Montana Speed Limit

[vdeane]

I didn't see it mentioned, but Montana has a bill that could raise the speed limit to 85. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/12/05/montana-legislators-pushing-for-85-mph-speed-limit/

[jakeroot]

I'm getting concerned about the variation of speed limits now. 85 in Montana, 65 in Oregon, 70 in Washington and California, 80 in Wyoming, Utah, and Idaho, and 75 everywhere else. This all, despite the fact that most of the freeways in those states are of the long and straight variety, minus the occasional mountain pass. I guess we just have to wait for the politics to catch up to reality.

[Fred Defender]

I guess that, since we no longer have to worry about the Arabs shutting off the tap like we did in the 1970's (we don't???), the sky's the limit.

I think that everyone who got fined for exceeding the 55 MPH national speed limit of 1974-1996 should receive a refund. Hard to believe (and even remember) that 55 was IT for so many years.

[adventurernumber1]

Good Lord. Montana's already thinking about hitting 85? In recent months I remember seeing a thread about which state will hit 80 MPH next and Montana was one of the possibilities. I am mind-blown Montana is now thinking about 85 MPH 

[pumpkineater2]

I wish Arizona was thinking about 85! Or at least 80.

[corco]

I'll believe it when I see it. 80 seems like it might pass, but 85 is supported by just a few fringe legislators on the other side of the aisle, with a governor that is not afraid to veto.

[Billy F 1988]

I highly doubt that we'll be seeing 85 in the near future because of the weather we experience. In the winter, it'll sometimes rain, sometimes snow, but when a flash freeze occurs, oh shit...bad news for you! You can't adequately slow down from 85 to 65 because the momentum will vault you off the road. If you head down the hill at that rate, that's a bit risky. I'm not willing to go 85 miles an hour on Interstate 90. I know how Missoula can get in the winter.

Keep me posted when Governor Steve Bullock vetoes this measure. I don't want to have to find out that I'd now have to go 85 on I-90 and not 75 because the faster you go, the more heat you build up in your engine, the more fuel you burn up.

[oscar]

I highly doubt that we'll be seeing 85 in the near future because of the weather we experience. In the winter, it'll sometimes rain, sometimes snow, but when a flash freeze occurs, oh shit...bad news for you! You can't adequately slow down from 85 to 65 because the momentum will vault you off the road. If you head down the hill at that rate, that's a bit risky. I'm not willing to go 85 miles an hour on Interstate 90. I know how Missoula can get in the winter.

Keep me posted when Governor Steve Bullock vetoes this measure. I don't want to have to find out that I'd now have to go 85 on I-90 and not 75 because the faster you go, the more heat you build up in your engine, the more fuel you burn up.

You can always drive slower than the limit, when conditions require or as you prefer.  Even in the days of the "Montanabahn" (no fixed speed limit for cars in the daytime), there were plenty of drivers on I-90 west of Billings, doing 65mph in the right lane.  Montana residents seem not at all shy about driving only as fast as they're comfortable with, whatever number is (or isn't) posted on signs.

Like corco, I'll believe 85 in Montana when I see it. 

[Pink Jazz]

I wish Arizona was thinking about 85! Or at least 80.

It won't happen in Arizona without a fight, since any speed of 85 mph or higher is considered criminal speeding regardless of the posted speed limit, even in 75 mph zones.  If the speed limit is increased to 80-85, then the criminal speeding threshold would have to be raised to at least 90-95 mph for there would be more than a 5 mph buffer.  I see New Mexico raising its speed limit to 80 before Arizona.

[SteveG1988]

I highly doubt that we'll be seeing 85 in the near future because of the weather we experience. In the winter, it'll sometimes rain, sometimes snow, but when a flash freeze occurs, oh shit...bad news for you! You can't adequately slow down from 85 to 65 because the momentum will vault you off the road. If you head down the hill at that rate, that's a bit risky. I'm not willing to go 85 miles an hour on Interstate 90. I know how Missoula can get in the winter.

Keep me posted when Governor Steve Bullock vetoes this measure. I don't want to have to find out that I'd now have to go 85 on I-90 and not 75 because the faster you go, the more heat you build up in your engine, the more fuel you burn up.

You can always drive slower than the limit, when conditions require or as you prefer.  Even in the days of the "Montanabahn" (no fixed speed limit for cars in the daytime), there were plenty of drivers on I-90 west of Billings, doing 65mph in the right lane.  Montana residents seem not at all shy about driving only as fast as they're comfortable with, whatever number is (or isn't) posted on signs.

Like corco, I'll believe 85 in Montana when I see it. 

Simple fix.

Speed Limit Signs that are able to be changed. For example, if the temperature drops below a threshold, it gets lowered. All you would need is a speed limit sign with a place for a new digit to go over the 8. Or you just place a seasonal limit on roads. "April-Beginning of snow season (Idon't know when that is) 85mph Snow Season-65"

[Sykotyk]

Wyoming already has variable speeds along most of I-80 now. That can easily happen in MT. Or, include a 'precipitation or wet roads' provision on the sign, similar to a night or truck speed.

