Speed Limit to be Raised on I-285 (Atlanta: live, dangerous)

[Mossberg]

Speed Limit to be Raised on I-285 (http://www.myfoxatlanta.com//dpp/news/local_news/Speed-Limit-to-be-Raised-on-I-285-20120403-pm-pk - broken link)

It's about damn time. Going 55 mph on I-285 can get you run over (when there isn't total gridlock). The 55 limit was unrealistic for a freeway this size when traffic is flowing.

They also need to raise the limits on I-85 between the Brookwood split to the Gwinnett Co border, I-75 North of the Brookwood split to Cobb, and I-75 south of the Connector as well.

The Connector itself can use variable speed limit signs that raise the speed after rush hour, like they are proposing for I-285. There is no reason to be driving 55 mph on a 7 lane wide highway at 2am.

And 50 mph on I-20? C'mon man, WTF?

[erick295]

Brilliant! It won't actually make any difference of course, but at least it will make things legit.

I'm wondering how they can do this though? I thought the 55 MPH speed limit in urban areas was a state law. Is it that easy to make an exception?

[tonygeorgia]

Leave it the same or raise it but either way I will continue to drive 75+ mph on all Atlanta highways

[chalvey]

About time. Glad to see that GDOT has realized that we are in the 21st century and not the 1970's.

[cittic10]

I gotta say... I'm pretty lax when it comes to the issue of speed limits and I'm not against raising them although if there was one road in the entire world that I honestly believe shouldn't have a higher speed limit, it's I-285. The trucks are going way too fast. There's way too many people and the lanes are not wide enough. It's almost as scary as driving in orlando. (almost)

[10scoachrick]

Tee hee, snicker...
From 1000 miles to the west...
'Our' toll road is about to go from 75 to 80mph. Now, I know this is the 'actual' speed traveled around ATL when the traffic is actually moving, but being able to legally drive @ 80 sure makes having a convertible FUN!

Speed limit increases for 2 Texas roads | News - Home
Hwy 45 is about three miles from the house! 130 is 'our' highway to leave town going toward Houston...Yee Haw!!!

[PKCorey]

Originally Posted by Mossberg

And 50 mph on I-20? C'mon man, WTF?

I always thought, it was due to the short ramps in the area but I agree with ya. Leave it at 55.

I always do between 70 and 80 on 285 anyway so this is fine by me.

I'm sure the Dekalb County police will be upset with the change though...

[ATLTJL]

I'm so glad I live off 85 and it goes to my job.

I'm not saying I-85 is any picnic, but 285 freaks me out.

It feels like it's always curving, in some places it only has 3 lanes, there are massive interchanges all over the place, constantly people entering and leaving, and the lanes even seem narrower than they are on other interstates (maybe just an optical illusion). 285 also seems to constantly give you lanes and take them away, so if you are in one of the 2 right lanes, I never know if they are about to be turned into exit only lanes. Probably it's just becase I'm not that familiar with 285, but I just feel it's an extremely dangerous road.

I-85 is a diaster area, but I feel better going faster on it because it's wider, so if you get over to the left you can get more distance between yourself and the trucks and the people entering and exiting, there are stretches where there are no exits or entrances for 2 or 3 miles, it's for the most part straight, and the lanes are pretty wide north of the city.

Having said all that, I don't care if they raise the speed limit. People are going to go however fast they are going to go anyway, and there will always be those super slow drivers slowing everybody down.

[erick295]

Originally Posted by cittic10

I gotta say... I'm pretty lax when it comes to the issue of speed limits and I'm not against raising them although if there was one road in the entire world that I honestly believe shouldn't have a higher speed limit, it's I-285. The trucks are going way too fast. There's way too many people and the lanes are not wide enough. It's almost as scary as driving in orlando. (almost)

I think you're assuming people who already drive fast are going to drive even faster if the limit is raised, but that's almost certainly not going to be the case, as very few people will drive at a speed they feel is unsafe. Speed limits should be set to the 85th percentile. That's the safest approach. That is clearly not the case with 285.

I'm confident raising the limit will make the road safer because it will help minimize the current differential with stubbornly "safe" drivers who follow the posted limit rather than staying with the natural flow of traffic. The less difference in speed there is between lanes the better.

This is assuming they raise it to something reasonable like 65 or 70 (not 60, which would do very little good).

[ATLTJL]

I'm confident raising the limit will make the road safer because it will help minimize the current differential with stubbornly "safe" drivers who follow the posted limit rather than staying with the natural flow of traffic.

I agree. I also think it will make it safer because people who are speeding will be less likely to slam on their brakes when they see a cop trying to not get busted.

Many years ago, I had a radar detector. I got rid of it because every time it beeped, my reflex was to apply the brakes. I figured that reflex was going to get me killed some day, and I'd rather just get a ticket instead.