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Saturday, February 2, 2008
TxDOT raises speed limit on US 287 down by Midlothian
Formerly 55 mph, the speed limit was raised from just south of Midlothian, near Clinton Lane, to Lone Star Road in Johnson County after a speed study by engineers determined the reasonable speed of the majority of drivers.
Sign technicians from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) have recently posted a new 65 mph speed for a portion of US 287. The change occurred last week after local governments and law enforcement agencies were informed.
Formerly 55 mph, the speed limit was raised from just south of Midlothian, near Clinton Lane, to Lone Star Road in Johnson County after a speed study by engineers determined the reasonable speed of the majority of drivers.
Speed limits in Texas are determined by the 85th percentile method, which represents the speed most drivers will be traveling at or below. Most drivers naturally select a comfortable speed, not too slow or too fast, but one that will get them where they want to go safely. The 85th percentile method helps TxDOT determine safe speeds on more than 80,000 miles of state-maintained roads in Texas. The message here being that, in order to ramp up the official speed limit, you need to be driving as fast as you possibly can.
More information on the magical process of how speed limits are determined in Texas can be found here.
Source: TxDOT
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Scott Doyle, verified:
Per <a href="ftp://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/pio/casbrochures/pub_limits.pdf">this brochure</a> on the linked TxDOT page:
When a speed limit is set below the 85th percentile, law enforcement officials must deal with reasonable people being ticketed for exceeding the posted limit as well as motorists who drive too fast.
Must deal with? Puh-lease, they're happy to get the revenue. I don't think I've ever been asked, "Are you a reasonable person?" before a cop issued the ticket.
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John Meyer, staff:
By this measure, and judging by the way I'm almost steamrolled every time I venture onto LBJ, the speed limit there ought to be somewhere around (scribbling on breakfast napkin) 87.36 mph.
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Pavel Lishin, verified:
So... if a stretch of road starts seeing an increase in speeding tickets, they'll raise the speed limit?
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Scott Doyle, verified:
Obviously that's just a rash of unreasonable people being antsy.
If you'd l2read, you'd know there are somewhat extensive studies supposedly done on the overall speed drivers are comfortable at. Considering the threat of a ticket is a major factor in whether people actually drive at their comfortable speed, I'm wondering just how often 85% of people are willing to break the law to satisfy their needs.
Seems to me TxDOT's saying if enough of us disobey what they tell us is safe, we dictate what's safe. If such is the case, I've been a revolutionary for years.
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What do you think?