Current state speed limit increase proposals

[jeffandnicole]

I would caution about that bill in Vermont, and this article isn't as well written as you think.

That bill, sponsored by James McCollough, was first introduced in 2020 as bill H.627.  It went nowhere.

Bills have a tendency to be reintroduced each year after they were first written.  For many things, as long as an elected official remains in office, they tend to have their same bills reintroduced year after year, and most likely nothing will ever become of them. 

For the writer of the article, he probably did a quick search on speed limit bills in 2021, came up with what he got, and didn't research any further, which would reveal that some of these bills just tend to languish year after year.

I'm not going to really go thru each state mentioned, but unless it popped up this year already, chances are these are just old proposals that keep popping up without too much hope of succeeding.

I'm more interested in the NH bill that, if I'm reading it correctly, allows 60 mph on 2-lane roads. That's much more of a game-changer to me than the limit increasing another 5 mph on interstates!

Unless I'm mistaken currently the only states east of the Mississippi that allow higher than 55 on 2-lane roads are Florida (60) and Michigan (65).

In absolute technical terms, NJ allows it.  They only have statutory limits of 25, 35 & 50 mph when the roadway doesn't have a signed speed limit, and the "65 mph implementation act" which doesn't apply anymore.  There's nothing that states 55 mph is the top limit that can be used on any type of roadway. Are we going to see anything higher than 55 mph on a 2 lane roadway in NJ?  Nah.  But if someone wanted to push the issue, it's there for the pushing.

A 75 mph NJ Turnpike (easily the 85th percentile speed) would sure be something to see.

The last time anything was referenced about a higher speed limit, I believe a spokesperson said "the limit is fine as is".  Which was safety speak for "We have a speed limit on that road?  Surprises the hell out of me".

[Mike2357]

Actually the 85th percentile speed of the Jersey Turnpike is over 80 mph. And most NJ highways are far below that %tile.

https://www.nj.com/data/2018/08/should_the_speed_limit_on_njs_highways_be_higher_we_used_a_radar_gun_to_find_the_answer.html

[Roadgeekteen]

Actually the 85th percentile speed of the Jersey Turnpike is over 80 mph. And most NJ highways are far below that %tile.

https://www.nj.com/data/2018/08/should_the_speed_limit_on_njs_highways_be_higher_we_used_a_radar_gun_to_find_the_answer.html

I was just on I-80 in New Jersey west of I-287, police enforcement was heavy and most cars went around 70.

[Mike2357]

Actually the 85th percentile speed of the Jersey Turnpike is over 80 mph. And most NJ highways are far below that %tile.

https://www.nj.com/data/2018/08/should_the_speed_limit_on_njs_highways_be_higher_we_used_a_radar_gun_to_find_the_answer.html

I was just on I-80 in New Jersey west of I-287, police enforcement was heavy and most cars went around 70.

Well west of Roxbury I-80 is decently curvy, so 65 mph is reasonable, but it could still be bumped to 75 mph.

[thenetwork]

Ch Ch Ch Changes to the speed limits in North Dakota August 1st...80 MPH on the rural interstates, BUT many populated areas are going DOWN:

https://www.kvrr.com/2025/07/29/interstate-speed-limits-mostly-going-up-in-north-dakota-but-down-near-some-cities/

[sprjus4]

Ch Ch Ch Changes to the speed limits in North Dakota August 1st...80 MPH on the rural interstates, BUT many populated areas are going DOWN:

https://www.kvrr.com/2025/07/29/interstate-speed-limits-mostly-going-up-in-north-dakota-but-down-near-some-cities/

From what I see, a few towns with a couple clustered exits in rural areas will have a brief decrease from 75 mph to 70 mph, but that's about it. No major changes.

[Plutonic Panda]

But the speed limit goes around them to 80? If there's no justification for the reduction sounds like a speed trap to me.

[kphoger]

Pertinent conversation here and following.

[sprjus4]

But the speed limit goes around them to 80? If there's no justification for the reduction sounds like a speed trap to me.

Their justification is wanting people to slow down around those clustered exits and not blowing through at 80+ mph.

