75 mph speeds approved for Austin area

AUSTIN (KXAN) - In a Texas Department of Tranportation Commission meeting Thursday morning, commissioners approved a 75 mph speed limit change for four sections of Central Texas roads:

•  Interstate 35, which includes 22 miles from Georgetown to Salado
•  State Highway 130, which includes 45 miles from Interstate 35 in Williamson County to U.S. Highway183 in Travis County
•  State Highway 45, which includes nine miles from Hwy. 183 to I-35 in Travis County
•  U.S. Highway 281, which includes 12 miles from the Lampasas/Burnet County line to eight miles north of the Burnet city limits

The four sections are the first in the state of Texas to be approved after the passing of House Bill 1353, which took effect on Sept. 1.

"I like it. There's a lot of traffic. Will go a bit smoother I think," said I-35 driver Carlos Ramirez.

Barbara Bingham, who drives I-35 north of Georgetown often, said, "Most people day or night are going to do 75, sometimes 80. I don't think it's going to make that big of a difference."

"It's probably not necessary. There's already too much congestion, too much traffic. And with the construction, it's already kind of dangerous," said John Bilhartz, who drives between Dallas and Austin with his family often.

The reason the approval came so quickly for Central Texas is the fact that those who drive on these specific roads, already peak out at 75, despite the law being only 70.

"The speed at which 85 percent of the people driving at or below actually becomes the speed limit. Drivers themselves set the speed limit," said TxDOT Spokesman John Hurt.

There is some concern that the increased speed limit will encourage drivers to go even faster.

"It really doesn't work that way. We've heard a lot of that. If you go to 70, they will go to 80. And yes, there will be some of those who do, but most people when you reach 75 miles an hour, the comfort level doesn't go much above that," Hurt said.

The new speed limit signs should be going up in the next few weeks. The nighttime maximum speeds of 65 miles per hour will be removed as well, so the same speed will apply day or night.

"This is a great start, but we have a long way to go," said Carol Rawson, TxDOT Traffic Operations Division director. "TxDOT is reviewing existing 70 mph speed limits statewide to determine where a higher limit may be safely posted. We ancticipate having all of the speed studies completed by early 2013, so be looking for new 75 mph signs in the near future."

Texas has 1,445 miles of 75 mph speeds and 521 miles of 80 mph speeds on certain state highways, but these areas were previously restricted to specific rurual counties and highways located mostly in West Texas. The new law allows the department to implement the higher speeds on any 70 mph highway across the state.