A Texas Autobahn? State House Submits 85 MPH Limit Bill

[EV_de]

old (april) but i just seen it on TV .... takes 4 month to cross the pond :smile:

http://wot.motortrend.com/texan-autobahn-66203.html

The Texas House today approved a bill that would raise the speed limits on some highways to 85 mph, which would make it the fastest in the nation.

The bill, which must still pass the Texas Senate, would allow the state’s Department of Transportation to raise the speed limit on highways that are built on or after June 1, 2011 and pass engineering and safety studies. Texas currently has a limit of 80 mph on some highways, as does Utah, while a handful of U.S. states have limits of 70 to 75 mph.

“They have high-speed roadways in Europe,” said Rep. Lois Kolkhorst of Brenham. “There could be some merit in having some of those highways in Texas.”

The autobahn in Germany is probably the most widely known European highway where driving enthusiasts enjoy the limitless “as-the-conditions-permit” speed limits. But while Texas is looking to raise speeds, the opposite is taking place the German state of Baden-Württemberg where the country’s Green party is making a new push to impose a 75 mph limit on some autobahn stretches.

It looks like this is shaping up to be the next biggest speed limit controversy since the late 1990s when Montana allowed an essentially limitless speed limit during the daytime and only asked drivers to exercise “reasonable and prudent” judgment. With the upcoming F1 track being built in Austin, Texas, it seems as if the state is moving in the fast lane in more than one way.

Do you think Texas could be the next Autobahn 2.0? And can Texans handle the speed?

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Houston Chronicle

A Texas Autobahn? State House Submits 85 MPH Limit Bill image

A Texas Autobahn? State House Submits 85 MPH Limit Bill image

A Texas Autobahn? State House Submits 85 MPH Limit Bill image


Read more: A Texas Autobahn? State House Submits 85 MPH Limit Bill - WOT on Motor Trend

 

[AnOutsider]

Sadly, I think a minority will ruin it. Older folks have to drive slow. Mix in some 2fast2furious teen zipping in and outta lanes with improperly inflated tires (and insufficient driving skill) and youve got a recipe for disaster.

 

[doug]

85 mph doesn't sound that fast.

 

[vfx]

About 50 miles worth.

 

[bonnie]

Having spent some time driving in Texas, this isn't newsworthy or a change. No one will ruin it since it doesn't change anything. It appears that Texas is merely changing the speed limit to what people already drive, especially over long distances through some pretty empty territory.

Try staying at 55 through the wide open spaces of Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, etc. It's not going to happen.

 

[bobw]

The distances in Texas make higher speeds worthwhile. There's no point in speeding when going across town. Google maps puts Dallas to Houston 270 miles / 4.5 hours. At least an hour of that time is Houston traffic. When the speed limit was 55 there was a real benefit in raising it to 75. I'm not so sure about an additional 5 mph. I suspect the legislators are just trying to count coup.

 

[AnOutsider]

Having spent some time driving in Texas, this isn't newsworthy or a change. No one will ruin it since it doesn't change anything. It appears that Texas is merely changing the speed limit to what people already drive, especially over long distances through some pretty empty territory.

Try staying at 55 through the wide open spaces of Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, etc. It's not going to happen.

True (and the same happens here [in PA] on certain roads), but people tend to do at least 5-10 over. So an 85MPH speed limit might make folks think it's safe to routinely do 95.

 

[bonnie]

True (and the same happens here [in PA] on certain roads), but people tend to do at least 5-10 over. So an 85MPH speed limit might make folks think it's safe to routinely do 95.

110 mph is not uncommon in some of the areas I listed. I was pulled over once in a remote area of Nevada doing about that - no ticket when he realized I was local (at the time) - the highway patrol bought me a cup of coffee at the next town and then told me that the next section of highway had no one patrolling because someone was out with a broken arm, and 'to go as fast as you want'. So I did.

I don't think making the speed limit 85mph will change many driving habits. That's all I'm saying.