As Connecticut legislators deliberate bringing back tolls to the state's highways, one lawmaker has another idea concerning those state roads: increase the statewide maximum speed limit from 65 to 75 mph.
State Rep. Minnie Gonzalez (D-Hartford), who proposed the legislation Monday, called the current speed limit "a joke" that Connecticut motorists are choosing to ignore, according to an Associated Press report published on CBSNew York.
Addressing the Connecticut General Assembly Transportation Committee, she argued that statistics support a decrease in accidents with a higher maximum speed limit, the AP reports. Some members countered saying the data might apply to larger, less dense populations than here in Connecticut.
Fifteen years ago Connecticut became the last state in the continential U.S. to pass legislation increasing the max speed limit from 55 to 65 mph, according to the AP.
Tell us what you think: Should the speed limit be upped to 75?
Even with a higher limit we'd have a few slowpokes who occupy the left lane and nobody would get to drive the higher speed. Until we can solve congestion in this state and re-educate drivers on the notion of "Keep Right Except to Pass," such discussions are moot. Better to keep the limit lower and reap the fines when the police choose to enforce....
Fuel savings - that's an individual problem. Like the lottery, consider it a stupidity tax. Some states are hurting because higher MPG means less tax. (Or non-stupid drivers whose time is worth more than $8/hour might decide saving a half hour is worth spending an extra $4 on gas) The current unrealistic speed limits encourage disrespect for all laws, even more so when one sees a cruiser doing "Statie Eighty" up the left lane; and the speed differentials, and poor guidance the signs give ("Is it 55mph because it's too curvy for $75, or because some bureaucrat decided?") make roads more dangerous. I've traversed your roads many dozens of times going between Massachusetts and New York, and recently a dozen or more times between my old home in Mass and my new home in Milford. Other than construction and accidents I've never hit traffic except on I-95 between New Haven and Greenwich (mostly from construction there too) or exiting I-91 to the Charter Oaks Bridge. There is plenty of wide open road. Even the parkways can handle the speed in daylight on dry pavement. Highway engineers suggest setting the limit at the 85th percentile of traffic (that is, so only 15% of drivers are going faster.) I don't know if that's recursive. Now that's called crowdsourcing. Drivers familiar with the road drive at a safe and reasonable speed.
Upping the limit will mean the current 5-10 MPH grace the cops current give will change - not go away, just change. Try driving down south in some of the rural areas. The limit is the limit - p.e.r.i.o.d. One MPH over and it's a ticket. In NH or Hartford? Lower the limit. Considerable more congestion, curvy roads that inhibit how far you can see ahead of you, and worse pavement conditions. If you're in the NE part of the state on 84, or heading toward toward the airport on 91... That could easily be 90 (on a good day).
Personally, I'm in favor of raising the speed limit to the highest, safest rate of speed, taking into consideration how the road is laid out (can you see a mile ahead of you or is there a curve or hill up ahead?). If it's raining, foggy, etc or if weather is a concern, the same rules as today applies - you can be ticketed for driving UNDER the speed limit because you're still traveling too fast for conditions. The condition of the vehicle does not come into play. You should not be ticketed traveling 85MPH in your 1983 Corolla because your car can't handle it, just as a person driving a Ferrari should not be allowed to drive 120 because that car *can* handle it.