The Texas Autobahn

[Uncle Ted]

85 mph on some Texas roads gets first OK

The speed limit on some highways in Texas may be raised to 85 mph, the highest in the nation, under legislation the Texas House approved Wednesday.

The measure passed on a voice vote was part of a larger transportation bill. It would authorize the Texas Department of Transportation to raise the speed limit on designated lanes or entire stretches of roads after doing engineering and traffic studies, The Dallas Morning News reported Thursday.

The Senate is considering a similar bill.

"They have high-speed roadways in Europe, and there could be some merit in having some of those highways in Texas," said Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, who introduced the bill. "Given the right engineering, we should consider it."

Texas has more than 520 miles of interstate highways on which the speed limit is 80 mph.

It seems to me that a lot of drivers go 80+ on the toll roads here around DFW already. Might as well make it legal.

[Goatnapper'96]

85 mph on some Texas roads gets first OK



It seems to me that a lot of drivers go 80+ on the toll roads here around DFW already. Might as well make it legal.

Have you ever taken HWY 287 from Dallas to Amarillo to work your way over to Raton, NM to take I-25 North?

Ever been nailed in Estelline, TX's speed trap? I have.

[Uncle Ted]

Have you ever taken HWY 287 from Dallas to Amarillo to work your way over to Raton, NM to take I-25 North?

Ever been nailed in Estelline, TX's speed trap? I have.

I got nailed on that road near Memphis, TX (population of about 2000) in a speed trap. The funny thing was I called up the local court there about a question concerning the amount I needed to pay. The judge happened to answer the phone. After talking to him about what happened he said something like "it sounds like Barney (I don't remember the officer's name) is up to his tricks again. Don't worry about the ticket." and his dismissed it over the phone.

[Pheidippides]

Have you ever taken HWY 287 from Dallas to Amarillo to work your way over to Raton, NM to take I-25 North?

Ever been nailed in Estelline, TX's speed trap? I have.

Not been nailed in the speed trap, but I've taken that route many times. You have to watch out for the cops, that's for sure.

85 mph on some Texas roads gets first OK



It seems to me that a lot of drivers go 80+ on the toll roads here around DFW already. Might as well make it legal.

Here too. I admit to being a leadfoot. However, I presume this probably only will apply to the West Texas stretch of I-10, and with good reason. That stretch is brutal. Not as bad as Nebraska, IMO, but I am already on record as liking deserts more than prairie. Even ugly deserts.

[NorthwestUteFan]

This is reason #4,382,782 to love Texas.

Two weeks ago I flew into SLC and drove to St George with my brothers. I have to say i loved seeing the 80mph speed zones on I-15. Dad and I were commenting on how difficult it was to travel those same stretches of highway only 12 or so years ago at the 55mph speed limit.

My wife once got a speeding ticket driving down the hill to the north into Beaver going 67 in a 55. Her 1984 Corrolla could barely go much faster than that, but it was actually difficult to keep the speed down to 55 on that 6% grade and they knew it.

Under most conditions I find the higher speed to be safer because I am far less likely to get tired and fall asleep. Theoretically most of the drivers around me will be similalry visually stimulated, and will also be more awake.

I doubt we in Washington will ever raise the speed above 65, but I will continue to hope!

[NorthwestUteFan]

It seems to me that a lot of drivers go 80+ on the toll roads here around DFW already. Might as well make it legal.

The toll roads in New England were 65mph roads, but the cops typically didn't care to pull you over unless you were going at least 20 over. The commuting traffic in the mornings and most evenings traveled 80-84mph, and we all got to where we were going rapidly without interruption.

Conversely we DID have to worry about moose on the roadway (historically there was an 18% mortality rate for drivers who hit moose).

[happyone]

...

My wife once got a speeding ticket driving down the hill to the north into Beaver going 67 in a 55. Her 1984 Corrolla could barely go much faster than that, but it was actually difficult to keep the speed down to 55 on that 6% grade and they knew it. !

My daughter got one about there a couple of years ago, except she was going considerabely faster than 67 - 96 IIRC. I didn't realize the Hyundai would go that fast

...
I doubt we in Washington will ever raise the speed above 65, but I will continue to hope!

You are probably correct is your assumption.

Didn't Montana take the speed limit off there interstates when the Feds took the 55mph restriction off and make it just like the autobahn and then put it back on a few years later?

[Goatnapper'96]

I got nailed on that road near Memphis, TX (population of about 2000) in a speed trap. The funny thing was I called up the local court there about a question concerning the amount I needed to pay. The judge happened to answer the phone. After talking to him about what happened he said something like "it sounds like Barney (I don't remember the officer's name) is up to his tricks again. Don't worry about the ticket." and his dismissed it over the phone.

