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Old 02-18-2022, 10:04 AM
 
18,151 posts, read 25,359,518 times
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Since I didn't get an answer, I'll ask again
If 65MPH is the cap in the Houston area ... why is it that the speed limit on the Grand Parkway is 70MPH?
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Old 02-18-2022, 10:30 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dopo View Post
Since I didn't get an answer, I'll ask again
If 65MPH is the cap in the Houston area ... why is it that the speed limit on the Grand Parkway is 70MPH?
Probably to justify the tolls.. Noone would pay if it didn't save them time over local surface arteries or the cheaper inner beltway... ..some sections are 75 too IIRC... I mean, GP is a LONG road, currently its almost 90 miles in length and fully completed will be 180 miles, ALMOST 200 miles... at 65 MPH it would take about 3.25 Hours to completely traverse it not even including traffic. That is almost the distance between Houston and Dallas.
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Old 02-18-2022, 10:54 AM
 
Location: Houston
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Need4Camaro View Post
Probably to justify the tolls.. Noone would pay if it didn't save them time over local surface arteries or the cheaper inner beltway... ..some sections are 75 too IIRC... I mean, GP is a LONG road, currently its almost 90 miles in length and fully completed will be 180 miles, ALMOST 200 miles... at 65 MPH it would take about 3.25 Hours to completely traverse it not even including traffic. That is almost the distance between Houston and Dallas.
The last time I drove the segment from 1-10 to 290, the limit was 65. When it first opened, it was 70. Don't know why it was lowered. Maybe TxDOT felt it needed to for safety reasons?
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Old 02-18-2022, 10:59 AM
 
Location: Houston/Brenham
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dopo View Post
Sorry for being the troublemaker that always has to ask questions
If 65MPH is the cap ... why is it that the speed limit on the Grand Parkway is 70MPH?
They made a deal for that one highway when it was being engineered. AFAIK, it's the only exception. And I noted it in my original reply...
Quote:
Originally Posted by astrohip View Post
The Greater Houston area has a 65MPH cap on almost every highway. Not because it's safer, or needed. It's because the EPA mandates it.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Dopo View Post
Since I didn't get an answer, I'll ask again
If 65MPH is the cap in the Houston area ... why is it that the speed limit on the Grand Parkway is 70MPH?
Maybe wait longer than 20 minutes for a reply!
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Old 02-18-2022, 11:01 AM
 
Location: Houston/Brenham
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LocalPlanner View Post
The last time I drove the segment from 1-10 to 290, the limit was 65. When it first opened, it was 70. Don't know why it was lowered. Maybe TxDOT felt it needed to for safety reasons?
Wait a sec... you're saying the speed limit has been changed to 65MPH on 99 between I-10 and US290?!?

I used to drive that all the time, when 290 was under construction. Now that's it's finished, I rarely drive it. I wasn't aware of a change.
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Old 02-18-2022, 11:09 AM
 
Location: Houston
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Originally Posted by astrohip View Post
Wait a sec... you're saying the speed limit has been changed to 65MPH on 99 between I-10 and US290?!?

I used to drive that all the time, when 290 was under construction. Now that's it's finished, I rarely drive it. I wasn't aware of a change.
Yep.
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Old 02-18-2022, 11:16 AM
 
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I do remember the 65 limit between 290 and I-10 come to think of it. I felt that was unreasonably slow for that section of road... ...but the section between 290 and Tomball and also I-45 is 75 MPH I think.
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Old 02-18-2022, 01:13 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Need4Camaro View Post
I do remember the 65 limit between 290 and I-10 come to think of it. I felt that was unreasonably slow for that section of road... ...but the section between 290 and Tomball and also I-45 is 75 MPH I think.
70MPH between 290 and I-45
I just drove on it this morning


Meanwhile, I-45 is stuck with 65MPH all the @#$%@#$ to New Waverly
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Old 02-18-2022, 01:54 PM
 
Location: Houston
5,643 posts, read 4,978,781 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dopo View Post
70MPH between 290 and I-45
I just drove on it this morning


Meanwhile, I-45 is stuck with 65MPH all the @#$%@#$ to New Waverly
Because that's where the non-attainment area (county line) ends.
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Old 02-18-2022, 07:53 PM
 
Location: Unplugged from the matrix
4,753 posts, read 2,994,653 times
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Yeah the GP used to have 75 (between 290 and 59) and 70 (between I-10 and 290) speed limits but they lowered it by 5MPH. I remember there was a big accident where someone was suicidal and it changed not long after that. Meanwhile Austin and DFW have several 75MPH tollways. That EPA cap is outdated and not even followed really.

The GP is a poorly designed roadway though IMO. They really cheaped out on the design and it already needs to be expanded between I-10 and 45 (the South Katy sections are long overdue also). They didn't plan for expansion like tollways in other parts of the start, so they're going to have to rebuild overpasses among other things.
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