Texas to open toll road with 85 mph speed limit

[TylerDurden]

Ready. Set. Go! Texas to open toll road with 85 mph speed limit, the highest in the US
By Associated Press, Published: September 6

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas will soon open a stretch of highway with the highest speed limit in the country, giving eager drivers a chance to rip through a trip between two of the state’s largest metropolitan areas.

The Texas Transportation Commission has approved a speed limit of 85 mph for a 41-mile toll road several miles east of the increasingly crowded Interstate 35 corridor between Austin and San Antonio.

“I would love it,” Austin resident Alan Guckian said. “Sometimes it’s fun to just open it up.”

But while some drivers will want to test their horsepower and radar detectors, others are asking if safety is taking a backseat.

“The research is clear that when speed limits go up, fatalities go up,” said Russ Rader, a spokesman for the nonprofit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. He said higher speed limits get people to their destinations faster, “but the trade-off is more crashes and more highway deaths.”

A 2009 report in the American Journal of Public Health studied traffic fatalities in the U.S. from 1995 to 2005 and found that more than 12,500 deaths were attributable to increases in speed limits on all kinds of roads.

The study also said that rural highways showed a 9.1 percent increase in fatalities on roads where speed limits were raised, but did not cite specific numbers in those instances.

Most highways in the U.S. top out at 75 mph, and there are no longer any roads in the U.S. with no speed limit. Some highways in rural West Texas and Utah have 80 mph speed limits.

The Texas Legislature last year approved 85 mph limits for some new stretches of road. The strip of toll road running from Austin to Seguin, about 35 miles northeast of San Antonio, will be the first to allow that speed when it opens in November.

The Texas Transportation Commission, which is appointed by Gov. Rick Perry, approved the 85 mph speed limit at a public meeting on Aug. 30. A transportation department spokesman said commissioners would not comment on their decision.

Agency officials had previously said they would study the toll road’s topography, the speeds that most drivers were reaching, and the safety of access points and cross sections before approving the 85 mph speed limit.

“Safety is our top priority and tests have shown the designated speed is a safe one,” agency spokeswoman Veronica Beyer said.

During his daily commute from Round Rock, north of Austin, to his job in San Antonio, Steve Marcy sometimes uses another part of the toll road. The section he drives now has an 80 mph speed limit. Marcy said he’d be comfortable driving 85, but would be concerned about others driving vehicles that are not in good condition.

“A tire blowout (at 85 mph) could be a big hazard,” Marcy said.

Chris Lippincott, spokesman for SH 130 Concession Co. that is building the road, said the company is committed to operating a safe highway.

“On any road, drivers hold the key to safety based on traffic, travel conditions and the capabilities of their own vehicles,” Lippincott said.

Toll prices have not yet been set for the new section. Marcy predicted the higher speed limit would attract new drivers, but said most may not think it’s worth paying the tolls.

“For most people I talk to, it’s a cost issue,” Marcy said.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/ready-set-go-texas-to-open-toll-road-with-85-mph-speed-limit-the-highest-in-the-us/2012/09/06/75a3fc3a-f851-11e1-a93b-7185e3f88849_story.html

 

[grindz145]

Speed limits on wide-open western roads are asinine anyway. I'll have to stop by I35 on my next motorbike trip

Not exactly the most fuel efficient change...

 

[Punx0r]

Always remember Germany, where stretches of their Autobahns still have no speed limit and traffic traveling at 150+mph is common.

They also have one of the lowest accident/fatality rates in the world.

This is because the roads are engineered and maintained to a very high standard and driver training is arduous and comprehensive.

Speed doesn't kill

 

[amberwolf]

Unfortunately roads here are neither engineered properly nor maintained remotely close to properly, and driver training is done by Nintendo and Sony.

 

[veloman]

This is 10 miles east of me. Very few people use I-30 right now. They need to remove the toll on it and put the toll on I-35 where all the congestion, accidents and pollution is. This would encourage truckers to use I-30 and not make matters worse in Austin.

