Article says that some state highways already damaged by overweight oil/gas drilling trucks will be converted to gravel.
It would be interesting to see a gravel state highway.
Odd how they enforce the weight limits on everybody else, but they look the other way when the oil/gas industry destroys roads.
http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/07/25/5029654/texas-adopts-a-new-strategy-for.html (http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/07/25/5029654/texas-adopts-a-new-strategy-for.html)
Quotehttp://www.star-telegram.com/2013/07/25/5030554/state-to-convert-some-roads-from.html
The tearing to gravel I can understand. What I don't understand is why are they being reduced a 30 mph speed limit?
Quote from: Molandfreak on July 27, 2013, 12:52:47 AM
The tearing to gravel I can understand. What I don't understand is why are they being reduced a 30 mph speed limit?
I remember in the late 90s when a US highway was unpaved for a short time during a repaving. I didn't see any signs changing the 70 mph speed limit so I went at normal speeds. At the time I had a 1979 Buick which was very tough. The road was reasonably smooth and I had no troubles. I wouldn't want to go around a curve at that speed, but on that stretch I had no difficulty at all. These roads with heavy truck traffic may not be in great condition so maybe 70 will be too fast, but I don't see any reason to choose an arbitrary maximum speed limit based on an assumption that higher speed are unsuitable for gravel roads.
Quote from: wxfree on July 27, 2013, 01:05:29 AM
Quote from: Molandfreak on July 27, 2013, 12:52:47 AM
The tearing to gravel I can understand. What I don't understand is why are they being reduced a 30 mph speed limit?
I remember in the late 90s when a US highway was unpaved for a short time during a repaving. I didn't see any signs changing the 70 mph speed limit so I went at normal speeds. At the time I had a 1979 Buick which was very tough. The road was reasonably smooth and I had no troubles. I wouldn't want to go around a curve at that speed, but on that stretch I had no difficulty at all. These roads with heavy truck traffic may not be in great condition so maybe 70 will be too fast, but I don't see any reason to choose an arbitrary maximum speed limit based on an assumption that higher speed are unsuitable for gravel roads.
It all depends on how rough the gravel will be, but I think a 55 or 60 mph limit would suffice on the new gravel roads. After all, this is rural Texas. Or better yet, "reasonable and prudent."
Quote from: Molandfreak on July 27, 2013, 01:20:10 AM
Quote from: wxfree on July 27, 2013, 01:05:29 AM
Quote from: Molandfreak on July 27, 2013, 12:52:47 AM
The tearing to gravel I can understand. What I don't understand is why are they being reduced a 30 mph speed limit?
I remember in the late 90s when a US highway was unpaved for a short time during a repaving. I didn't see any signs changing the 70 mph speed limit so I went at normal speeds. At the time I had a 1979 Buick which was very tough. The road was reasonably smooth and I had no troubles. I wouldn't want to go around a curve at that speed, but on that stretch I had no difficulty at all. These roads with heavy truck traffic may not be in great condition so maybe 70 will be too fast, but I don't see any reason to choose an arbitrary maximum speed limit based on an assumption that higher speed are unsuitable for gravel roads.
It all depends on how rough the gravel will be, but I think a 55 or 60 mph limit would suffice on the new gravel roads. After all, this is rural Texas. Or better yet, "reasonable and prudent."
Yeah, county roads in Iowa and Kansas are 55 mph with gravel. Hell, I went {some number slightly less than 100} in NW Territories - not even all straight.
Quote from: Steve on July 27, 2013, 02:06:56 AM
Quote from: Molandfreak on July 27, 2013, 01:20:10 AM
Quote from: wxfree on July 27, 2013, 01:05:29 AM
Quote from: Molandfreak on July 27, 2013, 12:52:47 AM
The tearing to gravel I can understand. What I don't understand is why are they being reduced a 30 mph speed limit?
I remember in the late 90s when a US highway was unpaved for a short time during a repaving. I didn't see any signs changing the 70 mph speed limit so I went at normal speeds. At the time I had a 1979 Buick which was very tough. The road was reasonably smooth and I had no troubles. I wouldn't want to go around a curve at that speed, but on that stretch I had no difficulty at all. These roads with heavy truck traffic may not be in great condition so maybe 70 will be too fast, but I don't see any reason to choose an arbitrary maximum speed limit based on an assumption that higher speed are unsuitable for gravel roads.
It all depends on how rough the gravel will be, but I think a 55 or 60 mph limit would suffice on the new gravel roads. After all, this is rural Texas. Or better yet, "reasonable and prudent."
Yeah, county roads in Iowa and Kansas are 55 mph with gravel. Hell, I went {some number slightly less than 100} in NW Territories - not even all straight.
