Tom Warne Report, 9 September 2013
A bill proposal in Michigan could result in faster and more uniform speed limits. Michigan law currently posts speed limits at 70 mph for vehicles on certain highways while truck speed limits are posted at 60 mph. Other major roadways have speed limits posted at 65 mph and 55 mph, respectively.
Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, is working on a measure that would overhaul the state’s system for setting highway speed limits. Specifically, the former sheriff is hoping to see speed limits based on the 85th percentile rule, the method which sets speed limits at or below the speed at which 85 percent of the traffic is moving.
Jones says the state should set speeds on each roadway based on studies performed by the Michigan State Police and localities. The State Police would decide whether truck speeds should be the same as other vehicles on individual roadways.
Wisconsin is looking at using the 85th percentile rule to adjust speed limits on the state’s freeways and expressways. WisDOT reports that all four interstates have 85th percentile speeds that exceed 70 mph. The highest rate is 78 mph on portions of I-43. Rep. Paul Tittl, R-Manitowoc, who proposed 85thpercentile legislation, said in prepared remarks, “When I talk to people about raising the limit, many of them say it’s about time.”
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn recently signed a bill into law that raises speeds limits from 65 mph to 70 mph for all vehicles on rural four-lane highways and the Illinois Tollway. The change is effective Jan. 1, 2014.
My comments on this story will likely ruffle the feathers of my safety puritan friends, but here it is anyway. Artificially low and differential speed limits are an outdated vestige of the 1973 national maximum speed limit law or even before. In the late 80’s congress raised theallowable ceiling to 65mph on interstates. In 95, the authority to set speed limits on interstates was returned to the states and since then many states have chosen to raise limits well beyond 65mph. Many of us have had the “pleasure” of explaining our belief in the 85th percentile rule used to set speed limits on non-interstate roads, and yet, on the interstates and for trucks we often do not apply the rule. Either we believe that 85% of our drivers will drive at a reasonable speed, or we don’t. I don’t believe we can have it both ways. JN
