There’s stretch of highway between Austin and San Antonio that will soon have a speed limit of 85mph. This privately managed portion of State Highway 130 is set to open November 11th in a move that has become highly controversial.
The ATA has come out extremely vocally against the new speed limit, saying that “At the end of the day, excessive speed is the greatest threat to highway safety… and by giving motorists carte blanche to put the pedal to the metal, Texas is raising the risk of more crashes, as well as more severe crashes.” The ATA has previously come out in support of a maximum speed limit of 65mph for trucks on roadways nationwide, regardless of whether the marked limit is higher.
“Higher speeds dramatically increase the risks of a catastrophic crash,” said Bill Graves, ATA president & CEO. “On today’s busy and congested highways, it is simply unfathomable that a state would allow drivers to put themselves and others at risk by increasing speed limits to such excessive heights.”
The Texas Department of Transportation hopes that it will drive traffic away from highly congested local roadways, but that may not be the only reason for the speed hike. The toll road is being built by SH 130 Concession Co., a joint venture of Spanish toll operator Cintra and Texas-based Zachry American Infrastructure. The U.S. Department of transportation has awarded a federal loan of $430 million to help build the road, and some of it may be going straight to the state of Texas.
If the agency had set the speed limit at 80mph, they would have paid the state $67 million in toll proceeds as part of the 50-year agreement that’s worth $1.3 billion. However, by allowing the speed limit to be raised to 85mph, the Texas DOT will get an inflated kick-back of $100 million.
Despite the concerns voiced by watchdog groups, citizens, and the ATA, Texas DOT spokesman Mark Cross assures us that the new highway will be perfectly safe.
“State Highway 130, including Segments 5 and 6, were designed and tested for high-speed travel,” he says. “Safety is our top priority and tests have shown the designated speed is a safe one. We look forward to opening this segment of SH 130, which will help reduce congestion for the Austin/San Antonio corridor by providing Texas drivers and others with an alternate route for traveling through our great state.”
Only time will tell if the ATA is right in voicing their concerns, or if the Texas DOT has thrown a winning pitch, but in the mean time, anyone making the drive between Austin and San Antonio can feel what it’s like to (legally) put the pedal to the metal and see the world whip by at 85mph.
Next Story: $500,000 cash stash discovered in Texas truck
Source:http://fleetowner.com/safety/ata-urges-texas-curb-highway-speeds http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=24153
James says
All right…
Let’s give the 4-wheelers the excuse to legally do 90mph. What 4-wheeler out doesn’t try to push the speed limit envelope by 5 (and more often) 10mph?
This is as boneheaded as it gets.
Want safety? Don’t increase speed limits. Leave them as they are now or lower them. And then put governors on cars that automatically adjust the car’s top speed to the posted speed limit!
The roads are becoming free-for-all waste lands of lawless speeding.
And fatalities on America’s roads will only continue to increase, as the D.O.T. and the states wonder at how much money can be made!
Mike Morley says
As in fluid flow through A conduit, increasing velocity results in higher volume flow rates. Design is the key. Our highways and secondary roads are congested , frustrating and dangerous.Stress and aggravation , impatience leads to accidents and road rage incidents. Looking at the problem as A mathematical formula , what are the variables that may be modified to accommodate increased flow rates ? Wider roads, increase the number of lanes lanes ? Expensive , time consuming and inevitably lead to bottlenecks when the number of lanes is reduced at terminal points and interchanges. Plan B, increase velocity on properly designed thoroughfares, such as the Autobahn where 100 mph is not unusual. The naysayers never seem to have A solution to the problem, just fault finding. That’s easier than formulating corrective action. Mike
David S. McQueen says
Bill Graves is biased. For some reason, he doesn’t think that a new highway in Texas can handle 85 MPH speed limits. I wonder if Graves has ever been to Texas? Graves may be correct when it comes to New England. Those roads are old and poorly maintained and were designed in the 1940s, so obviously they couldn’t handle the 85 MPH traffic. West of the Mississippi, we’re actually living in the 21st century. Bill Graves should, too.
John says
The history of drivers in America is that many typically exceed the posted speed limit by 8 mph.
In Europe at least their education program is much more stringent in obtaining a drivers license.
Also the Autoban is a much more limited access highway and so traffic does not have to worry about merging traffic. I hate to think how many distracted drivers will typically go well over 85 mph on the new Texas stretch without even a care to tire preasures, weather conditions or distractions. Why is it we feel that time is so critical anymore that we have to speed travel up? Who are these people who feel the risks justify it?
Brian says
Well said Mike.
“At the end of the day, excessive speed is the greatest threat to highway safety…”
Really? I’m pretty sure the facts would disagree with that statement. The greastest threat…
Benjamin Rodgers says
The major highways in Texas will already support 85mph traffic. This is just a money-making scheme. Ask any old time trucker about how fast trucks used to travel in Texas before the double nickel speed limit was enacted. Any car hauler or cow truck is probably laughing about this article.
Jon says
@Mike.
You are correct. America and other more ‘Westernized” countries tend to overburden themselves with rules instead of logic to solve problems like this. There will be accidents no matter what, but higher speeds, along with correct ‘slower traffic keep right’ traffic flow will actually improve congestion. But it must “feel safer” (in the mind) to force everyone to drive slower vs the natural speed of traffic. I think that’s the ’85th percentile’ speed
Randy says
The only reason the ATA is bitching is because they want to level the playing field for the companies who already govern their trucks. This 85 mph speed limit is a step in the wrong direction in their goal to do so.
