Texas Considers 85 M.P.H. Speed Limit

A 41-mile stretch of toll road between San Antonio and Austin could be the new home of the country's highest speed limit.

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Hey, speed demons, sick of crawling along the nation’s highways at laughable speeds of 75, 65 or even (gasp) 55 miles an hour? Well, head on down to the Lone Star State, where the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) could soon create an 85 mph speed limit zone along State Highway 130.

If the proposed increase is approved, the 41-mile stretch between San Antonio and Austin would be home to the nation’s highest speed limit, a local CBS affiliate reports. The potential increase was made possible last year, when the state legislature passed House Bill 1201, raising the maximum speed limit from 80 to 85 on certain highways. TxDOT officials are considering testing out the new policy first to make sure conditions are safe before giving the green light.

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The new speed limit would, in theory, alleviate heavy congestion on the very heavily-traveled road between Austin and San Antonio. If approved, it would clock in as the world’s second-highest posted speed limit, Yahoo! reports. (Some roads in Poland reportedly allow speeds of about 86 mph.) Still, TxDOT spokesman Mark Cross assured Yahoo! that safety is the first priority.

Major concerns the agency is considering include the toll road’s topography, the speeds at which drivers are currently traveling on existing parts of the interstate, and ensuring that all cross-sections and access points would remain safe if the proposed increased were implemented. Sammy Hagar, start your engine.

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