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Texas Opens Highway With 85 MPH Speed Limit — The Fastest Road in America

Oct. 24, 2012 7:15pm Jason Howerton

SAN ANTONIO (TheBlaze/AP) — Motorists, start your engines. It’s opening day for the last leg of a Texas toll road with the nation’s fastest speed limit.

The final 41-mile stretch of Texas Highway 130 opened Wednesday after three years of construction. The speed limit is 85 mph.

The toll road is intended to help alleviate the increasingly crowded Interstate 35 corridor between Austin and San Antonio, which are two of the state’s largest metropolitan areas.

Comments (66)

sbenard
Posted on October 25, 2012 at 12:42am
It’s America’s Autobahn!

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- BSdetector
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:20am
  What would we do without the libs who drive with their eyes shut and think they’re perfectly safe because the government says they are as long as they stay below XX mph?
  I routinely go 90+ on the turnpike in my state and since I pay attention to my surroundings, I’m in no more danger than if I was doing 45. Yes other people are idiots and do stupid things, but if you’re paying attention, it’s easy to see when they are about to do such a thing and adjust your speed/distance/etc.
  
  Use your brain and you won’t need Nanny dictating every aspect of your life anymore…
  
  Report this comment
- Johnny Cocheroo
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 9:18am
  Ever try the great state of Tennessee?
  
  Stay in the left lane. You’ll pass the trucks on the way up and they’ll pass you on the way down.
  
  Report this comment
- G-WHIZ
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 10:47am
  I have drivven may hyways at speedlimit=65 and been passed-up by everyone-else at 85-to105mph.
  
  Report this comment
- muffythetuffy
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 11:58am
  Every driver in South Carolina on the 95 interstate goes 85 in a posted 75 limit. My big RAM 1500 hugs the road and shoots along with little Audi’s and Big House trailers from Canada. We do not have any problem at 85mph. We have airbags, Anti-lock brakes, Steel Belted Radials, tire pressure monitors, and seat belts. If the speed posted is 85, people will try 95. Texas is a big state and people need to get were they are going. Wow , 300 miles in 3 hours.
  
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- muffythetuffy
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 12:01pm
  I love traveling at 85. I do buy those Michelin Tires, the ones that have the highest speed and temperature rating of other brands. My tires are rated at 130mph so I do feel safe at 85 mph on SC route 95 roads posted at 75.
  
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- muffythetuffy
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 12:05pm
  Oh you do pay for driving at 85. My RAM 1500 gets 22 mpg at 50 but at 85 the gas mileage drops down to 14mpg. There is no free lunch in America. Driving in the South is like driving in the 1950s. You have the whole highway to yourself with very little traffic. Its wonderful.
  
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Rayblue
Posted on October 25, 2012 at 12:18am
Why would anyone want to slow down to 85 ?
Drive I-10 East from Grand Parkway to the Beltway any weekday morning.

In the good old days I seem to remember 95 MPH as the limit.
1950 to 1960 there was no limit. States would post signs for the areas according to usage and safety on curves. HWY 75 from Dallas to Oklahoma was a zip.

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- DTR
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 9:16am
  HAHAH!!! It’s so true! I (along with everyone else) regularly do 90+ while on the Belt, the Loop, 45N, the Hardy, 10, the Eastex, 290, and every other vein and artery in Houston… I love it when I see a cop coming up behind me and I slow down to 10 over and he passes me…
  
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- muffythetuffy
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 12:10pm
  I have been told that in Texas there are some Interstates were there are warning signs at the entrance that if you are not comfortable driving at high speed take a different route.
  
  Report this comment
WireWizard
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 9:35pm
Montana had no speed limit until the pansies took control. Even during the 55mph national speed limit they only issued tickets for “wasting resources”, a 15 dollar fine.

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BigDaddyTex
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 9:31pm
Not me… Too many non-drivin’ yankees movin’ in. I’ll stick to the back roads, thank ya!!
:-P

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Fatheroftwo
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 9:28pm
Something to remember when driving………EVERYBODY ELSE THINKS YOUR THE IDIOT!!!!!!

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- Eastinfection
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 9:41pm
  Also remember- the “STOP” signs with white borders are optional.
  
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- Oneirishman
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 10:01pm
  Same as Blogging.
  
