70 or BUST?: Rep. Paul Tittl, R-Manitowoc, is proposing increasing the speed limit to 70 mph on Wisconsin’s freeways and expressways, following in the steps of the Badger State’s neighbors.
Posted on 08/21/2013 7:36:49 AM PDT by Sopater
MADISON – Lead-footed Wisconsinites are rejoicing over a new proposal to raise the speed limit on some Wisconsin roads from 65 mph to 70 mph.
70 or BUST?: Rep. Paul Tittl, R-Manitowoc, is proposing increasing the speed limit to 70 mph on Wisconsin’s freeways and expressways, following in the steps of the Badger State’s neighbors.
Cautious drivers are not quite as enthused.
And others are worried about the cost.
A brief about Rep. Paul Tittl’s proposal prompted quite a bit of discussion Monday on Wisconsin Reporter’s Facebook page, with opinions across the spectrum.
Among them:
“With 95% doing 70 or more anyways, I say yes to the increase, but that would mean less speeding ticket revenues for the state. Wait, scratch that. You’ll still have those peeps doing 80 or more, so maybe that won’t matter. LOL” – Kevin L. Miller
“I don’t like the million (it’s) gonna cost to change all the signs.” – Joel Odegaard
“Nope! People drive like idiots as it is. Raise the speed limit and there will for sure be more traffic fatalities!” – Julie Kandaras Weir
It’s not often that a Wisconsin Republican wants to follow in Illinois’ footsteps.
But Tittl, R-Manitowoc, is making an exception.
He introduced a bill on Tuesday that would increase the speed limit on the state’s freeways and expressways and interstate highways from 65 mph to 70 mph – with some discretion still given to the state Department of Transportation to designate a lower speed limit in some places where there are particular safety concerns.
The impetus, he said?
“It’s about finding time with your families,” Tittl said. “It’s about allowing the people who are working, allowing them to get home faster, to spend more time with their families.”
Tittl’s proposal comes just one day after Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signed a higher speed limit there into law.
“I don’t think you’ll see a change in fatalities and injuries or anything like that,” Tittl said. “If there was a chance of that, if safety would be compromised on Wisconsin highways, I wouldn’t even be doing this.”
Tittl already has the support of Rep. Keith Ripp, R-Lodi, chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee.
“I think raising the speed limits in line with other states (is) good for business, good for tourism and also commerce throughout the Midwest, dealing with the same regulations,” said Ripp, owner of a trucking company.
All of Wisconsin’s neighbors have speed limits higher than the Badger State’s.
And all but 13 states, plus the District of Columbia, have a speed limit of 70 mph or higher on at least some of their roads – according to information Tittl provided Tuesday.
He said his bill is common-sense legislation that recognizes that people already drive faster than 65 mph.
One day on the way to the Legislature, Tittl said, he committed to driving 65 mph, “and I was the absolute slowest person on the road. I did not pass anyone, and there was hundreds of people that went past me during that two-hour-and-15-minute drive.”
The Legislature’s next session is scheduled for next month.
Tittl said he’s confident will be signed into law by the end of the year.
I'm not sure most drivers could, though. You're getting into some sort of squirrely territory in triple digits, where poorly maintained vehicles get drivers into a lot of trouble very quickly. That said, they manage it pretty nicely in Germany but those roads are in prime condition and the left-lane folks seem to know what they're doing, at least in my limited experience.
But 70, meh. The whole country is doing 70 now. Or more. Sometimes a lot more. Not that I would know, because I have never driven over the speed limit. Officer.
My last two cars have been German and the owner's manuals of both give/gave specific instructions regarding tire inflation when your speed is expected to exceed 100mph.
The little stretch of road between Nevada and Idaho Falls is 85 miles of nothing. I used to go 90 mph on there regular - passing was up over 110mph.
The problem is stopping.
Double-Nickle was a Nixon invention.
“Cars today could safely do 120 on a good freeway”
Driving between Chatanooga and Nashville, I saw a sign, “Nashville, 120 miles.”
I thought, “I can be there in an hour” and cranked the LS 400 up to 120. At about 90, I could feel the aerodynamics come into play, as the car really came into it’s own! Then, rational thought came into play, and I slowed back down. But the car did feel even safer at 120 then at 80.
Bias from the first word in the first sentence.
Carter was indeed and still is...an idiot
But Congress in1974 drafted and enacted the Emergency Highway Energy Conservation act requiring a national 55mph speed limit and Richard Nixon signed it into law
Wisconsin is a bit slow on this
Nixon actually had in 1973 pushed for 50mph.....even worse
Too many idiots to go around
We just ignored it mostly and went 65 or so
Higher out west
Biggest fear is animals crossing the road.
Multiply that danger by 10 and you have a Wisconsin road a dusk. One summer we counted 50 dear on a 100 mile stretch of Wi. rural road.
Sorry
Late to the party
Carter still idiot though
Austin has 85 speed limit fo wheel?
:: If Wisconsin is anything like Michigan, 70 won’t be nearly high enough for them. ::
Sure, but you will still travel at 66 MPH in the left hand lane between Watervliet and Detroit behind 40+ vehicles on I-94.
Yes. It is a toll road that bypasses Austin on the east side.
Only a myopic liberal idiot would have problems with 75mph by guessing at what they think will happen when all they have to do is look at all the other States with 75mph limits and know what does or does not happen.
Colorado has 75mph and crashes and accidents are almost always unrelated to the speed limit as they happen well under 75mpg. Speeding is not that much of a concern at all, either. It is rare I see someone going over 85mph, and when they do we are all going 85mph in uncongested traffic.
I’m planning to be in the Austin area in early September so I may have make a point of driving on that road.
Normal freeway cruising speed in GA is 80 MPH, urban/suburban areas included.
The Yoopers (on the U.P) call their brothers in the south Trolls - they live under the (Mackinac) bridge.
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