You ought to pay to use a highway in a dense area. Pay significantly. There are other roads to get around on. You should pay for the convenience of a highway. I think all restricted access highways/freeways should have a toll. They cost billions and not everyone uses them. Good start to encourage alternative transportation before congestion kills the city's economic health (and physical/mental too).

I went to a meeting last night about improving highway 183. In addition to adding a bunch of lanes including toll lanes and flyovers, they will be adding a shared use path along the side of it. That's nice.

 

[dogman dan]

Fine if they built it to 85 mph. I live next to a highway with a 65 mph speed limit, and that's too fast for the way it was built. When it opened 10 years ago, I couldn't believe how short the on and off ramps were designed. Then just as you are getting trapped at the end of the dinky on ramp, along comes some ass passing on the right at 85 mph. But that's another issue. Even at 65 merging in during the morning rush is really tricky with such a short time to do it. Balking sucks, but you run out of ramp fast if you punch it.

 

[hjns]

I am having fun thinking about US roads, and what a sensation it must be to have a road with a speed limit of 85mph. In most continental Europe countries, speed limits of 120 or 130 km/h apply (75 and 81mph respectively). However, as stated above, most of these roads are very well maintained. Most of Germany has now gone down to similar limits, leaving only stretches of road without limits.

Still, the unlimiting can be a lot of fun, especially when there is not a lot of traffic. My Volvo XC90 maxes out at 120mph, and I once did 160mph (250kmh) with the car of my supervisor (Jag Super 8), all legally on the very nice German highways. However, I would be very hesitant to get to such speeds on the poor US highways. Even 80mph sounds dangerous there. So IMHO this Texan toll-road needs to be build according to European standards....

 

[skeetab5780]

Now all the E motorcycle are gonna have to step up the voltage just to try and keep up in the slow lane

 

[veloman]

Forget e-moto's if the speed limit is 85mph. Goodbye efficiency at that speed unless you're in a streamliner.


Something that I never see mentioned in all these transportation projects that involve highways or roads not in the urban area - is that they do not accommodate mid speed vehicles like scooters that go 25-50mph. We have bicycle advocates working for multi-use paths on these highway corridors here (which is great), but the scooter/moped riders have no chance of ever using the facility.

The problem is that roads need to have a shoulder that allow slower speed traffic. In TX, we don't have shoulders on many roads. Even if you want to go 6 miles outside of downtown Austin, there are roads (and often they are the only route) where you have to go 60mph, or maybe you're legal on a bicycle on the shoulder. Look at Bee Caves rd, 360, - lots of businesses and residents off them, yet you can't drive a scooter since traffic is too fast. At least on a bike you can use the shoulder.

It's a hole in the transportation system. What we need are medium speed efficient vehicles like e-motos/scooters to deal with congestion and energy problems.

Something that nearly everyone doesn't realize is that these roads are the only way to get around, there isn't some nice quiet neighborhood street you can take that parallels 360 or Bee Caves.

Highways should only be an 'extra' route, not the only route. Or at least have a separate path that lets bikes/scooters get around.

 

[montyp]

Always remember Germany, where stretches of their Autobahns still have no speed limit and traffic traveling at 150+mph is common.

They also have one of the lowest accident/fatality rates in the world.

This is because the roads are engineered and maintained to a very high standard and driver training is arduous and comprehensive.

Speed doesn't kill

I will respectfully disagree with you on the level of maintenance and engineering of the Autobahn, at least in the section north of Hamburg. There are a number of relatively tight turns and it has been in really poor condition for some time. This has always surprised me, I am from an area of the USA with +/- 35C annual temperature swings and most of our highways are in better condition than the Autobahn. That said, the side streets in Germany seem to be very well maintained much better and in the USA.

I will agree with you that training is key, along with good vehicle handling.

 

[wineboyrider]

I was stationed in Germany and have visited there several times over the years and can say that the Autobahns that have unlimited speed are extremely safe. I have also traveled the Texas Interstate that is to be posted 85 and can say that it is extremely safe to travel well over 100 mph in a proper vehicle that has the handling and speed capability.
Ein Prosit for Texas!