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- Fatheroftwo
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 10:10pm
  Just like turn signals!!!
  
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- Fatheroftwo
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 10:12pm
  oneirishman: Kind of like opinions….everybody has one and no one cares about mine!!!!
  
  Report this comment
phillipnolan
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 9:23pm
yawn, old news — been driving for the last couple of years on an 85mph stretch of i-15 in southern Utah.

get your facts straight.

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- BasketFullOfPuppies
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 12:25am
  And, this is why we check our facts… you’re wrong and since you say you’ve been driving it, you’re also a criminal…
  
  In January 2009, the speed limit on two sections of I-15 together totaling 35 miles was raised to 80 mph as a “test.”[173] Although still posted as “experimental”, the Utah DOT announced at the end of 2009 that the test had been successful[174] and the speed limit is still posted as 80 mph.
  The 80 mph zones are from mile 207 (39.474823°N 111.988755°W) to mile 188 (39.242678°N 112.125169°W) and from mile 162 (38.926612°N 112.372142°W) to mile 144 (38.736697°N 112.586394°W).
  Two more streches of I-15 are now 80 mph zoned, both between Cove Fort (junction I-15 & I-70) and Cedar City.
  Although 80 mph is posted on parts of I-15 and 75 mph is posted elsewhere, some stretches of I-80 and I-84 are posted at 70 mph east of Salt Lake City. I-80 is briefly posted 65 mph/truck speed: 55 between US 40 and Wanship.
  Speed limit from Ogden to Spanish Fork on I-15 is 65 mph. Other than that, speed limit is 75 miles per hour.
  
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702TruthSeeker
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 9:21pm
Utah has had a section of i15 with 85mph for years now, sorry Texas, not the first

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- BasketFullOfPuppies
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 12:43am
  http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=30232&t=Utah-Keeps-80-MPH-Speed-Limit-on-I-15-Stretches
  
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Oneirishman
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 9:19pm
I pray to god they haven’t installed any of those signs telling the deer to cross there. That would be cruel.

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TX_45_ACP
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 9:16pm
That toll road is owned by a company from Spain. They set the toll prices and collect the dough. Just sayin’ …

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- ProbIemSoIver
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 3:12am
  Here is why we long-term lease or SELL parts of America to Foreign Investors:
  
  http://rense.com/general86/nomis.htm
  
  People are in for a very rude awakening.
  
  This all happened because they wrote off the most intelligent and educated people as conspiracy theorists.
  
  Report this comment
Unclesammy
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 8:18pm
No speed limit would work for me. I have driven the Autobahn back in the 70′s and the only danger was some stupid American hippies driving 55 in the left lane in a rented VW bus. They are lucky to be alive and if they are I’m sure they are voting for obama.

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- Wolfgang the Gray
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 8:49pm
  I lived in Germany for 7-years in the 80s. My favorite thing was seem a hotshot with his Corvette go out & blow his engine on the Autobahn trying to keep up with an Opel compact. He had no clue that it isn’t horsepower on the Autobahn, its gearing. Sure, the supercars have lots of ponies under the hood, but without the gearing, your motor is going to pop.
  
  As for this road, GO TEXAS!!! Don’t let the Feds stop you either!
  
  Report this comment
ShyLow
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 8:18pm
Maybe Texas will lead the way in legalizing atv’s for the street

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- THXll38
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 9:39pm
  Move to Montana… they allow you to plate ATVs, dirt bikes, snow mobiles etc! I always use the sled in the winter and the RZR in the spring and summer :-)
  
  Report this comment
- ShyLow
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 9:53pm
  Wish I could find video on youtube of legal quads in America. Here in West Virginia there are a few pockets of freedom. Montana sounds like a good state
  
  Report this comment
- THXll38
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 10:05pm
  I love Montana. My wife was born and raised there, I just came along for the ride. Depending on where you are in the state, the winters can be harsh and cold, NW Montana (Kalispell, Columbia Falls) winters are mild.
  
  Report this comment
- Chinishque
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 2:27pm
  Here in Alaska we don’t have to plate and they can be run on back roads and on trails beside the main roads. It is very common to have folks going into town on their wheelers in the summer and their snowmachines in the winter. And by the way…we haven’t had a real summer up here in two years, just winter spring and fall. This morning it was in the single digits around Anchorage and I bet it was really cold out in the bush. Sure could use some global warming!
  
