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Higher Speed Limits Considered in near Dallas Freeways

Started by dfwtbear, August 08, 2013, 11:36:56 AM

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aboges26



compdude787

Quote from: AlexandriaVA on February 28, 2017, 06:22:08 PM
What's everyone's rush in Texas anyway? :sombrero:

Well, everything's bigger in Texas, so people want to get to places a bit quicker.  :-D

wxfree

We have a little more this month.  The speed limit will increase from 60 to 70 along I-30 on the west side of Dallas from just west of Loop 12 to just east of Sylvan, near the Mixmaster.  This is 5.5 miles.  The first (westernmost) 2.2 miles will have a speed limit of 75 in the managed lane.
I'd like to buy a vowel, Alex.  What is E?

dfwmapper

Finally. Now we just have to wait for the construction on I-35E outside of LBJ and SH 183/SH 114 to be finished so those highways can be bumped up, and I think that's everything in Dallas County.

wxfree

There's an update today for northern I-35E.  It's uneven and I'm not sure it makes sense.  I haven't driven that section of road since before the rebuild started, but someone familiar with it may know why the speed limits are being set this way.

I-635 to Carrollton city limit, about 2 miles: 70
Carrollton city limit to Denton County line, about 4 miles: 65
Denton County line to Corinth city limit, about 12 miles: 70
Corinth city limit to 2 miles south of I-35, about 7 miles: 65
Last 2 miles to I-35: 70
I'd like to buy a vowel, Alex.  What is E?

wxfree

The work continues.  This month's minute order includes a speed limit increase to 70, and 75 on the managed lanes, on SH 183 from about SH 360 to past Spur 482.  That's about 14 miles.
I'd like to buy a vowel, Alex.  What is E?

wxfree

This month's minute order includes a speed limit increase to 70, up from 65, on the southernmost 6.5 miles of I-35E in Dallas County, from the Ellis County line to about I-20.
I'd like to buy a vowel, Alex.  What is E?

wxfree

There have been some speed limit increases around Dallas.  The speed limit is 70 on I-35E going north from I-635, and on I-30 from west of downtown Dallas to about the Tarrant County line.  This seems to be related to completion of construction progress improving the roads.  It's unrelated to the removal of environmental speed limits, but I believe the topic is still interesting.
I'd like to buy a vowel, Alex.  What is E?

wxfree

These later increases are related to rebuilding of the roads, not removal of environmental speed limits, but it's still on the overall topic.  This month the minute order includes an increase to 70 on I-35E from I-20 to just before the curves, near the Marsalis exit.  It also includes an increase to 70 on US 67 from just north of I-20 to I-35E.  The parallel express lanes will have a limit of 75.

From the south, staying on the main lanes, the speed limit on I-35E will be 70 from Ellis County to what I call the Zoo Curves, and on US 67 will be 70 in Ellis County, 65 at the Dallas County line to just north of I-20 where the rebuilt section starts, and then 70 on the rebuilt section to the merge.

The minute orders were strangely late.  I would have known this a week ago under normal procedures, but they weren't posted online until today.
I'd like to buy a vowel, Alex.  What is E?

bwana39

Why are Texans in such a hurry? Because everything is so spread out. Dallas County is larger in area than all of New York City. The city of Houston by itself is bigger than NYC.
Let's build what we need as economically as possible.

jeffandnicole

Quote from: bwana39 on January 30, 2023, 10:26:15 PM
Why are Texans in such a hurry? Because everything is so spread out. Dallas County is larger in area than all of New York City. The city of Houston by itself is bigger than NYC.

NYC isn't even in the top 25 of largest cities in the US in terms of land area.

MultiMillionMiler

Quote from: bwana39 on January 30, 2023, 10:26:15 PM
Why are Texans in such a hurry? Because everything is so spread out. Dallas County is larger in area than all of New York City. The city of Houston by itself is bigger than NYC.

Even if Texas's 85 mph speed limits were applied to every freeway, It would still take 10 hours to drive across the state. When you think of it, it is Amazing that America, a country founded on freedom, and longer distances, have the slowest speed limits compared to Europe. Those states act like 70-80 mph is "generous" when in reality those speed limits would be appropriate for any standard freeway and interstate highways in the middle of the wide open USA should be much higher, if not unlimited.

ZLoth

Quote from: bwana39 on January 30, 2023, 10:26:15 PM
Why are Texans in such a hurry? Because everything is so spread out. Dallas County is larger in area than all of New York City. The city of Houston by itself is bigger than NYC.

Hmmm.... let's fact check this...

