cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

US Interstate Speed Limits are a Mess!!

I just completed a round trip from Birmingham AL to the Ohio Valley.  Along the way, I found it increasingly difficult to maintain a legal speed because it can change dramatically within less than 10 minutes.  I see no reason for the yo-yo limits.

 

Not counting construction areas, the first that I encountered are at the north end of Alabama before Tennessee.  For whatever reason, the speed limit changes from 70 to 65.  As soon as you cross into Tennessee, it is 70.  There is absolutely no visible reason for the change, but there it is.

 

As you progress further in Kentucky, the speed limit is all over the place.  70, 55, 65, 60 and you had better pay attention of you will be speeding.  Again, outside of construction I don't see the point.

 

On the return trip, I noticed along I-26 a lot of changes.  Within 10 minutes the speed goes from 70 to 55 and then multiple other speeds before you finally see 70 again.

 

It is time to get this mess cleaned up.  If you are on an interestate highway, then the speed limit needs to be consistent unless it is a large metro area or construction.  

 

 

Message 1 of 16
latest reply
15 REPLIES 15

US Interstate Speed Limits are a Mess!!

Just finished round trip from Birmingham to Orlando.  The roads in the southern part of the US have a lot less speed limit changes, at least on that route.

 

You are basically 65 to 70 the whole way from Birmingham except for a few towns in Alabama going down highway 231 toward the coast.  I go down to Marianna Florida then get I-10.

 

Gotta love the SunPass system that allows you to go through and have your plate IDd and/or the transponder.  It makes the trip much easier than traveling on 1970s roadways with toll collection booths and coin baskets.

 

I basically won't use the West Virginia Turnpike anymore since the tolls went from $1.25 x 3 to $2.00 x 3.  The road is torn up and not worth the money.  I can spend half as much going through Florida's Turnpike and have a perfectly smooth 3-lane highway at 70 MPH.

 

 

Message 2 of 16
latest reply

US Interstate Speed Limits are a Mess!!

These speed limit changes are often designed as speed traps. They mainly fine out of state motorists who have no reason to expect a 20mph drop in speed limit.

 

In Florida watch out for "school zones" the limit can drop from 60 to 15 mph and if you didn't notice the sign they can hang a major speeding charge on you.

Message 3 of 16
latest reply

US Interstate Speed Limits are a Mess!!

After I posted the above, I read where West Virginia will be doubling the cost of tolls beginninng January 1, 2019.  Instead of $6.00 to go across 88 miles of torn up roadway with speed limits as low as 50 MPH, they are going to be $12 each way.

 

I will not be traveling that section of road.  If West Virginia is broke, merge with Virginia and cut costs.

Message 4 of 16
latest reply

US Interstate Speed Limits are a Mess!!

The proliferation of toll roads is an american disgrace. Gasoline taxes and registration fees are supposed to pay for use and maintence of roads.  Many municipalities have sold the right to collect tolls to overseas companies.  So your toll money might not be going to the state for maintence of the road. Which is why you have high tolls coupled with decaying infrestructure and jack booted swine out earning county revenue off inexplicable rises and drops in speed limit.

Message 5 of 16
latest reply

US Interstate Speed Limits are a Mess!!

Drive the highways and freeways of all of the Hawaiian islands, I'm sure you have but most roads the speed limitis 50 mph or less.

Message 6 of 16
latest reply

US Interstate Speed Limits are a Mess!!

My concern was that the toll roads in Florida are, for the very most part, smooth and well managed.  The only section of Orlando that is a problem is I-4 which is not a toll road.

 

I sit here and laugh at West Virginia for doubling the tolls.  They went from $1.25 x 3 to $2.00 x 3 in 2009.  In 2019 they are going to $4.00 x 3.  So, in 10 years, the cost of tolls has doubled.

 

If you rough it out, it comes to about a 10% increase per year of the base amount, three times or more the annual inflation.

 

I bet that there are some politicians in West Virginia that are about to be on the outside looking in.  They need to merge with Virginia and cut costs.

Message 7 of 16
latest reply

US Interstate Speed Limits are a Mess!!

The Pennsylvania turnpike started it all!  One of the biggest scams in history.  Pa built it with the promise that the toll that was placed on it would be removed in a couple of years when the road was paid for. And every one bought it! That was seventy years ago. Been going up every year since.

Constant constuction and more speed zones than you could ever keep track of.

It was Ike who pushed to build it. He saw the autobahn and had to have one! It runs not to far from where his home in Gettysburg is( museum).

