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 detest speeders
I am a Buckeye married to a Gander who’s family are Yoopers, except her mom who was a Wisconsinite from just over the Montreal River.
Wifey grew up just outside Detroit. If I call her a troll I’ll be in bigger trouble than during OSU-Michigan weekend.
Just my two cents after driving for 44 years, the biggest and most dangerous problem on the highways is not speed but drivers sitting in the left high speed lane. This causes passing on the right which is fraught with danger. Surprisingly, California has posted “slower traffic keep right” signs but I have never seen nor heard it being enforced.
Biggest danger I see are drivers (generally women 25-50, sorry) in SUV’s who do not realize that those things are trucks and can’t be driven in the same manner as a Toyota Corolla. All the while yakking away on their cell phones
(aside from one who nearly t-boned me while her face was buried in an Egg McMuffin). And yes, the speeds are all far below 70.
I have no problem with it. It’s 75 in California, Arizona and New Mexico.
With modern auto and road technology, 70 is stupid. 85 or 90 makes a lot more sense. Then again, considering that all it takes to get a license now is the ability to fog a mirror, maybe it should be 35.
Politicians permitting more individual freedom? I can’t comprehend.
Bingo. My single fear on my 62 mile commute on back roads is deer
Follow the money. Higher speed limits means more gas consumption and more tax money generated.
I’m a Wisconsinite who make frequent trips on I-90-94. I regularly drive 70. At that speed countless cars whiz by me. I’d say at least half the drivers go faster than 70 now. Establishing 70 would just make law what is the de facto speed limit.
WV has a 70 mph limit and that’s for the slow pokes. Even in the mountains we can do better than 70. The only problem is the out of staters that keep up with traffic until they hit the curves and then they choke. I see lots of them in the median.
And never panic brake in a curve towing a trailer.
I took my GPS on a commercial airplane and got the max speed number up over 400MPH, so that there was no way it could be used against me in a speeding-related civil or criminal matter.
If you are in an accident where speed is an issue, this could become evidence that you have a history of high speed driving. Try saying that when the number is 400+...
Do something about it.
I use my phone usually for GPS...normally i just don’t need it...i just pull up a map
i’m old school rand mcnally
and know America really well having driven all over it for since the 60s as a boy
that was my friends GPS and it was late on a trafficless bypass..
but you bring up quite a good point i had not thought of
it was in my older 996...long ago paid for..14 year old car now
and it will do what they advertise as top speed
funny though...you can’t do much more aftermarket on those motors...chips..cold air ..headers etc all costly and not much effect
i guess buy a turbo model if you can afford it
i paid 22K in 2005 as a quick cash sale from a prominant divorce...he wanted the cash then..lol
virtually no trouble with it ever...i think one new magneto...was cracked and getting in moisture
my third in my life...the first two were more problematic...old webers and whatnot
As a recent transplant to the Phoenix area two issues out here that are more critical than elsewhere is the sand/gravel issue for windshield breakage and the issue of under inflated tires.
If you are down to 22 lbs in the midwest, you usually have a few weeks to catch the deficeincy before it produces a problem. Out here, that 10 to 15 pound shortage will cause a highway speed blowout in only a day or two due to the road bed and tires being 30 degrees hotter on the average than elsewhere. There are massive blow-outs daily every other mile on the highways out here.
More speed will make both of these problems worse as the traffic already is at 75 to 85.
Remind me. Is that a 50 or 55 mph zone?
I was doing 142 in my Chrysler 300M in eastern Montana on I-94 a few years back and my single fear was a blowout. My tires had the right temperature rating and were at the right pressure, but a blowout would have probably been fatal.
The cars might if they could reach that speed, the drivers are mostly incompetent at half that speed. Many should not be driving at all.
I have advocated reaction time testing and requirements for years to get a license.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.