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wisehiney
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 8:12pm
I enjoyed legally driving 70 mph on rural two lane roads last time I visited Texas.
Keep it real, keep it True, keep it FREE! GO TEXAS!

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MrButcher
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 8:00pm
The Land of the Free shouldn’t have speed limits on freeways in unpopulated areas.

If one wishes to drive as fast as they want, use the left lane. All others use the right lane except when passing.

That’s how the Autobahn works. That’s what we should do.

You can blame Nixon for speed-limits.

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- ProbIemSoIver
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 3:31am
  Land of the free ?
  
  Yeah you have the freedom to pick one of the 3 options so kindly given to you.
  
  We actually can go back further than Nixon for blame.
  
  We lost this country in 1913.
  
  “I am a most unhappy man. I have unwittingly ruined my country. A great industrial nation is now controlled by its system of credit… We have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated Governments in the world – no longer a Government of free opinion, no longer a Government by conviction and vote of the majority, but a Government by the opinion and duress of small groups of dominant men.”
  – Woodrow Wilson, 1919
  
  He is talking about the Federal Reserve Act. A contract between our “Government” (A private Corporation) and a PRIVATE BANK – The Federal Reserve. It is no more Federal, than Federal Express.
  
  In 1933, The insolvent U.S. Corp declared Bankruptcy and had to surrender collateral to the PRIVATE BANK:
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlCs7u1ihws
  
  That is when America was taken over.
  
  The ABA brought forth Uniform Commercial Code around 1938.
  This was an across-the-board set of rules and regulations for the subsidiary corps. of the Mother Corp. – The United States. Its main office and headquarters in Washington, D.C.
  
  The creditor of the Bankruptcy eventually became the UN.
  
  They began Foreclosure on America in 1992 (same year AGENDA 21 emerged)
  http://rense.com/general86/nomis.htm
  
  Report this comment
KnuckleDraggingNeanderthal
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 7:50pm
Just one more of the many reasons we are leaving Illinois and moving to Texas within the next year or so!

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- wisehiney
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 8:17pm
  One of my ancestor’s was granted land near Carrollton, IL for service in the War of 1812. They eventually sold that land and moved to Texas to join other family and named the place they settled Carrollton, TX.
  
  Report this comment
coyote1hell
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 7:48pm
Buh’rack Hussein “(o)”…said..uhhh..errrr…well…you , uhhh, didn’t build that…nope…

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The-Monk
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 7:46pm
Some might be interested in this…..

After NASA did a study on different kinds tires hydroplaning (cars, jumbo jets, etc) and found out that most car tires only hydroplane at 55 MPH the entire USA maximum speed was set at 55 MPH.

Thinning the heard?

Told to me by a NASA physicist…

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- fb274
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 8:28pm
  Driving in extremely heavy rain a car can hydroplane at almost any speed. If a brake caliber is stuck in one wheel, that wheel is not turning as fast as the other 3 wheels. Happen to me in heavy, heavy traffic in monstrous rain storm at night between Houston and Austin. Darn hard to control at 35 to 40 mph. It’s heck to have to travel at such reduced speed with hazard flashers.
  
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- The-Monk
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 9:28pm
  @fb274,
  
  NASA did their tests without any brake caliper issues. I did some research back then on this and from what I found was that hydroplaning on most cars only occurs at 55 MPH.
  
  With that said… I had a 67 VW bug and was stopped when I tried to cross a flooded road by a Police officer. I turned off the engine, got out and walked the VW across the flooded road by it’s bumper (it floated), started it up on the other side and drove away while waving out the window.
  
  I guess I was hydroplaning then to.
  
  PS; this was meant to be funny and not disrespectful and it’s true. : )
  
  Report this comment
- Eastinfection
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 9:38pm
  LOL Monk….!!
  
  Fahrvergnugen!! (Mooo!)
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdQY_BZE2uE
  
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- The-Monk
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 10:49pm
  Hi East,
  
  More like this…..
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qB0lb401ZU
  
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- Eastinfection
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 11:01pm
  Damn Monk!!
  
  $2,000 and 13lbs of paint?…..
  When’s da guberment gonna hook me up wif an Obama- Bug? For real yo..
  