I avoid it as much as I can. Haven't used it since they made it all automated four years ago. For those of don't have EZPASS. They take a picture of your license plate and send the owner the bill. It hasen't worked very well for the state. They found out that they had a huge reduction in usage on some sections and that some travelers have found ways to defraud the system. Imagine that!

Message 8 of 16
latest reply

US Interstate Speed Limits are a Mess!!

The last time that I was on that section of road I remember bump - bump - bump - bump the whole way.  The road is one torn up mess.

 

It is a matter of time that someone will file a lawsuit against the PA Turpike Authority for breach of contract.  The road is so torn up that I see a class action suit coming.  Either make the road smooth and 70 MPH the whole way to drop the tolls.

Message 9 of 16
latest reply

US Interstate Speed Limits are a Mess!!

E-mail to West Virginia's Turnpike General Manager

 

Mr. XXX,
 
I wanted to share with you my thoughts on the sharp increase in tolls going across the West Virginia Turnpike.  While I realize that the fare for each toll was $1.25 until 2009, the doubling of the fare in ten years is quite unreasonable.
 
The highway spans 88 miles of rough, broken surface and the speed limits are irregular.  The last time that I was on the road was earlier this year and decided against paying the $6 to travel one way on such a dilapidated section of road.  No one wants to travel on a "turnpike" and be limited to 50 or 60 miles per hour.
 
Doing a rough calculation, a typical car today acheiving 30 miles per gallon will consume about 2.9 gallons of gasoline across the turnpike.  At approximately $2.45 per gallon, that's a fuel cost of $7.11 across that segment of road.  The toll now costs more than the fuel.
 
Traveling out of Birmingham AL I sometimes come up the turpike to visit my parents.  From now on, I'll either go up I-65 or bypass the turnpike and travel route 3 or other highways.
 
It seems that the legacy of the turnpike is coming under a lot of public scrutiny.  Speaking for myself, I'll not spend another dollar on your turnpike.
Message 10 of 16
latest reply

US Interstate Speed Limits are a Mess!!


@impalajohnny wrote:

The proliferation of toll roads is an american disgrace. Gasoline taxes and registration fees are supposed to pay for use and maintence of roads.  


Exactly. Drove from DC to around Chicago 2 weeks ago and will do again this week. Could have taken the PA, OH , IN, turnpikes and spent over $50 on tolls. Instead I took I68, I70 and I65 for free. Roads seemed just fine. May have taken an hour longer but didn't care.

Message 11 of 16
latest reply

US Interstate Speed Limits are a Mess!!

Ati, I went through Chicago one time and coudn't believe I had to pay to drive on that thing they call a road. Same for when I drove I-90 to Niagra Falls, NY.

 

There is only one toll road that I am aware in the state of WA, in Seattle. This is new construction, WA state removes the tolls from them once they are paid. They are not allowed to profit off the toll or use it to pay for another project... The money goes for that road construction project only.

 

 

Message 12 of 16
latest reply

US Interstate Speed Limits are a Mess!!

West Virginia claimed the same thing.  So did PA.  Once its paid for...

 

In Georgia, SR 400 had toll booths coming into Atlanta.  The toll was $0.50 and it was voted to remove the toll once the bond issue for the roadway was finished.  Of course, the State kept the toll in place.

 

A group were ready to file suit representing the people of Georgia for fraud, etc. regarding the ongoing toll after the road was paid.  The State complained that they'd have to tear down the toll booths which would disrupt traffic flow.  The group said that removing the toll booths was part of the original plan and cost anyway.  

 

Rather than face a legal battle and have the funds for the toll frozen and political careers ended, the State finally gave in and removed the toll booths.  

 

I still believe that the commissioner should have been arrested.

Message 13 of 16
latest reply

US Interstate Speed Limits are a Mess!!

Near where I live a turnpike was built from here to Tulsa in the early 70s. About 15 years ago it was reported that the turnpike was paid for entirely.

 

The by-laws stated that when a turnpike was paid off it was supposed to revert to being a free road.

 

The Turnpike Commission (none of whom seemed to know about this by-law) went into a mini-panic.

 

So what did they do? They changed the by-laws to state that if money was owed on ANY turnpike then none of them could become a free road. Then they went to building a turnpike around Oklahoma City which of course just added to the existing debt.

Message 14 of 16
latest reply

US Interstate Speed Limits are a Mess!!

Drove from Dauphin MB to Toronto and back. One option is going around Chicago. I have done that, not doing it again. Tolls and very poor roads. Went highway #2 across MN, Wisconsin, into Michigan, down I-75. Free and FASTER.

Speed limit is 75, which I understand is a suggested minimum. It staggers down to 60 and back up going through cities. Ya wouldn't know it as everyone goes 85-90.

Message 15 of 16
latest reply