Higher speed limits in U.S. experiment a success

[EUS GTIMK5]

Thought the following article might generate a bit of discussion. It seems even the US is adopting a common sense approach to speed limits. Pity Australia can't do the same.

Not advocating reckless driving but some of the roads could easily have a higher limit that 110kph. The 80mph limit is about 130kph which in modern cars and on good stretches of highway would not be dangerous.

Here's the article -

According to TheNewspaper, the Utah Department of Transportation, which raised speed limits to 80 miles per hour on certain stretches of I-15, reported no downside to the experimental increase.

The UDOT selected stretches of road to increase the speed limit by five miles per hour based on crash histories. After watching and evaluating these roads, they discovered very little increase in actual speed.

“With the speed limit posted at 75 MPH, 85th percentile speeds measured between 81 and 85 MPH -- barely different from the 83 to 85 MPH speeds under the higher 80 MPH limit. The 85th percentile speed represents the speed at which 85 percent of free-flowing traffic feels is the safest. Engineers have determined that the greatest safety can be achieved when speed limits match the 85th percentile speed.”

So far, the UDOT is declaring the experiment a success, and will continue to monitor the interstate, meanwhile evaluating the future of other roads.

We are also pleased by this news, and hope to see this program expand to other parts of the country that could benefit from such experiments.

[Ben_GTI]

It is ironic that someone in the United States grew a brain, but needless to say I am glad that they did.

[Manaz]

Can you provide a link to the article?

[Buller_Scott]

It is ironic that someone in the United States grew a brain, but needless to say I am glad that they did.

just another excuse for more 16 yr olds on their P's to crash their dad's dodge ram 3500 HEMI BIG BLOCK (ow wow the powa!) in highway drag races like they were doing when i lived there.

[Psyk]

It's quite common in Europe with some of the roads opened up to well over 100km'h (62mph) speed limits. I remember hearing that Spain did the same thing within the last couple of years as well.

Our problem is that our government get filthy rich from it. They spend a poofteenth of their speed camera fine revenue on more speed camera's and compounds their earnings exponentially! ...it's like winning the lotto for these guys.

With cars getting safer, roads getting better, our speeds get reduced and more heavily policed and patrolled with more state of the art cameras and speed detection systems... not bad cash-flow if you can get it

[Buller_Scott]

damn straight. something has to give.

god forbid that all cars end up looking like those extremely long nosed (from front wheel arch) peugeot 3/4's for the purpose of being able to hit a pedestrian at 60kmh and them not getting a scratch.

although my first post was cynical- i drove to sydney from melbourne and back last week, and the new section of the hume hwy that they're doing- the all concrete section. that road is so quiet, and smooth- best bit of road ive been on in australia by far. that could take a 130kmh speed limit for sure.

[gareth_oau]

just another excuse for more 16 yr olds on their P's to crash their dad's dodge ram 3500 HEMI BIG BLOCK (ow wow the powa!) in highway drag races like they were doing when i lived there.

scott, i cant see an extra 5mph creating any more drags in Dad's dodge than previously occured.

[Buller_Scott]

yeah true. i was thinking along the lines of driving faster still, on icy interstate highways.

which brings to mind- its a really wierd vibe over there. me and mum used to travel on the I-70 alot from Summit County down to Denver, and we'd be doing the speed limit (70mph), and you'd have a 3 mile stretch of road, with say, another car a mile infront of you.

all of a sudden, there'd be like 6 cars come up at around 80/85pmh, all screaming past, overtaking you on the left lane, overtaking each other, then moving on to the car up the road. it was as though they were almost in competition with each other, but it happened enough times to convince me that they WERENT convoys, but rather, just exercising some wierd american driving style.

[Rocket36]

AFAIK from when my father was still working as an Engineer during the final few years of the NSW Hume Hwy duplication and bypass work, the rating of the dual carriageway Hume Hwy in NSW is safe for 130kph on a wet surface.

It's also proven (and supported un-officially by personal comments of country Police) that you're more likely to get drowsy and tired and fall asleep at the slower, monotonous 110kph speed limit than at the high 130kph (or higher) speeds because you naturally become more alert the faster you drive.

Let's face it, there will ALWAYS be car crashes whilever there is a human factor. If people are more alert by going faster and the roads are suitable, why aren't we allowed to? Because the governments make too much revenue from speeding fines.

Once the future becomes a reality and all vehicles on the roads are coordinated and controlled by some sort of AI (computer technology), speeds will be unlimited even in high traffic areas. There won't be traffic lights and there will be no crashes....

[Ben_GTI]

although my first post was cynical-

I'm glad to hear that because you were about to earn the 'tool of the week' award. Lmao.

Sitting on 100km/h on a dead smooth road is really boring and does send people to sleep. I drive 65km each day to work and you see at least 4 people falling asleep while driving and at least 5 people sleeping on the side of the highway.