Lowcountrytrucker says
All I have to say. You raise these speed limits and keep these trucks governed to 60 and 65 you’re asking for trouble.
Ted says
I drove for years in Texas. Fine, wide roads. But many people do not buy or maintain tires that will hold up to 85MPH on a 108 degree day. To an unskilled driver, a blown tire at that speed means a spectacular wreck. I see badly underinflated tires all day long, especially on utility trailers. Sometimes I smile and honk and hold up a big gauge-they usually get the idea and wave. Gotta be friendly.
Rex says
People forget Montana had reasonable and prudent for a speed limit, the federal government made them go to a regulated speed limit and the accident rate actually doubled, along with deaths. Trxas going to an 85 mph limit will open up the road, people won’t be bunched up where one car does something stupid and takes out half a dozen with it..
As for the person who said regulate all cars to the posted speed limit, I want YOU off the highway, your dangerous.
MD SCOTT says
Most of these people do not drive for a living, so time does matter. You don’t have to drive crazy with speed if you are a professional driver and Most truck drivers will not run the full speed of 85 and probably drive 70 to 75 so they can save fuel, but still make good time for there delivery’s.
Bonnie MacPherson says
Nice to know that Texas has insured everyone that the highway was designed for 85 mph. Now do the intelligent thing, Texas, and disallow anyone on that segment of highway until the driver has completed a driving course that teaches HOW to drive safely at 85 mph. As special interest groups like to say about upgrading the lives of people in other countries…EDUCATION IS THE KEY!!!
All of Americas roads and highways would be much safer: if drivers education was mandatory; if there was a national standard for cars, motorcycles and big rigs and all other types of vehicles that folks like to drive or pull; if refresher courses were mandatory every 10 years; if brash youngsters and wavering elders were not permitted to drive.
Those who are anti-high speed never think about the individual responsibility of drivers to know how to drive, or the responsibility of state to teach people how to drive.
chris says
I keep tires on my personal truck rated at 126mph….. Just saying. And by the way if you want to understand the danger of vehicles governed at different speeds just fallow a Stevens truck down Donner and count how many times you almost get plowed
Pat says
Didn’t Nevada have no speed limits at one time? This 85mph speed limit is as about as ridicules having a 55mph speed limit in a school zone. Give us a break there are enough clowns out there on the road now. I will probably get a lot of flak for this but……some of the people out there driving rigs today need to look hard and long at their own driving.
Pat OOIDA Life member
Jeff says
where do they get this is safer? we all know insurance companies will not go along with this in big trucks. and most are cut back to 62-65 for the insurance cost cut back compancies get if they do. can you image us doing 65 and 4 wheelers doing over 85 which does now and will acure. what a joke. WHAT A dam joke
Bob says
85 mph or a cell phone in your hand whats the difference,including truckers who still use hand held,guess the fine and points wont make them any difference,if you dont like the speed stay on another highway, michigan cars 70 to 80 trucks 60 all the same thing,only reason alot of people complaing about the speed is that they actually might have to pay attention to driving instead of texting or talking on a phone. back in the 1970 and 80 arkansas and a few other states were 80 to 85 so what has changed over the years except distracted driving.want to talk on phone find a phone booth,look at a computer stay at home,make up on dress before you leave,etc. also how many are complaining and dont even live in texas.
Army the Trucker says
The ATA’s little mouthpiece thinks 65 is safest?
REALLY?
I bet that dude has never had a 65 MPH company driver whip out in front of him
while HE was driving a truck at the POSTED SPEED LIMIT OF 75 and doing it SAFELY.
Dear ATA, PUT A SOCK IN IT!
I’m never going to buy into the idea driving slow is a good thing, except in adverse weather conditions.
Let me drive MY way, and the ATA members can keep right on undercutting each other for the cheap heavy crap freight.
Get out of the way, ATA.
Better still, lose your GPS, get lost, and go jump in a piranha infested lake.
Mike says
The ATA represents the big bottom feeder trucking companies, not the trucker. So whenever you read about something they support, (like Electronic onboard recorders and 65mph for all trucks), just keep in mind that this is what the big companies want because that’s the way they are set up. I wish the ATA would change their name. They don’t represent the views of truckers. If anything they sell us out by supporting policies that help these big companies who are filled with rookies who are the real danger on the highway. Hey ATA, why don’t you push to have experience of the driver, and driver turnover rate to be added into the BASIC calculations for company CSA scores and prove me wrong.
Joe Young YXL says
ATA, get real. I-10 in west Texas has seen safe 80-mph truck traffic for decades, …and? The fairy tale, hysterical notion that speed differences cause accidents, is DEBUNKED DAILY in Germany, where heavy trucks drive 55, and cars go whizzing by an double their speed. SO WHAT?? Pay attention to the world around you, and you will be as capable as the tens of millions of drivers using German freeways every year.
I know..I lived there for 16 years.
Randy says
While i don’t agree with the ATA i also don’t agree with a lot of these “veteran” drivers either. To this day you still have “veteran” drivers running two and three log books driving way over their hours… you guys are the ones allowing and giving the ATA, MADD, and all the other groups ammunition against this industry to accept these crap rules. Everytime veterans want to bitch about EOBR’s the following sentence is usually how they run two logbooks… knock it off your the reasons for these damn rules.