 

[The fingers]

What if they bring back the "double nickel"? :x

 

[Chalo]

Something that nearly everyone doesn't realize is that these roads are the only way to get around, there isn't some nice quiet neighborhood street you can take that parallels 360 or Bee Caves.

That problem was built into those areas. And as a result, there are characteristic problems built into the people who decided those places are OK to live in. You can observe it in how they drive.

The decent part of any significant city is generally the part that was already settled before motor vehicles came on the scene. Live and work in that part, and you won't have any problems getting around on an e-bike. Use e-commerce for the few things you can't find in a central city, and you may never have to venture out into the land where lives are cheap and the car is king.

Chalo

 

[Punx0r]

I will respectfully disagree with you on the level of maintenance and engineering of the Autobahn, at least in the section north of Hamburg. There are a number of relatively tight turns and it has been in really poor condition for some time.

I'll certainly cede to personal experience I've yet to drive on an unlimited-speed Autobahn - what I know is based on what I've been told by family and friends who have. Also a documentary I once saw on the engineering behind them. It implied higher minimum standards in order to have unlimited status. It mainly related to road foundation thickness, evenness, electronic signage etc

 

[REdiculous]

However, I would be very hesitant to get to such speeds on the poor US highways. Even 80mph sounds dangerous there. So IMHO this Texan toll-road needs to be build according to European standards....

Highways don't normally have a solid center divider (/barrier) and you can pull out of a driveway (or turn off of a street) onto the highway. Of course 80mph isn't safe on any random stretch of highway....

But 80mph on the freeway isn't even fun yet. :wink:

 

[biohazardman]

In my early 20s, back in the 70s, I did a trip to California just cuz I did not have anything better to do at the moment. I drove a 1964 Pontiac Catalina big boat with a 389 engine at 100-120+mph back through Cali and a good part of Oregon on I-5 with a 64 Chev Impala another boat trying to keep up. I would be cruising at 100MPH and he would be on my tail I would peg the speedo that's 1.5 inches past the 120 mark for a few minutes and then go back to 100. Ten minutes later there he was again. This went on for a couple of hours. No sign of problem with the car nor the roads. Some of the smallish cars now on the road would not be good at 80 but some of the e-bikes on the forum would be fine. 85 is a good speed for testing some our bikes to bad it is so far away. I can see the expression on the faces in the windows now as a bicycle comes up beside them pedaling madly with the riders face stretched back in the wind, bulging bloodshot eyes and of course a legal bicycle helmet strapped to the neck and chin but flailing in the breeze behind...

 

[dogman dan]

Back to the quality of the highway issue, a lot depends on the soil it's built on. One notorious stretch of red clay near Hatch on I- 25 gets lumpy and humpy in less that 2 years. They constantly grind and patch etc, trying to fix it. A few semi's later, it's back. At one point about 15 years ago they did a major overhaul, went down and worked the soil to 6' deep, added sand and gravel, repacked it layer by layer. 2 years later, the humps were back. Driving that road to burque for 40 years, we all know to slow below the speed limit for that 3-4 mile stretch of road, particularly if towing.

By contrast, further up the road there is a nice 40-50 mile stretch of road built on windblown sand and alluvial gravels between Socorro and T or C where the freeway has been baby butt smooth since 1965. A good place to get ticketed back when it was patrolled more, but less likely now. Driving that stretch, all I need is one camaro passing me at 110 to get the next state chota's attention, and it's game on. Set the subaru cruise controll at 100, and enjoy! Keep that camaro just barely in sight, so the cop doesn't have time to ticket him, then catch me. Really nice to drive a piece of road at speed that is that smooth.

It seems like I -10 west of Texas is perpetually trashed by the heavy truck wear on it. 5 years on the pavement, and the speed limit seems a bit risky. Big ol truck ruts for a thousand miles. Better as soon as you reach Califa, but New mexico and Arizona can be a long haul when it's bad.

 

[The fingers]

I'm still waiting for the I-27 project to get off the ground. We need an Interstate Highway from Texas to Alaska. It could have some very straight and flat stretches, no speed limit needed.