http://www.woai.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=729A0C3B-9237-42D9- BE1A-6C9D1056A975
Several hundred miles of Interstates 10 and 20 in west Texas will soon have the highest posted speed limits in the country, 1200 WOAI news reported today. A measure which takes effect next month will allow Tex-DOT to raise the speed limit to 80 miles an hour on Interstate 10 between Kerr and Culverson counties, and on Interstate 20 in Ward and Culberson counties. "Those stretches of highway are pretty isolated and pretty long, and they're actually designed for that speed of travel," State Rep Pete Gallego (D-Alpine) who wrote the new law, told 1200 WOAI news. Gallego says he expects Tex-DOT to erect the first "SPEED LIMIT 80" signs in west Texas 'within six weeks,' and he added 'I want to be there when that happens.' The speed limit in rural west Texas was raised to 70 miles per hour after the national 55 mile an hour speed limit was lifted in December of 1995. In 1999, the limit in west Texas and elsewhere was raised to 75 miles an hour. "One of the fascinating things we've already learned from raising the speed limit from 70 to 75 is that the accident and fatality rate has actually gone down in those counties, because people get where they're going faster." The 80 mile an hour limit would be the highest posted speed limit in the country. Arizona law allows speed limits of 'no more than 85 miles an hour' but no highway in Arizona has an 85 mile an hour speed limit, and a measure to raise the speed limits from 75 to 80 on rural stretches on Interstate 10 in that state died in the legislature. Gallego concedes that raising the speed limit is not the best way to save gasoline, but he is philosophical about that. "Driving 80 is not a mandate. You don't have to drive 80. If you think it will save gasoline, you can drive 55 through west Texas if you want to. 80 is just the maximum speed you can drive." Gallego points out that under the ambitious 'Trans Texas Corridor' plan proposed by Governor Perry becomes reality, all of the 'Trans Texas Corridor' highways will have posted speed limits of 85 miles an hour. To unsubscribe, send an e-mail to mailto:[email protected] with the following message--unsubscribe cavetex. For help and information go to www.cavetex.net. List administrator: mailto:[email protected]