  • New York City - 302.6 mi²
  • Dallas - 385.8 mi²
  • Houston - 665 mi²
  • Dallas County - 909 mi²
However, when we look at Metropolitan Statistical Areas which includes the suburbs....

  • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA Metro Area - 6,684.4 mi²
  • Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area - 8,268.8 mi²
  • Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metro Area - 8,675.3 mi²
I'm an Engineer. That means I solve problems. Not problems like "What is beauty?", because that would fall within the purview of your conundrums of philosophy. I solve practical problems and call them "paychecks".

Bobby5280

#113
Quote from: MultiMillionMilerEven if Texas's 85 mph speed limits were applied to every freeway, It would still take 10 hours to drive across the state. When you think of it, it is Amazing that America, a country founded on freedom, and longer distances, have the slowest speed limits compared to Europe.

It's a lot easier to get a driver's license in the United States than it is to get a license in a country like Germany. In a nation like Germany the driver's ed courses are far more intensive. Also, Germany has far more strict rules of the road etiquette than the US. If you're on a section of the Autobahn that has no speed limit and you're driving some little econo-box putt putt car you absolutely have to get over to the right and stay well clear of the left lane(s). That way a "super car" can safely blast by going 400kph. Here in the US all sorts of jackasses will drive slow in the left lane on an Interstate as if it is their flag-waving, gun-toting, God-given right. Hell, they'll do 10-20mph under the posted speed limit to teach all the young whipper snappers a lesson. There is a lot of that nonsense going on here in Oklahoma.

The United States could probably have higher speed limits in many locations if so many of us Americans didn't drive distracted or didn't drive like selfish jerks. The way things are going we probably deserve to be punished with much slower speed limits.

hotdogPi

Quote from: Bobby5280 on January 31, 2023, 03:09:12 PM
Here in the US all sorts of jackasses will drive slow in the left lane on an Interstate as if it is their flag-waving, gun-toting, God-given right. Hell, they'll do 10-20mph under the posted speed limit to teach all the young whipper snappers a lesson.

New England is the one exception. And the maximum speed limit is still 65 in Massachusetts.

To clarify: there are slow drivers, and there are left lane drivers, but not both. The slow drivers stay in the right lane to let those going 75-80 pass on the left. Trucks are restricted to the right two lanes, and they follow it well.
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

MultiMillionMiler

Quote from: Bobby5280 on January 31, 2023, 03:09:12 PM
Quote from: MultiMillionMilerEven if Texas's 85 mph speed limits were applied to every freeway, It would still take 10 hours to drive across the state. When you think of it, it is Amazing that America, a country founded on freedom, and longer distances, have the slowest speed limits compared to Europe.

It's a lot easier to get a driver's license in the United States than it is to get a license in a country like Germany. In a nation like Germany the driver's ed courses are far more intensive. Also, Germany has far more strict rules of the road etiquette than the US. If you're on a section of the Autobahn that has no speed limit and you're driving some little econo-box putt putt car you absolutely have to get over to the right and stay well clear of the left lane(s). That way a "super car" can safely blast by going 400kph. Here in the US all sorts of jackasses will drive slow in the left lane on an Interstate as if it is their flag-waving, gun-toting, God-given right. Hell, they'll do 10-20mph under the posted speed limit to teach all the young whipper snappers a lesson. There is a lot of that nonsense going on here in Oklahoma.

The United States could probably have higher speed limits in many locations if so many of us Americans didn't drive distracted or didn't drive like selfish jerks. The way things are going we probably deserve to be punished with much slower speed limits.

Yeah well then the focus should be on better driver training than lowering speed limits. And I always follow the keep right laws. Even the couple times in my life I hit 110-120 mph, I wasn't in the left lane. But on roads in the middle of nowhere, not much skill is required to drive 80-90 mph in a straight line. There aren't even enough cars to justify the whole left/right passing things. You just go around a car and that's it. On Long Island this is pretty much respected. Plenty of times traffic is a little congested at 50 mph and the HOV lane/Left lane is wide open.

Aren Cambre

Quote from: Bobby5280 on January 31, 2023, 03:09:12 PMIt's a lot easier to get a driver's license in the United States than it is to get a license in a country like Germany.

I have yet to see credible evidence that has anything to do with perceived differences.

Quote from: Bobby5280 on January 31, 2023, 03:09:12 PMIf you're on a section of the Autobahn that has no speed limit and you're driving some little econo-box putt putt car you absolutely have to get over to the right and stay well clear of the left lane(s).

Watch some YouTube videos of autobahn driving. It's not quite the nirvana that some make it out to be.

Quote from: Bobby5280 on January 31, 2023, 03:09:12 PMThere is a lot of that nonsense going on here in Oklahoma.

