85 MPH speed limit coming

I would expect the extra distance and tolls will mean few packs of semi-trucks on this road. I would much rather have more bypass I35 from Georgetown to san marcos where trucks and traffic are more of a problem. In West Texas and Utah where the speed limits are 80 on the interstate, I'm sure their are convoys, but these are non-congested roads.

 

i would ban trucks and impose a minimum speed as well. its an optional toll road.

 

I don't understand why you would want to ban trucks. Part of the traffic problem on I35, which is the reason for this toll road, is all the trucking traffic from and to mexico. If you force all the trucks to continue going through austin, it is not going to help many people, or be able to pay back the state for construction. One of the reasons I don't think it should be a toll road, is I would like more of the trucks to go on the new road.

If we could get all the truckers and dangerous speeders to the new road, I35 would be much safer and flow better. There is not much reason for this spur if not for a bypass, as there is not much traffic between mustang ridge and seguin.

 

ok, that is fine. i now have much less understanding as to why the speed limit should be raised on this toll road.

what is the road's primary purpose? allowing commuters to get into and out of Austin? or a truck by pass?

i find it extremely unusual to raise the speed limit if its the latter. commuters i can see doing 85 mph but a fully loaded truck??

 

How about a carrot? We can have Germany's speed limits once we have Germany's renewable energy systems?

 

Its not being raised, its a new road. The state gets an extra $100M from the company running the toll road if toll road is 85mph instead of 75mph. Some that did not want the toll road pushed the 85mph hoping that it can not be run profitably and becomes a non-profit sate highway. Everyone agrees higher speed limits mean more traffic on this road.

I35 was built through austin when the population was much lower. Many of the on and off ramps were not properely designed. It needs to get modified but the plans are all very expensive and nothing seems to get built. SH130 was originally envisioned as an austin bypass to alleviate some of the traffic problems. The road is for going around austin, not through it. I35 is 55mph through town and often crawls slowly, but its not nearly as bad as some cities. The parts of SH130 that have been built so far mostly have speed limits of 70mph. This new 40 mile section won't serve much local traffic, but will complete the bypass. The more traffic that goes around austin, the better, but the full bypass is 12 extra miles, and with the toll I don't think we will get rid of many of the trucks. 85mph means you won't get a ticket for 85mph, trucks and cars will be fine traveling on that road at a slower speed. This works fine on I10 in west texas. Just don't go slow in the passing lane

It is planned to continue the road to south of san antonio, but that hasn't been built yet. That would allow traffic from south of san antonio to north of austin avoid both cities. The I35 corridor between Austin and San Antonio has experienced fairly rapid population growth as well. It would be great if the truck traffic to and from mexico and south texas going north of Austin, would avoid austin and san antonio and traffic through the corridor. Lots of politics involved. Some wanted the bypass to be free and tax trucks going through austin. My main problem with 85, is we have a foreign corporation paying the state to set a high speed limit. This is a corrupting influence, in one of the few public goods, roads, that most texans agree are part of good government.

 

Some of us agree. Austin is working to be 30% renewable and have the coal power plant shut down by 2020. The goals for the state are 20% renewable by 2025. Austin, San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas are building a recharging infrastructure.

 

I agree trucks are a problem on I-35!! Let them use the new road; but three should be a minimum speed for all traffic. I hate getting behind a slow truck, that can't go fast!! Slowing everything down.

I think 85 MPH is too fast ..... just thinking about a Prius hitting a wild hog at that speed; it's bad enough hitting a dog at 45 MPH. If the foreign corporation running the toll roads, for safety reasons, could make the lanes wider and to do something about all the wild animals from getting on the road ( make places where animals could go under the toll road ); I might could see driving 85 MPH !! After all: You are paying for a " SAFE " toll road.

 

ok the thread is a bit dated. Still, I'm surprised the insurance lobby allowed this to get through.
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There is a big difference between drivers. Higher speeds means worse collisions, but the point is to avoid collisions. A good driver has no problem at 100mph or 80mph or 55mph. A ad driver will have problems at 55mph, 80mph, or 100mph. What's needed is a class-based driver license or something like that.

 

It is Texas, the Spanish corporation that runs the toll road paid the politicians more than the insurance lobby on this one.

