Interstate speed limits

foaly · #1 07/17/11, 01:48 PM

I'll be the first to admit that I live under a rock but when did the speed limit go up to 75 mph on the interstate? Maybe it's just here in the land of sunflowers as I didn't notice it in the other state I visited.

Darren · #2 07/17/11, 01:50 PM

The speed limits on the interstate highways are set by states. WV went to 70mph soon after the 55 mph limit mandated by the feds was removed.

tinknal · #3 07/17/11, 01:51 PM

The Feds removed the mandatory 55 limit years ago. Since then the States set the limits.

foaly · #4 07/17/11, 01:54 PM

Thanks guys! I didn't know that.

It's good to come out from under the rock sometimes.

mekasmom · #5 07/17/11, 01:57 PM

I don't think most people on the interstate actually obey the speed limit no matter what it is. I set the cruise at the limit, yet get passed over and over and over by people who are in a hurry. It doesn't matter if it is 55 or 75, they all seem to want to go over 80.

arabian knight · #6 07/17/11, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foaly

I'll be the first to admit that I live under a rock but when did the speed limit go up to 75 mph on the interstate? Maybe it's just here in the land of sunflowers as I didn't notice it in the other state I visited.

At least 18 years ago.
It went 75 on I-10 in AZ. a long time ago. And even when I moved back to WI. 15 years ago it was 75 on the Kansas Turnpike.
On I sure noticed that on my Suburban pulling a small trailer I went WAY down to 10 MPG. Instead of being around 16 to 17 most of the time.

foaly · #7 07/17/11, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arabian knight

At least 18 years ago.
It went 75 on I-10 in AZ. a long time ago. And even when I moved back to WI. 15 years ago it was 75 on the Kansas Turnpike.
On I sure noticed that on my Suburban pulling a small trailer I went WAY down to 10 MPG. Instead of being around 16 to 17 most of the time.

AK--

On the Kansas Turnpike from Wichita to the Oklahoma border, it has been 70 mph for some time and just changed to 75 within the last two months. I haven't been up the KS Turnpike towards KCMO yet. Is it 75 all the way to KC?

I remember when Fed Govt did away with the 55 mph on the highway way back when. The change on the turnpike here is just recent though.

I need to get out more.

Danaus29 · #8 07/17/11, 02:33 PM

It was 75 in Kansas when we went through there 10 years ago. Parts of Colorado were 80 mph (talk about scary!). Only 65 mph in Ohio and parts are still 55.

zant · #9 07/17/11, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danaus29

It was 75 in Kansas when we went through there 10 years ago. Parts of Colorado were 80 mph (talk about scary!). Only 65 mph in Ohio and parts are still 55.

..Whats scary about 80mph??It depends on when and where...in 5pm Chicago traffic 55 is scary-Coming across I40 in Az,Nm between 11pm-5am..speed well in excess of that is fun and safe-noone on roads.....Yeah,Ohio finally went to 65-how forward thinking of them on roads designed for 75mph

bugstabber · #10 07/17/11, 05:18 PM

South Dakota has been 75 mph on the interstates for awhile. And you still get passed when you drive the limit.

ksfarmer · #11 07/17/11, 05:40 PM

Kansas just this summer designated certain 4 lane highways to be raised to 75 mph. I think it went into effect the 1st of July.

foaly · #12 07/17/11, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ksfarmer

Kansas just this summer designated certain 4 lane highways to be raised to 75 mph. I think it went into effect the 1st of July.

Thanks KS Farmer--I thought this was a pretty recent change on the Kansas Turnpike

Yvonne's hubby · #13 07/17/11, 06:55 PM

I kinda liked 55.... it saved a LOT of lives, and fuel too.

LeopardFrog · #14 07/17/11, 10:31 PM

55 was great, as long as you weren't trying to get anywhere in a hurry.

Gas savings really is a joke when it comes to speed limits anyways. If we geared cars differently they would get as good or better mileage at 75 as they do at 55. It is all about engine rpms.

My Neon did 35 mpg all week long at between 75 and 80 miles an hour on the interstate. Heck, that's better than a good many cars on the road boasting good gas mileage today. And that was at 201,000 miles on the odometer.

I commute 90 miles one way to work 3 times a week and frankly even if the speed limit was 55 I would still be doing between 70 and 80 miles an hour on the interstate. LOL, just like everyone else would be. It is ludicrous to design a highway system to be able to handle high speed traffic and then restrict traffic with a 55 mph speed limit.

Danaus29 · #15 07/17/11, 10:36 PM

zant, 80 in an old rickety van which has seen better days in front of a semi going downhill at 90 (because you know everyone really drives 10 mph over the limit) with a driver behind the wheel who has no regard for assured clear distance (and we were in the granny lane thank you) when you have your children in the van is scary. Especially when you are used to driving 55.

Ohio roads might have been designed for 75 but 90% of the on and off ramps were designed for 55 mph and most people take them at 45 mph. That's exactly why the speed limit on SR 315 is 55 mph and will hopefully stay that way.

#16 07/17/11, 10:47 PM

When the Bronco was new I took a trip through Montanna which had no speed limit. I wanted to see what the new truck would do so I opened it up on a deserted, straight, and level piece of road. It was going about 100 and still accelerating when I shut it down. The birds were hitting the windshield like bugs normally do and I was afraid one would break it.

LeopardFrog · #17 07/17/11, 10:50 PM

To me the speed limit is less the issue than idiot drivers that are unsafe at any speed and vehicles that shouldn't be driven down a driveway let alone on public roads.

I am all for annual road tests for anyone over 50 (I am 52), and underage drivers.

I am also all for vehicle inspections every 2 years to help get some of the absolutely unsafe junk off the roads.

One editorial comment about truckdrivers. The young truck drivers of today hold very little resembance to the trukers of old. The skill level, patience, and over all ability of the old time truckers seems to have been replaced with a drive as fast as you can get out of my way attitude by many.

**Shrek** · #18 07/17/11, 11:40 PM

Alabama raised interstate speed limit to 65 in 1986 or 1987 and about 1995 upped it to 70 mph. When it was 55 speed demons pushed it to 65 or 70 if they could.

When the limit was upped to 65 the speed nuts pushed up to 75 or 80 and now that its 70 mph the speednuts routinly get tagged doing 90 to 100.

On the bright side once in awhile a speed racer will eat a bridge support taking themselves out of the gene pool while not involving other drivers in their stupidity game.

YuccaFlatsRanch · #19 07/17/11, 11:52 PM

Many highways in Texas are now 80+. The 2 lane from Center Point to Kerrville is 70. I still drive between 62 and 67 regardless. I am in no hurry and see no reason to stress the equipment.

Oldcountryboy · #20 07/18/11, 12:06 AM

I never was much of a Bill Clinton fan, but I have to admit that giving the states the right to control their own speed limits was one of the best things he done while in office. This was done in his first office term.

To me the highways seem a whole lot safer today then when every highway was 55 only. Here in Oklahoma we still have some winding two lane highways that are still 55 because the narrowness and curvy roads, but a lot of two lanes are 65, four lanes are 70, and turnpikes are 75.