MD Delegate Wants to Raise Highway Speed Limit to 70 MPH

ANNAPOLIS, MD - The speed limit on Maryland's highways could end up getting faster.

Delegate Neil Parrott is sponsoring a bill to increase the speed limit from 65 to 70 on Maryland's expressways, interstates, and highways.

"Prior to 1973, that was the maximum speed limit in Maryland. It was 70 miles per hour. Now our roadways are safer. Our cars are safer. They run more efficiently at high speeds, and it makes sense to return to what we had before at 70 miles per hour," says Parrott, (R) , Washington County.

Senator George Edwards is sponsoring his own bill to increase the speed limit from 65 to 70 along Route 68 in Maryland.

"It connects 69 to West Virginia, where it is 70 miles per hour. A lot of my constituents say, 'If you go 70 miles per hour in West Virginia on 68, why can't we do it in Maryland?' Our roads are actually better than their roads when you look at the safety features, the width of it, and so forth," says Edwards, (R) - Garrett, Allegany, and Washington Counties.

Senator Ron Young is a co-sponsor of the bill.

"The roads, like in Senator Edwards' area, there's not a lot of traffic. The roads are designed for it. They're safe. There are roads around the state where the same conditions are true, and I think it just makes sense. It improves traffic," says Young, (D) , Frederick and Washington Counties.

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