Speed limits are always a hot mess at statehouses. This year looks like it won’t be any different.
The national speed limit got axed in 1995. Since then, states have been left to play traffic cop and set their own speeds.
Many states used to require trucks to go slower than cars. Over the past 20 years, many have ditched lower truck speeds.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association says the safest roads are the ones where everyone’s moving at the same pace. OOIDA does not support a specific speed limit.
New York
Two New York bills would boost the speed limit for cars and trucks.
Right now, all vehicles are limited to 65 mph on interstates and other limited-access roads.
The legislation would let speed limits jump by 5 mph. Cars and trucks could travel 70 mph. Changes would take effect where the state DOT and the New York Thruway Authority say it’s safe.
Sen. Tom O’Mara, R-Big Flats, says it’s time for New York to keep up with the rest of the country when setting speeds.
“The majority of states across the country have state speed limits that exceed 65 mph,” O’Mara wrote in a memo. “New York has failed to keep up with the rest of the country by not adopting a more efficient speed limit.
He said his bill fixes that and lets vehicles hit 70 mph where it makes sense.
S1500 is in the Senate Transportation Committee. The Assembly version, A3571, is in the Assembly Transportation Committee.
Mississippi
In Mississippi, lawmakers are taking another run at raising speed limits.
Rep. Daryl Porter, D-Summit, introduced HB436. The bill would let truckers and other drivers travel 75 mph on rural interstates and four-lane highways – up from 70 mph.
If Mississippi ever adds toll roads, the bill would let all vehicles cruise at 80 mph on those roads.
Highways currently posted at 65 mph would get a bump to 70 mph.
Supporters say this just makes it legal to do what plenty of drivers already do anyway.
The same idea passed the House last year, but it stalled in the Senate and died there.
This time around, the bill heads first to the House Transportation Committee.
Missouri
Several Missouri lawmakers want to raise speed limits on the state’s fastest roads.
Right now, cars and trucks are capped at 70 mph.
Sen. Jamie Burger, R-Benton, is pushing SB1408. The bill would bump speed limits up 5 mph on rural highways and interstates. That means cars and trucks could roll along at 75 mph.
The Missouri Department of Transportation would still have the final call on where the higher speeds actually happen.
Another speed bill would start with the state DOT.
Rep. Bob Titus, R-Billings, is backing HB2583. The bill would order MoDOT to study raising speeds to 75 mph.
The agency would have until summer 2028 to report back. And if MoDOT has worries about faster speeds, the report would have to explain how those problems could be fixed.
Arizona
An Arizona lawmaker wants to change speed limits depending on the time of day.
Right now, drivers can go up to 75 mph on rural interstates in Arizona.
Rep. Nick Kupper, R-Surprise, says that’s too slow for wide-open roads. He’s backing a bill that would let many motorists cruise past 80 mph in certain spots.
The bill, called the Reasonable and Prudent Interstate Driving Act, would allow non-commercial drivers go at least 80 mph in approved rural areas during daylight. After sunset and before sunrise, HB2059 would cap the speed limit at 80 mph.
Many commercial vehicles wouldn’t get the speed boost. Large trucks would be limited to 80 mph at all times.
The plan would start as a one-year test run. The test would be on part of Interstate 8 between Casa Grande and Yuma.
“Most drivers can tell the difference between a crowded city freeway and a wide-open stretch of rural interstate,” Kupper said.
He said the bill raises speeds where it makes sense, keeps tough penalties for reckless driving, and updates the law to reflect real-life conditions.
The bill also adds a left-lane rule in these zones. Left lane use would be limited for passing or getting ready to exit.
New Jersey
A New Jersey lawmaker is taking another shot at shaking up how the state sets speed limits.
Sen. Declan O’Scanlon, R-Monmouth, is backing a bill that leans on the 85th-percentile rule. That rule says speed limits should match the speed most drivers actually go when traffic is flowing freely.
Under S2497, the formula would apply to limited-access highways. The New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway would be included.
O’Scanlon says the current system makes everyday drivers look like criminals.
“Either they/we are all reckless, homicidal maniacs, or our method of setting speed limits is seriously flawed,” he said.
If the bill becomes law, the New Jersey DOT and other agencies would use 85th percentile studies to set speed limits. Those limits would be reviewed at least every 10 years, or sooner if a road gets major changes.
O’Scanlon says using real driving data beats letting politicians guess.
He added that the change would create smoother, safer traffic and reduce random tickets for drivers who are just going with the flow.
S2497 is in the Senate Transportation Committee.
Maryland
A Maryland bill wants to smooth out speed limits around the busy Interstate 495 Beltway.
SB179 aims to stop the sudden speed drops and jumps drivers hit when getting on or off I-495. The highway has a posted speed limit of 55 mph.
The bill would require the state DOT to study whether highways that connect to I-495 should match the same top speed for at least five miles before and after drivers merge.
The roads affected include Interstates 270, 95, and 295, as well as U.S. 50.
Sen. Joanne Benson, D-Prince George, says the fix is overdue. She points out that in some spots, speed limits change by as much as 15 mph with little warning.
“I think that the study is important so that we can determine whether or not we want to have consistency in our speed limits,” Benson said. “In fairness to the drivers, we think this study is extremely important.”
The bill is in the Senate Finance Committee. LL
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