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Subscribe to RSSThe claim that "everything is bigger in Texas" will likely gain further credence later this year, when the speed limit on a stretch of toll road between Austin and San Antonio hits 85 miles per hour — the highest limit in the country.
Constructions crews on Wednesday began posting 85-mph speed limit signs along a pending section of toll road on Texas' State Highway 130. This 41-mile stretch of highway, which will open for traffic by Nov. 11, is on the east side of Austin and heads southwest toward San Antonio.
Chris Lippincott, an official with the State Highway 130 Concession Co., said that the Texas Department of Transportation has determined that this area is safe to travel at 85 mph.
Related: Texas studies 85-mph speed limit, fastest in US
"We are committed to operating a safe, reliable highway for our customers," Lippincott said in a statement. "On any road, drivers hold the key to safety based on traffic, travel conditions and the capabilities of their own vehicles."
The first 85-mile an hour speed limit signs are going up on a stretch of Route 130 outside of Austin, Texas. NBC's Brian Williams reports.
Since the repeal of the 55-mph national speed limit for U.S. highways in 1995, 34 states have individually raised their speed limits to 70 mph or higher on portions of their roads, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association.
Other roads in the Lone Star State also have high speed limits: On some highways in rural West Texas, drivers can legally cruise as fast as 80 mph, The Associated Press reported. Utah is the only other state in the country with posted speeds at 80 mph, with that as the limit on portions of Interstate 15, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety believes higher speed limits have a costly trade-off.
"There’s a clear safety downside to raising safety limits," spokesperson Russ Rader told NBC News. "The research is absolutely clear that high speed limits lead to higher crash deaths."
Rader cited a 2009 study that found that in more than 10 years of follow-up after the 1995 federal speed limit repeal, an estimated 12,545 American deaths were attributed to increased speed limits.
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"If safety were a priorty, states would not be raising speed limits," Rader said. "They would be finding ways to heavily enforce speed limits they have."
The National Motorists Association, an advocacy organization originally rooted in fighting the 55-mph national limit, believes higher speeds are a "win-win" situation.
"Based on what we have heard about it, the Texas Department of Transportation did in fact do their required homework to make this happen," spokesperson John Bowman said.
Related: Robot cars could increase highway efficiency 273 percent, study says
"The prevailing wisdom is setting the speed low," Bowman said, so there is a pressure to set low speed limits. However, he said they believe that legitimate studies often find that the speeds on roads should be raised.
"There’s a myth that when you increase speed limits, accidents and fatalities go up," Bowman claimed.
According to Bowman, higher speeds can actually increase highway safety by letting traffic flow at is own rate, reducing conflicts between vehicles, less stopping and starting, and fewer quick lane changes.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
85 MPH is about the speed when vehicles take air if I recall that right.
85 +9 =94 +slack factor = 100. So about 105-110 MPH crash speed. Not many survivors at that speed.
Good population control and health care cost control methods. I guess state troopers will need to switch training from EMT to mortuary.
Take air? Where are these facts from? Your Prius manual...
I don't think you recall that correctly. Crown Victoria Police Interceptor at a buck twenty and it was still firmly planted on the ground. (No, I wasn't driving, the police officer was!)
I will probably keep fighting Texas over this until I die or until they change it. I have no issues taking them to court every month and spending a lot of money over it. Ill fight to keep this whole country at 55mph. Nothing is worth going 85 for. Find ways to start governing cars to 60mph i guess and implement.
Higher speeds, more deaths. Guess that's one approach to reducing overpopulation! And of course we all know the faster we go the better our gas mileage!
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Kudos to Texas and Utah for the higher posted speeds! However, all the other drivers that feel they need to limit your speed will sit in the left and middle lanes, preventing a leisurely drive. Ultimately raising a bit of blood pressure and increasing the likelihood of road rage.