This gets me thinking, why do we need to set speed limits at all on gravel roads, when their nature generally requires us to go slower than we would on asphalt? (off topic I know).
Near Minot, North Dakota. I was in a Jeep, and I couldn't maintain the speed limit on this stretch of road.
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2541/3805962707_98b7eb77fa_z.jpg)
Quote from: Molandfreak on July 27, 2013, 02:20:32 AM
Quote from: Steve on July 27, 2013, 02:06:56 AM
Quote from: Molandfreak on July 27, 2013, 01:20:10 AM
Quote from: wxfree on July 27, 2013, 01:05:29 AM
Quote from: Molandfreak on July 27, 2013, 12:52:47 AM
The tearing to gravel I can understand. What I don't understand is why are they being reduced a 30 mph speed limit?
I remember in the late 90s when a US highway was unpaved for a short time during a repaving. I didn't see any signs changing the 70 mph speed limit so I went at normal speeds. At the time I had a 1979 Buick which was very tough. The road was reasonably smooth and I had no troubles. I wouldn't want to go around a curve at that speed, but on that stretch I had no difficulty at all. These roads with heavy truck traffic may not be in great condition so maybe 70 will be too fast, but I don't see any reason to choose an arbitrary maximum speed limit based on an assumption that higher speed are unsuitable for gravel roads.
It all depends on how rough the gravel will be, but I think a 55 or 60 mph limit would suffice on the new gravel roads. After all, this is rural Texas. Or better yet, "reasonable and prudent."
Yeah, county roads in Iowa and Kansas are 55 mph with gravel. Hell, I went {some number slightly less than 100} in NW Territories - not even all straight.
This gets me thinking, why do we need to set speed limits at all on gravel roads, when their nature generally requires us to go slower than we would on asphalt? (off topic I know).
Because of {some number slightly less than 100}.
New article on the topic: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/08/21/who-needs-roads-not-texas-as-state-gop-decides-to-de-pave-miles-of-roadways/
Tax cuts? Check!
Smaller government? Check!
Are the people better off? I'll have to get back to you on that.
This month's speed zone minute order includes quite a few speed zones for unpaved surfaces, including 3 miles of the I-37 frontage road. They're classified as construction speed zones. These appear coincide with the plans for gravel roads. The speed limits being put in place are as low as 30 and as high as 60, but are mostly 40 or 45. It's good to see they aren't a uniform 30, but appear to have been set with discretion. 40 or 45 is probably good on gravel roads.
http://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/adm/2013/documents/minute_orders/0829/17g.pdf (http://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/adm/2013/documents/minute_orders/0829/17g.pdf)
I'll probably add to my high speed limits map project by making a separate map of the low speed limits on unpaved roads.
Quote from: Steve on July 27, 2013, 02:06:56 AM
Yeah, county roads in Iowa and Kansas are 55 mph with gravel. Hell, I went {some number slightly less than 100} in NW Territories - not even all straight.
I've hit 102 on a dirt road in [mumble jurisdiction]. it was straight, as it was in an area renowned for its flatness.
I don't think I've taken a curve faster than about 75.
....almost forgot this...a gravel frontage road on US 81/287 north of Ft Worth.
notice the ONE WAY [STRAIGHT] sign.
https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=32.909028,-97.342129&spn=0.000036,0.025041&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=32.909321,-97.342389&panoid=u2-D1wI3NzDykcw2oHcphg&cbp=12,342.45,,1,0 (https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=32.909028,-97.342129&spn=0.000036,0.025041&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=32.909321,-97.342389&panoid=u2-D1wI3NzDykcw2oHcphg&cbp=12,342.45,,1,0)
Here's the damage. Most of the zones are much too short to show on a statewide map, so I zoomed in and cropped.
Red is 40 mph. Red with yellow anchors is 45. Blue is 60. There's a very short 30 just north of the 45 just south of Big Wells.
http://www.patternsandprinciples.com/otherfiles/gravel/813/castro.jpg (http://www.patternsandprinciples.com/otherfiles/gravel/813/castro.jpg)
http://www.patternsandprinciples.com/otherfiles/gravel/813/i37.jpg (http://www.patternsandprinciples.com/otherfiles/gravel/813/i37.jpg) (frontage roads only)
http://www.patternsandprinciples.com/otherfiles/gravel/813/laredo.jpg (http://www.patternsandprinciples.com/otherfiles/gravel/813/laredo.jpg)
http://www.patternsandprinciples.com/otherfiles/gravel/813/reeverson.jpg (http://www.patternsandprinciples.com/otherfiles/gravel/813/reeverson.jpg)