Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[MultiMillionMiler]

Looks like this is the week for members of the state legislature to propose bills that are of interest to roadgeeks.

https://auburnpub.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/70-mph-ny-senator-eyes-higher-speed-limit-on-thruway-state-highways/article_90ee55b1-41a6-5a26-a6ab-85f22c9eb0ee.html

Never going to happen. Someone in another thread posted something about a 75 mph bill that was proposed back in like 2016, and 6 years later it's still "in committee" (the 2nd out of like 5-6 steps in signing a bill into law). Probably wouldn't change the number of tickets either really as most cops likely already give you up to 80 mph in 65 zones, they'd probably keep the enforcement threshold at 80 even if it went up to 70.

[vdeane]

^ I didn't want to get political, but given the party of the legislative members who proposed this bill (and the one for mile-based numbers on the Thruway) and the party that actually has power at the state level in NY, especially given that Hochul has called to pass Sammy's Law (20 mph speed limits in NYC) in this year's State of the State, I agree it's a long shot.

[MultiMillionMiler]

Just the fact that the Long Island Expressway in Suffolk County isn't even 65 mph proves its never going to happen. No way would they consider 75 mph on lower quality roadways upstate. 4 lanes each direction and almost perfectly straight is about as good as you are going to get for interstate standards, so if a road like that is 55 mph, 75 mph for other roads is out of the question.

[D-Dey65]

The fact that you now have traffic jams as far east as Exit 68, doesn't give me much confidence in seeing the speed limit raised anywhere on the Long Island Expressway.

Portions of the Thruway getting a raise, I can understand.

[MultiMillionMiler]

The fact that you now have traffic jams as far east as Exit 68, doesn't give me much confidence in seeing the speed limit raised anywhere on the Long Island Expressway.

Portions of the Thruway getting a raise, I can understand.

I have seen traffic jams up to exit 64, but never 68. And speed limit shouldn't be set based on traffic levels because then you are punishing people for driving faster at times when there is less traffic. The thruway is curvier than the Long Island Expressway, so I-495 should be the first to get a speed limit raise. And as of now, I am not saying 75 mph (which it really should be), I am saying 65 mph just to match NYS's own speed limit law.

[webny99]

The thruway is curvier than the Long Island Expressway, so I-495 should be the first to get a speed limit raise. And as of now, I am not saying 75 mph (which it really should be), I am saying 65 mph just to match NYS's own speed limit law.

Wait, what? The Thruway has very few curves and great sightlines throughout. I agree I-495 should be 65 mph at least, but not because it's straighter than the Thruway.

[MultiMillionMiler]

The thruway is curvier than the Long Island Expressway, so I-495 should be the first to get a speed limit raise. And as of now, I am not saying 75 mph (which it really should be), I am saying 65 mph just to match NYS's own speed limit law.

Wait, what? The Thruway has very few curves and great sightlines throughout. I agree I-495 should be 65 mph at least, but not because it's straighter than the Thruway.

Thruway is 4 lanes much of the time, I-495 is 8. I-495 has much better sight distance and kinger straight stretches. The thruway is constantly curving to work its way through the terrain.

[vdeane]

The Thruway is as straight as Illinois is flat.

[Jim]

Straight or curvy or whatever, it seems unlikely to me that there are any engineering reasons that 80% or more of the Thruway's mileage needs a speed limit below 70 or even 75.

[kalvado]

Straight or curvy or whatever, it seems unlikely to me that there are any engineering reasons that 80% or more of the Thruway's mileage needs a speed limit below 70 or even 75.

Someone mentioned that Northway, build roughly in the same timeframe, is designed for 75 MPH, and safety margin needs to be kept in mind
I believe stability of cars did improve over time, so 80-85 is not uncommon on Northway, and it  doesn't feel too bad.

[kirbykart]

The Northway's a lot curvier than the Thruway. MMM, have you even driven the Thruway?

[MultiMillionMiler]

Yes, to and from Albany. But I haven't driven I-90 yet. The Long Island Expressway and Sunrise Highway are much straighter. Have you even driven those. Speaking of the thruway, what's the status on electronic toll collection? Has it been fully converted to by mail (its been a year ot two since I drive on it).

[baugh17]

Yes, to and from Albany. But I haven't driven I-90 yet. The Long Island Expressway and Sunrise Highway are much straighter. Have you even driven those. Speaking of the thruway, what's the status on electronic toll collection? Has it been fully converted to by mail (its been a year ot two since I drive on it).

The Thruway went all electronic in November 2020.

[webny99]

But I haven't driven I-90 yet.

Well, that explains quite a bit. I-495 is fairly straight east of Melville, but no straighter than this, for example, or this.

[MultiMillionMiler]

Those two are almost the same as sunrise highway in suffolk county. The roads are obviously much longer so they could use a higher speed limit for that reason, but in terms of design, it's not that different than long island.

[dgolub]

The fact that you now have traffic jams as far east as Exit 68, doesn't give me much confidence in seeing the speed limit raised anywhere on the Long Island Expressway.

Portions of the Thruway getting a raise, I can understand.

I have seen traffic jams up to exit 64, but never 68. And speed limit shouldn't be set based on traffic levels because then you are punishing people for driving faster at times when there is less traffic. The thruway is curvier than the Long Island Expressway, so I-495 should be the first to get a speed limit raise. And as of now, I am not saying 75 mph (which it really should be), I am saying 65 mph just to match NYS's own speed limit law.

Maybe at rush hour.  If you head out east on a weekend, you're generally not going to see traffic jams that far out, especially if it's not at a time of the year when there's Hamptons traffic.  There's no good reason why going 65 MPH on there is any less safe than in any of the places where it's allowed.