Maine Becomes First State East of Mississippi with 75 MPH Speed Limit

[webby]

Maine Becomes First State East of Mississippi with 75 MPH Speed Limit

Maine became, this week, the first state east of the Mississippi River with a stretch of highway allowing a 75-mph speed limit.

There are lots of trees—and little else—on the straight, 110-mile stretch of Interstate 95 in the state’s far, northeast corner. For years, many residents didn’t even bother driving the old 65-mph speed limit and had lobbied unsuccessfully for a change.

“Up here, we’re isolated,” said Rick Castonguay, a real estate broker in Presque Isle. “Going down that stretch of the Interstate, it’s pretty straight. It’s trees, trees, trees. You can literally sit on that road, set your cruise control and watch the trees go by.”

But when freshman state representative, Alexander Willette, was campaigning door-to-door last fall, the biggest complaint he was asked to change was the speed limit.

And so he changed it. Of course, he had more pertinent issues to deal with first, and fortunately for him, the state’s Transportation Department had already concluded that a change was justifiable. In fact, Mark Latti, Transportation Department spokesman, said the department bases its limits on the speed at which 85 percent of motorists travel, and surveys showed that many residents drove drove at 75 mph anyway.

 

[clevrname]

How ironic is it that it's also the furthest from the Mississippi?

 

[Damaca]

the department bases its limits on the speed at which 85 percent of motorists travel

No one let Vdot learn about this method or I64 will be a random mix of 50 on straightaways, 35 around corners and bends and the lane next to the outside lane will be a stopping lane with merging rights. Oh and Yield signs will be reversed.

 

[webby]

if 85% of people said they traveled at over 100mph would they rethink that philosophy?

 

[bootyluvr]

if 85% of people said they traveled at over 100mph would they rethink that philosophy?

Are they basing that on what people have said or doing actually studies of tracking the speeds people are going??

 

[webby]

bases its limits on the speed at which 85 percent of motorists travel, and surveys showed that many residents drove drove at 75 mph anyway.

if it's a survey, I would say that people answered questions

 

[bootyluvr]

if it's a survey, I would say that people answered questions

Well are you assuming it is a survey that people are answering questions? Hmmm

 

[webby]

not sure how you can take a survey without answering questions...

 

[NitrousG35]

Good for Maine. Would to God that other states had some chutzpah and made speeds more realistic for how people drive. Most states have followed the 85% percentile, which means that if 85% of the drivers average a certain speed, then that speed should be used as a basis for a speed limit. I think Texas just went to 80mph speeds. Obviously, there are more crowded areas where 75mph may not work, but given the wide open spaces of many states, speed limits should be higher than they are. And yes, if 85% of the people were driving 100mph on a stretch of road, it means that it is their comfort level when driving. I know when traveling out west to California, 90mph seemed pretty slow.

 

[death_roll]

65mph limit is absurd, on my daily commute, doing 65 will get me run over by nearly everything.