Most, if not all, States have laws on the books for vehicles to keep right except to pass. Now if the law enforcement would just cite those drivers that ride the middle and left lanes at lower than posted speeds, or when there is no one in the lane immediately to there right, the safety record should go up. Further most States also have laws that require drivers to yield to the right when other drivers are overtaking them from behind. These laws are an essential courtesy that is not being enforced, but absolutely should be. That is the major difference in courtesy between drivers here in the USA and those in Germany, home of the Autobahn with some unlimited speed limits. Germany enforces these courtesies. A country, that I might add, that has fewer traffic accidents per driver than the USA.
You're so @!$%#ing opinionated that you felt the need to post the same BS twice?
I didn't post twice, there was an error that appeared initially when I clicked the Post Comment button and my post did not appear to take. When I clicked the button again, both posts appeared.
I would have deleted one if I could, but MSNBC does not allow for deletion.
My bad and I apologise.
It's about time a state has a decent speed limit for a rural highway! People already drive this fast on highways many other states, now they don't have to worry about tickets and have that extra stress. This is a good thing for traveling. They do need to make sure cars meet standards, like they do in Germany. 85 mph is fast if you are driving a beat up, old pile of junk. For modern cars, this speed is absolutely safe and still quite conservative for an open road.
Get a grip people. This is only going to have drivers going about 5 MPH faster than they do now. Also, people drink and drive in every state. It's not exclusive to Texas!
well I drive a Harley in the summer and a 94 Rodeo in the winter and neither have ABS or air bags. I remember when the roads in Montana were posted drive at a safe and prudent speed, I was a teen ager then and I still drove 70 to 75mph, any faster and crap happens to fast to react properly.
Very well put. You were wise beyond your years as a teenager. And probably are so now, too. God bless
Maybe not so wise as scared @!$%# less at speeds. I even hate roller coasters, I have no need for speed and if I did I would take it to the track where I didn't put others at risk.
ABS and air bags? Heck, the Harley doesn't even have tubeless radial tires.
...and of course you don't speed- you CAN'T.
My 2001 Harley can run at 120. I choose not to speed I guess it's because I value my life and really don't like pain at all, in a crash on a motorcycle no matter how slight there will be pain involved and running on two wheels I don't want a tubeless tire.
120 kilometers per hour (75 miles per hour), maybe. The only way an '01 Harley would do 120 mph, is off a cliff. A tall one.
Vern you're so full of crap that your eyes are brown.
The Michigan State Police does police vehicle testing for the entire nation. Anyone can look up their test results.
In their most recent testing of the souped-up Harley Davidson police pursuit motorcycle, it took about 25 seconds to get to 100 mph (my nearly-stock daily commuter will easily hit 100 mph in less than 6 seconds), and the Harley police bike had a top speed of 103 mph (mine will do more than that in first gear alone).
I've encountered countless Harleys out on the highway, and I know most Harley fags don't like to ride behind Japanese bikes, but they're too impotent to be able to do anything about it. Sometimes I'll pretend like I can barely keep up, and when they're completely topped out (usually about 100 mph or so), I'll just pick the front wheel up in second gear and wheelie away from them.
You can keep posing on your 38-horsepower 850 pound steaming hunk of dog doo. I actually ride.
We all know that with the 65mph speed limit, you can most likely drive up to 75 or even 80 miles per hour without getting a speeding ticket. With 85mph limit, will this *limit* be raised to 100mph? Speeds like this are way too dangerous and will cause far too many high speed related deaths.
- James from
There is a speed of reaction, but also a cars ability to react to the drivers input. These are both part of the equation. A 370Z vs a 94' Rodeo at 85 mph will have very different handling characteristics. A simple swerve by the Z taken easily or even a panic stop, could mean a huge rollover or wreck for the Rodeo in the same scenario. I do think the should not allow certain cars, trucks and SUV's on the highway at that speed. There is too much difference in vehicle dynamics between a tall SUV and a car. Speed is a factor, but so is the vehicle.