I think the address for the court was the home residence of the Justice of the Peace and the Assistant Justice of the Peace who happened to be a husband and wife team. Estelline is not far from Memphis and the kids go to school there. Town has a population of 175 and I got nailed for going 72 in a 45 in 1996 and it cost me $105.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estelline,_Texas

[Paperback Writer]

I think the address for the court was the home residence of the Justice of the Peace and the Assistant Justice of the Peace who happened to be a husband and wife team. Estelline is not far from Memphis and the kids go to school there. Town has a population of 175 and I got nailed for going 72 in a 45 in 1996 and it cost me $105.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estelline,_Texas

I have driven that stretch (round trip) every summer at least once since 1995. I was lucky the first few times that another driver was already pulled over before realizing it was a speed trap. Have yet to be pulled over. And made note of the police car upgrade from standard Ford Victoria model to Dodge Charger model. My kids even made a game out of it to see who could spot the police car first.

However the past couple of years, there has been no sighting of police activity on 287 near Estelline or Memphis on our family vacations to Southern Colorado. But a month ago, my wife found out that the Estelline/Memphis patrol is still alive when she got pulled over while visiting her family in West Texas. She got off with a warning though.

[Paperback Writer]

Here too. I admit to being a leadfoot. However, I presume this probably only will apply to the West Texas stretch of I-10, and with good reason. That stretch is brutal. Not as bad as Nebraska, IMO, but I am already on record as liking deserts more than prairie. Even ugly deserts.

Having grown up in Lincoln, Nebraska and traveled I-80 West many, many times - I take exception to the I-80/I-10 comparison. A couple of years ago, I traveled I-10 from San Antonio to Carlsbad, NM and my comment to my spouse was that this was the worst stretch of highway - even worse then I-80 in western Nebraska. Maybe, I'm being too hard on I-10 since I cut North on 285 to get to Carlsbad and that stretch was probably worse. But I stand by my opinion that I'd rather travel I-80 in Western Nebraska any day of the week rather than I-10 in West Texas. That is one ugly desert!

[happyone]

I've never driven I-10, so I can't add anything to that comparison, but I have driven both I-80 and I-70 and I think I-70 between Lymon Co and Lawerence KS is worse than I-80 through Western Nebraska. At least on I-80 you have to turn your steering wheel once and awhile. I think I-70 was laid out with a chalk line

[Moliere]

Have you ever taken HWY 287 from Dallas to Amarillo to work your way over to Raton, NM to take I-25 North?

Ever been nailed in Estelline, TX's speed trap? I have.

I did this just recently (without getting pulled over). We did Denver to Houston in 15 hours and 51 minutes all in the same day. Left at 6:36am and pulled into the house at 11:25pm.

287 is an awesome road in that there are relatively few trucks on it.

[Pheidippides]

Didn't Montana take the speed limit off there interstates when the Feds took the 55mph restriction off and make it just like the autobahn and then put it back on a few years later?

Yes, but it was really an unwritten 85. The standard was reckless disregard or some such thing, which got challenged as unconstitutionally vague, and then they had to put a limit up. It's still an unwritten 85, except back in the day I understand that you could just pay the ticket ($5) in cash on the spot, so people kept fivers behind the visor.

Having grown up in Lincoln, Nebraska and traveled I-80 West many, many times - I take exception to the I-80/I-10 comparison. A couple of years ago, I traveled I-10 from San Antonio to Carlsbad, NM and my comment to my spouse was that this was the worst stretch of highway - even worse then I-80 in western Nebraska. Maybe, I'm being too hard on I-10 since I cut North on 285 to get to Carlsbad and that stretch was probably worse. But I stand by my opinion that I'd rather travel I-80 in Western Nebraska any day of the week rather than I-10 in West Texas. That is one ugly desert!

I've never driven I-10, so I can't add anything to that comparison, but I have driven both I-80 and I-70 and I think I-70 between Lymon Co and Lawerence KS is worse than I-80 through Western Nebraska. At least on I-80 you have to turn your steering wheel once and awhile. I think I-70 was laid out with a chalk line

I've driven all three of these multiple times. I'll give the nod to the I-70 stretch happyone mentions as the worst generally, but I still maintain that I'd rather do I-10 than I-80. And I don't think the I-70 stretch is as long as either the Laramie-Lincoln stretch or the San Antonio-El Paso stretch, so it's actually a distant third.

[Uncle Ted]

287 is an awesome road in that there are relatively few trucks on it.

287 also has very nice rest stops with free WiFi. Also, every small town along it with a population more than 500 has a dairy queen.

[Viking]

Have you ever taken HWY 287 from Dallas to Amarillo to work your way over to Raton, NM to take I-25 North?

Ever been nailed in Estelline, TX's speed trap? I have.

I was driving 110 mph in 1990 on that road when my radar detector started screaming. I have no idea how i didn't get pulled over. I slammed on the brakes and almost lost it.

I haven't driven faster than 80 mph since that incident.