Texas considers 85 mph speed limit on toll road

[Ulrich]

Texas considers 85 mph speed limit on toll road
Updated 02:09 p.m., Thursday, June 7, 2012

HOUSTON (AP) — Transportation officials in Texas are testing a new 41-mile segment of highway to see whether it would be safe to post the state's first 85 mph maximum speed limit.

The Texas Department of Transportation is considering the move on a portion of state Highway 130 that would run north-south between Austin and Saguin, a town just east of San Antonio, spokesman Mark Cross said on Thursday.

They are looking at the road's topography, checking what speed most drivers are traveling on existing parts of the highway and ensuring the access points and cross-sections would still be safe with an 85 mph speed limit, Cross said.

If Texas decides to go this route, that segment of road would have one of the highest posted speed limits in the country.

In 2011, the Texas Legislature upped the maximum speed limit from 80 mph to 85 mph, but only for future highways.

Right now, only sparsely populated areas of West Texas have roads with 80 mph speed limits. Most highways in Texas, have speed limits of between 60 mph and 75 mph. The idea behind increasing the speed limit is to relieve some congestion on state roads.


Source: Houston Chronicle

[Ulrich]

So that'd be about 93 mph "safe" speed... That might be worth a buck or two.

[Vanishing Point]

No big deal, unofficially they drive that fast on tollways now in the metroplex.

[Rocketman]

That's the average on most interstates around here. Doesn't matter to me anyway, the Land Cruiser is only good for 65.

[Ulrich]

Someone has already driven 200 mph on Texas 130
By Dan X. McGraw | Thursday, October 25, 2012 | Updated: Thursday, October 25, 2012 11:51am

Texas opened the fastest highway in the nation this weekend, but before a single driver got onto the road, Texan John Hennessey was cruising down the freeway at more than 200 mph.

Hennessey, who specializes in making some of the fastest cars, asked lawmakers if he could test whether the TxTag toll tag system could capture license plates and tags at the new high speeds, according to Jalopnik.

Texas officials gave him the thumbs up to test the system on the open road.

Hennessey topped out his car at 220 mph, and the tag system grabbed his tag and license plate at 180 mph.

Video: --> http://www.chron.com/cars/article/So...30-3981380.php

[Ulrich]

For the next two weeks, drivers can test out the speeds for free. The tolls kick in on Nov. 11; rates will be based on the size of the vehicle, method of payment and how far the vehicle travels.

Source: Houston Chronicle

ROADTRIP!

[Ulrich]

Interesting write-up about what went wrong with that road.

In 2006, Texas built 50 miles of highway to the southeast of Austin, between Georgetown and Mustang Ridge, but opted not to continue it south through the final 41 miles; at the time, traffic projections suggested that revenues would cover just half the road construction costs, the Express-News reported.

Investors Cintra, a private developer of infrastructure, and Zachry, a construction company, saw an opportunity, offering Texas' Department of Transportation $25 million to design, build and operate the road in exchange for most of the toll revenue for 50 years. They later paid $100 million to the state for an 85 mile-an-hour speed limit.

The problems began almost immediately: Traffic projections were missed in the road's first year. Six months after opening in October 2012, half the expected traffic was taking the high-speed toll road. Moody's downgraded the loans again by the end of 2013 to junk bonds. In 2016, the private outfit operating the road filed for bankruptcy.

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-building-plan-how-one-public-private-deal-hit-bumpy-n741346?cid=eml_pol_20170403

[Geo02s2k]

The biggest problem with that road is that the southern end doesn't go anywhere. You have to drive 50 miles east of San Antonio to get on to it. Even with traffic on I-35 you'd be over half way there after 50 miles.

[gomarlins3]

The speed limit on I-84 here in Idaho outside of the populated areas is 80. I find my gas mileage plummets going the fast so I stay around 73 in the slow lane unless I am with others for a tour.

[griffon]

If I was to run my pickup at 85-95 mph I would have to stop for gas all the time, thereby negating any advantage gained by traveling so fast.
It's like pushing a barn door down the road.
griff

[Rocketman]

If I was to run my pickup at 85-95 mph I would have to stop for gas all the time, thereby negating any advantage gained by traveling so fast.
It's like pushing a barn door down the road.
griff

Such luxury! My pickup won't even do 85, thereby adding hours to a cross country trip. I would gladly trade money for time.

[griffon]

Such luxury! My pickup won't even do 85, thereby adding hours to a cross country trip. I would gladly trade money for time.

It's a Ford ecoboost and it's pretty quick but I think Ford governed them @ 95.