I do agree that speeds over 80 MPH need to be regulated more closely, in regards to vehicle condition and type. It's why there is a LEFT lane, stay in the right if you don't you don't have a vehicle that is safe at these speeds. If you have a mattress strapped to the roof, don't go 80 MPH! Much is jsut common sense, as with anything.
At 85 do you have time to check both mirrors before making an evasive move when a deer or something unexpected crosses your path of travel or do you cause a bigger accident by that sudden move?
Do you have that kind of time at 65? Doubtful. Been there done that. Even at 45 that would be do-able but a stretch.
I feel the currently Maximum speed limits just need to be enforced. They were made law in the 80's to save gas and lives.
The increased population on the roads, the lack of driving skills-make the current speed limits adequate.
If a person chooses not to allow time to get from point A to point B in a timely fashion then that is their problem they should not be vesting on the rest of us. The ones that pass me, and drive me off the road passing with on coming cars, I meet at the light anyways. They endanger every one else to get where exactly? What is going on in their lives that they believe is so much more important than my life?
With the medical and car insurance costs burden we all bare because of poor drivers now, I can not imagine what it would be with an increased speed limit. Of course death does cost less than rehabilitation.
I love Texas, don't mess with Texas!!! For all you people that are downing Texas, they are the only state admitted to the Union as a free country and keep all their lands, none were turned over to the federal government, in fact they entered the Union by treaty. Can any other state say the same? I think Texas is pretty smart!
I don't know about that anybody that thinks brisket and catfish are good eating aren't to smart IMO.
So. BB... what is Texas' obesity rate, and...
... can any other state say the same? I think Texans are pretty lazy, fat and obese!
WeldDem,
I have two Business degrees and an IQ of 130. I have a friend who was born and raised here and has a Master's Degree in Aeronautical Engineering and attended West Point. I have another native Texan friend who has a degree in Computer Science - and we all love brisket and catfish!
We also invented the transistor, the precursor to the mircochip. The mircochip is what enabled the computer revolution which allows you to post your stereotypical drivel on the internet. So thanks us "stupid" Texans for your ability to insult us from afar.
Personal taste and choice, personally the only fish I eat are trout and if I want BBQ it's baby back ribs not the cheapest cut of beef. You know how catfish gets the wrinkles on the back of their head? From lookng up @!$%# holes. Yes I spent more time in Texass driving for FFE than I care to remember and thought the food sucked.
Drove on the current stretch of toll road around Austin the other day. Posted limit is 80, "everyone" was going about 85. Hardly anyone on the road. Texans don't like toll roads and avoid them like the plague. This soon to be opened stretch down to I-10 is through 40 miles of pasture, will have an even less likelihood of any trooper ever being posted on it and any wrecks will probably involve only single vehicles.
You ever drive across Texas?????? You try it at 55 an you'll fall asleep and hit someone head on. The roads are straight, flat and more than capable of handling 85mph and please don't talk to me about the fuel.
You want to do something about fuel savings charge for cars in the major cities like London. how much fuel is being used in all those idling cars at rush hour in LA, NY, Washington and the list goes on most of which have one person in them.
PS I live in New England so i'm not a Texan arguing my case.
Just when I thought there was nothing I could actually say I enjoy about this state...hmmm...nope still don't like it!
Told once many years ago, "Your only as safe a driver on the road as the person next to you is".
Are they going to have "NO HARLEY" signs posted, so that we don't get stuck behind some drunk dentist or tax attorney dressed up in his black pleather Village People costume, wobbling down the road on his chromium-encrusted muffler-less lawn tractor at half the posted speed limit?
If I were designing a vehicle for American roads, it would not have tube-type bias-ply tires mounted on wire-spoked wheels. It would not be powered by an asthmatic and impotent air-cooled two-cylinder pushrod-equipped two-valve oil-hemorrhaging paint shaker. It would not have a rubber band for a final drive. It would not have the handling of a sinking oil tanker. It would not have the operator's ergonomics of a gynaecologist's exam table. It would not be a Harley.
But it is American steel not the cheap plastic crap you get on metrics.