Every part of the USA has good drivers and bad drivers. No area is special. Drivers in your area drive like drivers in my area, too.

Quote from: Bobby5280 on January 31, 2023, 03:09:12 PMThe way things are going we probably deserve to be punished with much slower speed limits.

There is next to no decent evidence that lower speed limits make roads durably safer. While not formally tested (as far as I can tell), there are reasonable theories to why higher limits can encourage more courteous driving.

US 89

Quote from: MultiMillionMiler on January 31, 2023, 07:34:11 PM
No road with traffic lights should ever be posted at higher than 40 mph.

I think someone needs to get out of the Northeast.

I dare you to drive this at 40 mph and see how painfully slow it feels. For the record, that is posted at 45 and average traffic speed tends to be somewhere closer to 50-55 mph.

hotdogPi

Even NH 111 between Salem and Kingston is posted at 50, as are the seven southernmost miles of MA 125 (south of MA 114).
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

MultiMillionMiler

There's a traffic light, and low visibility over that hill.

Aren Cambre

Quote from: MultiMillionMiler on January 31, 2023, 07:34:11 PM
Exactly, and the irony is they post speed limits far too high on local roads where it is actually dangerous to speed. No road with traffic lights should ever be posted at higher than 40 mph. Limited Access Highways however, should be posted at 80-90 mph, with rural interstates unlimited. But, I do think all curves on highways that you can kind of feel the G force when going around, should be set at 45 mph with speed cameras.

Wait, so the Texas 70 mph roads with stop lights...should be dug up and thrown away?

ALL ROADS that have an anecdotal report of G-forces on curves--45 mph and automated ticketing machines? Are you serious?

Are you trolling us?

Aren Cambre

Quote from: MultiMillionMiler on January 31, 2023, 09:47:17 PM
You're telling me there are stop lights on roads with 70 mph speed limits?? How are you supposed to stop in time if starts changing?

Yes!

Typically, there are advance warnings of an impending yellow and a lengthy yellow. I've been through several and I am not dead yet.

Quote from: MultiMillionMiler on January 31, 2023, 09:47:17 PMBy G forces I mean if you feel the pressure while navigating the curve at the normal speed limit, then that's a signal that the speed limit should be lowered significantly for that curve and strict enforcement implemented.

Can you share evidence to substantiate that existing standards for determining curve advisory speeds are inadequate?

jeffandnicole

Quote from: Aren Cambre on January 31, 2023, 09:38:39 PM
Quote from: MultiMillionMiler on January 31, 2023, 07:34:11 PM
Exactly, and the irony is they post speed limits far too high on local roads where it is actually dangerous to speed. No road with traffic lights should ever be posted at higher than 40 mph. Limited Access Highways however, should be posted at 80-90 mph, with rural interstates unlimited. But, I do think all curves on highways that you can kind of feel the G force when going around, should be set at 45 mph with speed cameras.

Wait, so the Texas 70 mph roads with stop lights...should be dug up and thrown away?

ALL ROADS that have an anecdotal report of G-forces on curves--45 mph and automated ticketing machines? Are you serious?

Are you trolling us?

Yeah he is.  I don't know why we all still entertain his bullshit.

US 89

Quote from: MultiMillionMiler on January 31, 2023, 09:47:17 PM
You're telling me there are stop lights on roads with 70 mph speed limits?? How are you supposed to stop in time if starts changing?

Oh, it gets better. There's a light on US 84 near Shallowater, TX. Wanna guess the limit there? 75 mph.

Quote from: MultiMillionMiler on January 31, 2023, 10:13:12 PM
It's common sense. Advisory speed limits are unenforceable, so they are basically asking drivers to send their cars flying off the road flipping into the air. Essentially, if a road manages to change its direction 90 degrees within half a mile, the speed limit should be at least 20-30 mph lower around that curve than on any straight stretches of the highway. People flying around curves at highway speed is what causes the most accidents.

So because an advisory speed limit isn't legally binding, it doesn't exist at all? I guess all 50 state DOTs and local agencies are wasting metric shitloads of money posting all those yellow diamond warning signs, then...

If you drive too fast around a corner and you fuck up and go off the road, that's on you and that's driving too fast for conditions, which you can get a ticket for anyway. Don't need a number on a sign to tell you that.

US 89

Quote from: MultiMillionMiler on January 31, 2023, 10:32:43 PM
And at speeds greater than 50 mph you can't stop in time for a traffic signal unless you can see it at least 1/3 if a mile away.

Uhh, the stopping distance at 50mph is around 13-14 car lengths depending on what source you look at. That's about 200 feet... or 0.038 miles.



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