[corco]

Wyoming already has variable speeds along most of I-80 now. That can easily happen in MT. Or, include a 'precipitation or wet roads' provision on the sign, similar to a night or truck speed.

That would work well in theory in Montana, but it wouldn't be able to easily happen. Allowing variable speed limits in this state would require an entire re-write of the speed limit statute at the legislative level and a general attitude change within the state of Montana about what a speed limit is supposed to be. The way the speed limit law is written now, the speed limit is 75 MPH on rural interstate highways and 65 MPH on urban interstate highways, period.

There is one bill proposed this legislative session that looks like it might do this, but it hasn't been drafted yet:
http://laws.leg.mt.gov/legprd/LAW0210W$BSIV.ActionQuery?P_BILL_DFT_NO5=LC2030&Z_ACTION=Find&P_SESS=20151
"Authorize and allow speed limit adjustment systems on Montana passes"

We'll see what it looks like. Keep in mind that the Montana legislature sees thousands of bills when it meets every two years, and there's only one proposed bill to implement such a system, which suggests to me that it won't make it out of committee.

There's a few other traffic regulation/speed limit bills proposed this session, all listed. There's several bills that generally suggest raising the speed limit, which means I would not be surprised to see the speed limit raised.
http://laws.leg.mt.gov/legprd/LAW0203W$BSRV.ActionQuery?P_SESS=20151&P_BLTP_BILL_TYP_CD=&P_BILL_NO=&P_BILL_DFT_NO=&P_CHPT_NO=&P_ENTY_ID_SEQ2=&P_SBJT_SBJ_CD=TRAF&P_ENTY_ID_SEQ=&Z_ACTION2=Find

There's also a few bills to generally revise speed limit laws, but there were last session too and they all died.
http://laws.leg.mt.gov/legprd/LAW0203W$BSRV.ActionQuery?P_SESS=20131&P_BLTP_BILL_TYP_CD=&P_BILL_NO=&P_BILL_DFT_NO=&P_CHPT_NO=&P_ENTY_ID_SEQ2=&P_SBJT_SBJ_CD=TRAF&P_ENTY_ID_SEQ=&Z_ACTION2=Find

[OCGuy81]

The terrain seems to warrant a lower speed limit in MT, at least in western Montana with a lot of winding roads.

Perhaps there are parts of eastern Montana, say along I-94 that could handle 85.

But really, I think the only time we should see a speed limit north of 75 is in places with long range visibility, that's fairly flat, and pretty straight.  West Texas, yes.  Parts of AZ and NM? Yes.  North Dakota? Sure.

But Montana seems a bit too treacherous, at least on parts of I-90 in western Montana, IMO.

[Pink Jazz]

Parts of AZ and NM?

I can see New Mexico doing it, but as I already stated, in Arizona it would be a challenge since it would also require raising the criminal speeding threshold to at least 90 mph to have more than a 5 mph buffer, and some state legislators may have an issue with that.  In fact, there was a bill in 2004 that would have done so, and that bill failed.

[jakeroot]

Parts of AZ and NM?

I can see New Mexico doing it, but as I already stated, in Arizona it would be a challenge since it would also require raising the criminal speeding threshold to at least 90 mph to have more than a 5 mph buffer, and some state legislators may have an issue with that.

I find it a bit ridiculous that Arizona freeways are designed for a 75 mph travel speed, yet somehow going just 10 above that is considered a criminal act.

[Pink Jazz]

I find it a bit ridiculous that Arizona freeways are designed for a 75 mph travel speed, yet somehow going just 10 above that is considered a criminal act.

Virginia has a similar law, where any speed in excess of 80 mph is considered reckless.  Otherwise the threshold is 20 mph over on highways with speed limits below 60 mph (as is true in Arizona on highways with speed limits below 65 mph).

[JKRhodes]

Except despite the common belief, the "20+over rule" isn't hard and fast for the lower speed limit zones in Arizona either, which is goofy.

A rural backroad with a speed limit of 45 doesn't technically hit the "criminal speed" threshold until the driver is exceeding 85 miles per hour, when that road is outside a business or residential district. What constitutes such a district is more or less up to the local governing body's discretion. Per ARS 28-701.02:

A. A person shall not:

1. Exceed thirty-five miles per hour approaching a school crossing.

2. Exceed the posted speed limit in a business or residential district by more than twenty miles per hour, or if no speed limit is posted, exceed forty-five miles per hour.

3. Exceed eighty-five miles per hour in other locations.

[Billy F 1988]

i guess if that by putting in an 85 MPH daytime/70 MPH nighttime zone on the interstates and a 75/60 on the main US and state highways, it could prove useful, however, I really doubt it because the faster you go, you burn more fuel, obviously cars and trucks from 2008 on up don't burn as much, but cars and trucks prior to 2008 may burn about 0.5 gallons per MPH traveled over 70 not exceeding 75.