(AP) – Arkansas legislators authorized a 75 mph speed limit
on some major highways beginning Tuesday, but state highway officials say “Not
so fast.”Engineers are still studying road designs and traffic patterns to determine
whether motorists can travel 75 mph safely, according to Arkansas Department of
Transportation spokesman Danny Straessle. It’s possible that no part of the
state’s 16,432-mile highway system can handle that speed. Many western states
already have speed limits at least that high, and some let motorists hit 80 or
85 mph.
on some major highways beginning Tuesday, but state highway officials say “Not
so fast.”Engineers are still studying road designs and traffic patterns to determine
whether motorists can travel 75 mph safely, according to Arkansas Department of
Transportation spokesman Danny Straessle. It’s possible that no part of the
state’s 16,432-mile highway system can handle that speed. Many western states
already have speed limits at least that high, and some let motorists hit 80 or
85 mph.
Research conducted by the U.S. insurance industry says higher speeds result in
worse traffic accidents and more fatalities.
The 2017 law says the highway department can raise the top speed limit from 70
mph to 75 mph if studies show it can be done safely.
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