No way this idea would work in Georgia. (White: construction, school)

[ToucheGA]

Originally Posted by cqholt

read the article, "Speed is one of the biggest contributors to deadly traffic accidents, and Texas boasts one of the country's higher rates of road fatalities." What if an armadillo crawls out in front of the car, you don't have enough time to avoid it or another car.

Well, I would hit the critter before I would swerve into another car.

Originally Posted by ATL_II_DMV

People on 85 already drive 85 mph on a regular basis. This will cause no harm IMO

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

85 isn't unusual on the roads around here, even where it's not allowed.

I agree. Driving 70mph on a any Interstate in GA puts you at risk of being rear-ended. I drive 80mph on most interstates. I never get pulled over; the cops are busy issuing tickets to people who are going 90-100 mph.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by ToucheGA

Driving 70mph on a any Interstate in GA puts you at risk of being rear-ended.

Of course, and wearing a seat belt is more dangerous because then you can't get out of the vehicle if it rolls over 10x or it's too confining, right? Logic like yours is the problem.

Originally Posted by ToucheGA

I agree. Driving 70mph on a any Interstate in GA puts you at risk of being rear-ended. I drive 80mph on most interstates. I never get pulled over; the cops are busy issuing tickets to people who are going 90-100 mph.

Are you trying to rationalize stupidity by saying "other people are more stupid" and that makes it OK? I typically drive 5 mph over, because going 75 mph is fast enough when the speed limit is 70 mph. The problem we have is an enforcement handicap, because the state has made it impossible to enforce speed limits below 10 mph over and made the penalty for 10-14 mph is practically nothing.

The fact that people are driving 84 in a 70 mph is a commentary on the state, its police, its drivers, and the fact that anyone even dares to drive to "90-100 mph" is evidence of that problem. In most other states, going 84 mph would get you arrested with 3-5 points and an insurance surcharge. Here it's just a fine and you can probably negotiate that down.

The fact that some of you appear to be rationalizing and even supporting people driving like morons is concerning.

[brownhornet]

If you want to get run off the road feel free.

[gtcorndog]

Originally Posted by Mattie

Are there really enough people willing to pay $.125 per mile to drive at 85? I'm pretty happy doing 70 mph on 85 for free. I wonder what the minimum speed limit is. If people are paying, they will expect everyone else on the road to maintain that 85mph. Too much pressure for me.

It isn't really a choice of go 70 or pay and go 85. This road is being built parallel to a highly congested portion of I-35 that connects San Antonio to Austin. I-35 is a mess since it has a huge number of trucks and freight on it in addition to the local traffic. Traffic often does not come close to speed limit on this route and this is a great example of how a toll road can provide an alternate solution to highway congestion beyond simply adding lanes to I-35 which is not practical through Austin.

[StAubin]

What ever happened to that private high speed rail company in Texas.

Oh yeah...Southwest.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Much of Texas is flat prairie or desert. Not a big deal for a flat, straight road if people drive with proper courtesy and attention.

Correct. In those wide open flat spaces, you can and need to drive faster.

Besides, a big part of the danger is not the speed but the difference in speeds within the traffic. It's actually safer to move with the speed of traffic. To a large degree, lane changing is the culprit for accidents and even traffic jams. I suppose it might be safer at the old 55 mph speed limit, assuming everyone abides by it , because all the cars will surely be traveling at 55.

There is a real possibility of cars that drive themselves. It would be interesting if computer controlled cars is the ultimate answer to traffic congestion as the computer can make smarter decisions and traffic can be better coordinated with car computers communicating and cooperating with one another. But I suppose there are still some technical issues due mainly to unusual road conditions and of course the legal issues.

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Texas is building a super-fast, tolled freeway. Speed limit 85 mph. How many people will die on this freeway?
The Fastest Road in America - Commute - The Atlantic Cities

The problem is not that the speed limit is 85. The problem is that the speed limit is 85 and people will be going 100 because nobody goes the speed limit (except me and a few other people).

20yrsinBranson

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by neil0311

The problem we have is an enforcement handicap, because the state has made it impossible to enforce speed limits below 10 mph over and made the penalty for 10-14 mph is practically nothing.

I don't think we're all that bad, Neil.

According to this, the 10 mph "cushion" is very common throughout the country:

Authorities patrolling U.S. highways tend to give motorists a cushion of up to 10 miles per hour above the speed limit before pulling them over, says a survey by a group of state traffic safety officials.

This practice creates an unsafe comfort level at high speeds and is a potential safety hazard, according to the report being released Monday by the Governors Highway Safety Association (search). The group found that 42 states allow drivers to regularly exceed the speed limit before they are stopped.

"This cushion truly exists across this country and in some cases is more than 10 mph above posted limits," said Jim Champagne, the association's chairman.

Most States Give Speeders 10 MPH Cushion | Fox News

And this says Georgia is among the states with the toughest traffic fines:

According to stats from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the I-95 corridor between the southeast and New England includes five of the 10 U.S. states carrying the highest fines for speeding--Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland and New Hampshire. All hit up speeders for a maximum of $500 or more for a first offense. Judges in Carolina and Georgia, not to mention 16 other states, have the discretion to add jail time.

The Most Expensive States For Speeding Tickets 2007 - Forbes.com

[atltechdude]

Originally Posted by neil0311

A good part of the reason people drive like that in this state is because there is lax enforcement and lax rules with regard to insurance reporting and points.

Good! The speed limits are set so low that strict enforcement and penalties for small excesses of speed would be irrational.

[ToucheGA]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Much of Texas is flat prairie or desert. Not a big deal for a flat, straight road if people drive with proper courtesy and attention.

Most of I-16 and some parts of I-20 are also long and flat. These areas might be good candidates for higher speed limits.