Committee Reports Legislation Increasing Speed Limit

Liz Gullett

Feb 05, 2016

This week, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee reported a bipartisan package of bills seeking to increase certain speed limits throughout the state. The legislation could increase the speed limit to 75 miles per hour (mph) on approximately 600 miles of highway and from 55 to 60 mph on approximately 900 miles of trunklines. Additionally, the legislation provides for the option to allow the Department of Transportation and the Department of State Police to conduct studies on increasing the speed limit even further to 80 mph. The bills also increase the speed limit on gravel roads from 45 to 55 mpg in counties with more than 1 million residents. In a statement Representative Brad Jacobsen (R-Oxford), lead sponsor of the package, stated “We’ve allowed the ability to modify safe speed limit laws by following a simple formula that calculates protection, sustainability and technology to implement changes by utilizing engineering and safety studies and the 85^th percentile. This is a fantastic combination of safety and common sense upgrades to our outdated speed limit laws.” The package of bills have been sent to the House floor for further consideration.

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