Lol.
Almost all Harley-Davidson electrics, suspension, and fuel systems are Japanese. If they didn't, you'd be pushing it off the showroom floor onto your trailer at delivery.
Many major "American Iron" components are proudly made in Mexico.
Most of the "Dreamin' Beagle" noise-increasing parts and chromium-encrusted "look at me" accessories are made in China.
And many aftermarket accessories are made in Taiwan.
...on the other hand, my "Japanese" bike does have a $2,000 Japanese titanium exhaust system, plush Swedish Ohlins suspension from their race shop, sticky Italian Pirelli tires, American EBC "Hand-of-God" front brake pads, rock-hard American braided stainless steel front brake hoses, American 6061 T6 billet aluminum reverse-pattern precision rearsets, American crash protection sliders, and...wait for it...AMERICAN Hotbodies Racing plastics.
It also does well over 100 mph in first gear alone.
And smells like rice burning. Like you said plastic.
South Park's season 13, episode 12, had it right regarding Harley fags.
Your choice of veiwing material tells me all I deeded to know Good by.
That should read needed, That is what I get for trying to type without my glasses.
No worries. I'm not here to make fun of you for making typing errors. I'm here to make fun of you for dressing up like a gay pirate.
BTW.. embarressment is spelled embarrassment. It is ass not ress . Hey , that is ok . You were probably having some apple D umpling for D essert with our friend Stewar D while you were D rafting up his ASS.
For your sake i hope your wrong..because i may be slow but i am obviously a head of you .
Oops , wrong place wrong everything. Now that is Embarrassing . My apologies. I was playing with a twit somewhere else.
That would be great my stealth can do that in 4 gear,sick of passing everone without making it obvious im speeding. never can really open up 5th gear .that means i could really open it up some..
A lot of people are relating the Texas highways with those in their own states. Well, they aren't. There are a lot of you who don't realize just how big Texas is. There are miles and miles of roads with no towns around and I have driven through the state for long stretches without seeing another vehicle. In those areas, I don't see anything wrong with raising the speed limit to 85, but not where there is a lot of traffic. I find the faster limit easier to justify than the 65 limit you find in Oregon, where the people aren't even smart enough to fill their own gas tanks.
All it would take for anyone of you who oppose this, is to drive the German Autobahn for even a week....let alone years.....you will think 140mph is normal. LOL 80mph on the Autobahn is the far right lane reserved for trucks and beat up cars....Americans have no idea what they are talking about when they say "speed kills" .....only stupid people do...learn how to drive. Perhaps if we had higher speeds it would force people to stop sleeping at the wheel and actually pay attention to the road....Last time I saw on the Autobahn there was no one eating,drinking, cell phone in hand etc......
""There’s a clear safety downside to raising safety limits," spokesperson Russ Rader told NBC News. "The research is absolutely clear that high speed limits lead to higher crash deaths.""
Right, just like CAFE standards; which lead to lighter cars and more deaths. So you're opposed to those as well, right?
Oh... you're not, because that is a liberal plan that results in more deaths, not a conservative state plan that might result in more deaths.
Well at least you're consistent in ignoring your job for partisan politics; that's a nice thing for the Democrat Party spokesman to have... Oh wait I mean the The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety spokesman of course.
How could I have confused those two?
Actually cars are build today with the autobahn in mind. Not the highways of the 50ies. Therefore there are build for an average cruise speed of 130 mph. As long as you do not drive faster than that, you should be safe. "Freie Fahrt für freie Bürger " as we say in Germany.
from what i have been reading, you are all missing the point. as usual its all about money.
The toll road gets paid.
On the other roads they keep the speed limit low for revenue. Ive seen that for years. The lower the speed limit, the more revenue in tickets. Yes , there are some places where low speed limits make sense, down town, schools, housing areas. But when you are out of town 10 miles on a four lane freeway in dry weather, the speed limit is just a revenue generator for which ever locality you happen to be passing thru....