  Report this comment
Individualism
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 7:42pm
nice, now how about a road with no speed limit. its sad we have to get our countries dumbest to enforce this.

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- M13
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 8:28pm
  Well start enforcing then little guy.
  
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- THXll38
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 9:43pm
  Montana used to have a reasonable and prudent speed limit, but the feds continuously threatened them to pull their highway funding if they didn’t change it. Gotta love bureaucratic blackmail.
  
  Report this comment
Ghengas
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 7:37pm
Yo! Owebama, 2008 called they want their vote back.

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noslave
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 7:36pm
now if california&nevada do the same??and i read ,pelosi and harry reid both became ROAD PIZZAS i’ll throw a party, there is a god??,

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marine249
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 7:36pm
We here in Mt. are going to have to change our speed laws
to 90 on the interstate. and 85 on the two lane roads.
We can’t let Texas get ahead of us.

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- mechjunk
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 10:16pm
  I love Montana and the time I spent living there. I loved the 70 MPH two lanes all across the state, as I had to travel across the state for a living. Unfortunately, the communists that live in Montana (and yes, there are quite a few) and are part of the state legislature (almost half) will never let this happen. They wouldn’t want to lose the baby bottle transportation funds from the federal govt. And if you don’t believe me about the communists, then why is one of their party headquarters in Missoula?
  
  Report this comment
- marine249
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 10:29pm
  bingo
  
  Report this comment
Ghengas
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 7:33pm
Yo! Owebama, the 80′s called they want their coke back!

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broper
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 7:31pm
I’ve driven between San Antonio and Austin dozens of times, and it seems to me everyone was already doing 85… so this means 90 is probably not even going to net a driver a ticket, and even 100 won’t be reckless driving. Texans are going to love it.

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- AxelPhantom
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 8:14pm
  Driven this road and it is beautiful, smooth as a newborn’s bottom even at 85mph. Also driven from Austin to Dallas on 35 where it is two lane, hilly, crowded, loaded with trucks, plenty of “Mexican Road Blocks”, concrete barriers nearly on the solid white line and some people still go 85 (my lead foot husband being one of them). I’ll take 130 any day.
  
  Report this comment
Mr.buff1959
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 7:30pm
Just another good reason i live in Texas.If you can,t stand the speed, stay on i35.

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Stelex
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 7:30pm
I call BS,,,, 93 in NH we do 85 regularly, then suddenly stop, then suddenly speed up to 85 again, then do 5mph for 10 miles then hit 85 for 2miles then hit the parking lot for 8 minutes……now the battles begin. I’m about 18 miles into a 35 mile drive…..you got your lane dancers, slow pokes, spacer’s ( people who feel they don’t have to keep up because we’re in trafic”, high beamers, finger pointers( the middle one of course) and the tailgaiter (who rides your A$$ even though there are 75 cars in front of you going nowhere). That’s on a clear day, introduce snow………avoid 93 all together and stay home and get drunk.

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- Stelex
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 7:35pm
  God I hope it snows tomorrow
  
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- Eastinfection
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 9:44pm
  Damn i miss living in New England ;)
  
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- SgtB
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 11:01pm
  Those “spacers” are doing you a favor by smoothing traffic flow and reducing the wear and tear on your vehicle (when you aren’t driving like an ass and riding their bumpers). They also prevent pile-up accidents by allowing all of traffic to come to a slower more controlled stop behind them. Don’t get me wrong. You put me on an open highway on my bike and I’m gonna be doing a buck twenty all the way. But in traffic, that is a whole other can of worms and you riding someone’s tail and slamming your brakes isn’t going to get anyone there quicker or safer.
  
  Report this comment
- Eastinfection
  Posted on October 24, 2012 at 11:50pm
  Anyone who tries to manipulate MY driving with self- appointed authority is NOT doing me a favor.
  
  What business is it of yours how much “wear & tear” i put on my vehicle?… IF YOU ARE NOT IN THE PROCESS OF PASSING A CAR GET THE EFF OUT OF THE LEFT LANE!!!
  
  Report this comment
- Stelex
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:33am
  Amen to that East
  
  Report this comment
PatriotDadOfSix
Posted on October 24, 2012 at 7:29pm
Frickin Awesome!

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