The main problem is not that it is 85 mph, the problem is its a toll road, so trucks still go through town congesting traffic instead of bypassing Austin.

 

Isn't there already a minimum speed limit for all traffic on the interstate (Even in Texas??)
I try and avoid Texas driving, but IIRC they've simplified their daffy speed limit system so that feriners could more easily understand it.

Some people think that 70 is too fast.
That's one of those YMMV things.
FWIW I think that a Prius-sized car is safe to operate on an interstate highway system, during normal WX, when the PSL is 85. They sell Priuses where the PSL is higher, and although I don't have any facts to bedazzle you with my instincts tell me that thier vehicular safety records are probably better than those in the US because drivers abroad are generally WAAAY better in nearly all regards. The EU has far fewer second and third time DUI offenders (for example) and they don't have sniveling, bed-wetting, privacy hacks fouling up the courts with complaints about photo-enforcement.....and I suspect that they don't have as many people poking Gorilla-Glass while they're trying to do the stick-and-rudder thing.
In other words...they kinda concentrate on the driving task.
Generally Speaking....you don't see as many critters on an interstate as you do on a two lane blacktop....because they do have fencing.
Of course you can't stop Bambi (great name for a deer, huh?) from bounding over a fence or a wild hog from burrowing beneath one....which is why drivers have to kinda pay attention a little when they're driving.
A wild boar will hurt at 70.....or 60....
Me?
I take Mr Miagi's advice.
The best way to avoid a punch is not to be there.

By paying to get on the road, I personally think that you're giving up the right to fuss about it as much.I'm thinking that what you're really paying for is convenience.

YMMV!

 

And just how would that work? With a lower class license one would be prohibited from driving on certain roads? Traffic issues? Enforcement issues?

 

ETC(SS) STATED: FWIW I think that a Prius-sized car is safe to operate on an interstate highway system, "

I"m talking about the Spanish corporation that runs the toll roads. I my oppion safity was not the main concern, when these roads was built. It's all about the money!! And yes, the Prius is a safe vehicle.​

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ETC(SS) STATED: Generally Speaking....you don't see as many critters on an interstate as you do on a two lane blacktop....because they do have fencing. "​

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This is Texas; many roads don't have fences along their right-of- ways; including some parts of interstate and the toll roads. ​

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If the City Council of Austin would pass law where 18 wheeler trucks had to by-pass Austin, by using these toll roads, with the help of Tx-Dot; problem solved; unless said truck had to make a stop in Austin. Some cities force 18 wheeler trucks to by-pass their city by using other roads or loops. ...... Opps ; This idea would make more money for that Spanish corporation!! ....... It might work.​

 

Using a similar system to toll roads, you can embed communication chips into drivers licenses. If you are driving above a certain speed without your license as you pass under the transponder pickup, you get a ticket in the mail. State makes money because there will be people who just don't care or know, and people that can drive can use those lanes. It has been a half century since the interstate system, it should be about time to update it. Add a few lanes, some dedicated for tractor trailers or other heavy/slow loads and some dedicated for fast speeds and drivers. All with soft boundaries so that during peak rush hour times they can all be used as commuter lanes if needed.

And rebuilding infrastructure is a win-win. The country's infrastructure is updated, tens of thousands of people get jobs, and the end product helps the economy get people and things from point A to B faster and safer.

 

We live in a country that hasn't even mastered photo-enforcement.

 

Seriously? Got a cost estimate for that minor adjustment? The US interstate highway system is quite possibly the most expensive project ever done by humans. And you want to double it. While continuing to use it.

Exactly what we need, speed differentials in the region of 50 miles per hour all the time, with soft barriers between, and fewer options for changing lanes to avoid problems. No thanks.

Oh, and we get more big-brother at the same time... lovely.

 

Under this theory - there would be fewer accidents during nascar races, but they still manage to have bunches of 'em. As for regular drivers, the road sides are littered with memorial markers of dead drivers who would ALL swear they were 'a good driver'. 99.9% of fatal high speed accidents are caused by these folks. Every one is inattentive at some time ... not just folks texting. That's when it happens. Survival is not just more common with a newer car ... it's more common at lower speeds too.
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