They figure one is more likely to pay attention to a drop from 80 mph to 70 mph rather than a drop from 80 mph to 75 mph.

I don't know the reality of how that will play out, but that is the reasoning.

[ElishaGOtis]

But the speed limit goes around them to 80? If there's no justification for the reduction sounds like a speed trap to me.

Their justification is wanting people to slow down around those clustered exits and not blowing through at 80+ mph.

They figure one is more likely to pay attention to a drop from 80 mph to 70 mph rather than a drop from 80 mph to 75 mph.

I don't know the reality of how that will play out, but that is the reasoning.

I think this is reasonable. Motorists are more likely to comply with a speed limit that directly affects conditions rather than the same speed limit which transitions from artificially low (75 rural) to properly set (75 urban-ish). Additionally, I think it's a good compromise politically (some limits up, some limits down). If this practice was used elsewhere, I think that'd make some increases more popular. There was also a study somewhere in Minnesota that showed higher compliance with a 10mph drop compared to 5mph, but this was in relation to rural high-speed traffic signals rather than freeways. Idk though, just my 2¢

New Mexico sorta does this a lot on rural towns with many exits, but from 75 to 65 rather than 80 to 70. I will admit it's kinda annoying since 65 is really getting down there, but maybe it works.

WOW look at me calling rural 75 artificially low 

[Scott5114]

I think this is reasonable. Motorists are more likely to comply with a speed limit that directly affects conditions rather than the same speed limit which transitions from artificially low (75 rural) to properly set (75 urban-ish).

Are they, though? When I'm in a rural area, I tend to set the cruise control. After a few of these "slow down for three exits" zones I'd probably be apt to just start ignoring them to avoid the hassle of cancelling and resuming cruise, and just hope that there's not a cop around.

[ElishaGOtis]

I think this is reasonable. Motorists are more likely to comply with a speed limit that directly affects conditions rather than the same speed limit which transitions from artificially low (75 rural) to properly set (75 urban-ish).

Are they, though? When I'm in a rural area, I tend to set the cruise control. After a few of these "slow down for three exits" zones I'd probably be apt to just start ignoring them to avoid the hassle of cancelling and resuming cruise, and just hope that there's not a cop around.

You make a good point. With all this there must be a balance. My main justification behind a drop like this would be if the operating speeds also considerably reduce near these clusters, especially due to merging traffic. If there are no continuous traffic conflicts which reduce the operating speeds naturally, then a speed drop would not be necessary. Granted, I've never been there but based on the maps it seems that would be the case.

"Oh my there's an exit less than 3 miles before the next!? Better reduce the speed limit!!" This justification without additional context is short-sighted. Do those exits have a lot of crashes? Do those exits result in a lot of merging traffic? Are there merging conflicts that affect the free-flow operating speeds? It should not be an automatic decision, but rather an engineering one, imho.

Has anyone been boots-on-the-ground since the speed limit increase/decrease in ND?

[Plutonic Panda]

Just curious, how are the police in ND? Are they lenient? Nebraska has really cool state troopers.

[Scott5114]

In the North Dakota thread that Kyle linked above, it looks like only five of these speed zones have been established (four on I-94 and one on I-29), so they're showing some degree of restraint, at least.

[oscar]

In the North Dakota thread that Kyle linked above, it looks like only five of these speed zones have been established (four on I-94 and one on I-29), so they're showing some degree of restraint, at least.

Of course, between the five areas with lowered speed limits, and two already with low limits, North Dakota doesn't have anything else resembling a metro area on its Interstates. (Williston and Minot are well off the Interstates, so they don't count.)

[kphoger]

When I'm in a rural area, I tend to set the cruise control. After a few of these "slow down for three exits" zones I'd probably be apt to just start ignoring them to avoid the hassle of cancelling and resuming cruise, and just hope that there's not a cop around.

Driving in Mexico, it's hilarious to be driving on a divided highway with a 110 km/h speed limit, then come through some tiny town with a 60 km/h speed zone.  Most drivers I see don't even drop the speedometer needle down a single tick, and I've started following suit.  If the speed drop is ridiculous enough, then we all know it's just plain ridiculous.