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Friday, February 01, 2013

Lawmakers Want Return To 70 MPH Speed Limit

Nearly 40 years after the national speed limit was lowered from 70 to 55 miles-per hour, a group of delegates think it’s time to boost the speed limit from the current 65 on interstate highways back to 70.

Washington County Republican Delegate Neil Parrott who is a traffic engineer, says it’s a myth lower speed limits are safer on highways.

"The speed of the cars are designed to go over 70 miles-per-hour," Parrott told reporters at a news conference today.

The bill would raise the speed limit on the Inter County Connector (ICC), the toll road which connects I-95 in Prince George's County with I-270 in Montgomery County. Under the legislation, the state would have the option to boost it on other highways.

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14 comments:

  1. This is stupid. During peak rush hourS you're lucky if you can go even 40mph on this road due to gridlock. Talk about worrying about useless BS.

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  2. wouldn't you use less gasoline if you maintain a 55 mph speed? They can afford gas prices. The rest of us can't.

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  3. Not likely to happen. The state can't afford to lose this lucrative source of revenue....

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  4. The use of less gasoline at 55 mph is a myth. Gas mileage vs. speed depends on the gear ratio of your vehicle in the highest gear vs. efficient engine rpms. Most over-the-road trucks are geared to be most efficient at a speed over 55.

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  5. Back in 1973, before all that stuff hit the fan, the posted speed limit on the Capital Beltway was 70. I remember driving on the beltway doing 70, and there was plenty of room, with 3 lanes of roadway.

    On Delmarva, US Routes 50 and 13 had posted speed limits of 60.

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  6. I say raise the speed limits. As soon as you cross into West Virginia from Maryland you go from 50 mph to 70 mph. I don't ever remember seeing more accidents and cars piled all over the highways in West Virginia.

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  7. Looking at the pros and cons, as I said, It's about time.

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  8. Years ago they put the speed limit down to 55 because they "said" it saved gas. Obama will not like it if we raise the speed limit and waste all that gas! If it does in fact burn more gas the state will love collecting all those extra funds. Makes you wonder.

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  9. According to my CR-V, it's most efficient at 67 MPH in most instances, getting nearly 33 MPG in a car that is rated for 27MPG highway. So I typically choose a speed based around 67 when it's safe enough to do so.

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    "The speed of the cars are designed to go over 70 miles-per-hour," Parrott told reporters at a news conference today.

    Can somebody explain how you design the speed of the cars? Was he trying to say that cars were designed to go over 70 MPH?

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  10. Anonymous Anonymous said...
    Not likely to happen. The state can't afford to lose this lucrative source of revenue....

    February 1, 2013 at 9:22 AM

    WTH are you talking about?

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  11. Well, the states mercenaries do it all the time.

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  12. Yes, the lowering to 55 saved gas, that was on an older car. Burned fuel less efficient, took more gas to get it over the studies of 55.

    Today cars are built with speed of over 55 in mind, the burn much more efficient at higher speeds then the used to. Less wind resistance, they have engines now that cut off cylinders because they do not need them at higher speeds.

    The cars today use fuel more efficiently, brake o much better, are safer in crashes. It's long overdue to raise the speed limit. Speed doesn't kill you as the Maryland State Police wanted you to think, it's the negligent acts that do.

    To the "you can only drive 40 mph during the day", ok so drive 40 during the day, what about the people who work other shifts and drive at night and you are the only car in miles and get stopped for 70. Who cares if I crash it's just me.

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