many, many potential 75 and 80 zones in Pennsylvania.

Although I personally think much of I-80 west of around I-180 (but maybe further east too) could be an 80 zone, and many cars already do 80, I could see a rationale for not doing that because of the high truck traffic. That said, the same excuse does not exist for I-99 south of State College and outside of Altoona. There's very little traffic in general, and there are almost never trucks passing each other - there's just not enough truck traffic making the haul from I-80 to Altoona or Pittsburgh. These would be great places to trial an 80mph speed limit in PA.

[sprjus4]

Is 70 really as high as PA could get? I feel like there are many, many potential 75 and 80 zones in Pennsylvania.

Although I personally think much of I-80 west of around I-180 (but maybe further east too) could be an 80 zone, and many cars already do 80, I could see a rationale for not doing that because of the high truck traffic. That said, the same excuse does not exist for I-99 south of State College and outside of Altoona. There's very little traffic in general, and there are almost never trucks passing each other - there's just not enough truck traffic making the haul from I-80 to Altoona or Pittsburgh. These would be great places to trial an 80mph speed limit in PA.

Not sure if 80 mph would be realistic in Pennsylvania, though 75 mph would be appropriate on rural freeways where design permits.

[Ketchup99]

Is 70 really as high as PA could get? I feel like there are many, many potential 75 and 80 zones in Pennsylvania.

Although I personally think much of I-80 west of around I-180 (but maybe further east too) could be an 80 zone, and many cars already do 80, I could see a rationale for not doing that because of the high truck traffic. That said, the same excuse does not exist for I-99 south of State College and outside of Altoona. There's very little traffic in general, and there are almost never trucks passing each other - there's just not enough truck traffic making the haul from I-80 to Altoona or Pittsburgh. These would be great places to trial an 80mph speed limit in PA.

Not sure if 80 mph would be realistic in Pennsylvania, though 75 mph would be appropriate on rural freeways where design permits.

What's the difference between a rural, low-use freeway in PA versus one in TX?

[sprjus4]

Is 70 really as high as PA could get? I feel like there are many, many potential 75 and 80 zones in Pennsylvania.

Although I personally think much of I-80 west of around I-180 (but maybe further east too) could be an 80 zone, and many cars already do 80, I could see a rationale for not doing that because of the high truck traffic. That said, the same excuse does not exist for I-99 south of State College and outside of Altoona. There's very little traffic in general, and there are almost never trucks passing each other - there's just not enough truck traffic making the haul from I-80 to Altoona or Pittsburgh. These would be great places to trial an 80mph speed limit in PA.

Not sure if 80 mph would be realistic in Pennsylvania, though 75 mph would be appropriate on rural freeways where design permits.

What's the difference between a rural, low-use freeway in PA versus one in TX?

I'm not saying it's impossible, but likely less realistic especially in that part of the country. I would like to see 70 mph limits increased to 75 mph though as permits. Maine and Michigan currently have 75 mph limits, West Virginia is allowed to post them but hasn't yet, and North Carolina nearly got them back in 2013 but did not pass the House.

New Jersey is another state where 75 mph would be appropriate on roads like the New Jersey Turnpike or the Garden State Parkway.

I think West Virginia tried 80 mph before, though never passed.

I wouldn't be against 80 mph limits if they ever came about.

[jeffandnicole]

Is 70 really as high as PA could get? I feel like there are many, many potential 75 and 80 zones in Pennsylvania.

Although I personally think much of I-80 west of around I-180 (but maybe further east too) could be an 80 zone, and many cars already do 80, I could see a rationale for not doing that because of the high truck traffic. That said, the same excuse does not exist for I-99 south of State College and outside of Altoona. There's very little traffic in general, and there are almost never trucks passing each other - there's just not enough truck traffic making the haul from I-80 to Altoona or Pittsburgh. These would be great places to trial an 80mph speed limit in PA.

Not sure if 80 mph would be realistic in Pennsylvania, though 75 mph would be appropriate on rural freeways where design permits.

What's the difference between a rural, low-use freeway in PA versus one in TX?

I'd bet a rural, low-use freeway in PA has at minimum 4 times the traffic than one in TX.  There aren't too many very long, straight stretches of highway in PA with few or no exits, unlike TX.