Higher limits are not necessarily bad. When I-195 opened at 55 MPH there were vehicles driving at 55 and as high as 80. That wide differential in speeds made the drive very hazardous. Shortly the limit was raised to 60 and the drivability was greatly enhanced by a significant drop in the differentials (now 60+ to 75). The problem with 70 is that at that speed there is a whole lot of gas guzzling going on. Michigan has 70 limit on many roads without apparent problem, BUT they have lots of cheap land to built with 3 lanes each way.preacher the

I would like to see the State of Maryland allow 60 and 65 MPH speed limits on state highways that are built to interstate standards- such as MD Routes 10, 32, 100, and 200 (ICC). There are stretches on Routes 32 and 100 that basically serve as revenue generators for the state and county police forces (not to mention the MP's who patrol Route 32 in Fort Meade) because most people are driving in excess of the posted 55 MPH speed limit.

Some of us are old enough to remember when Maryland interstates like I 70 (at least west of Hagerstown) had a 70 mph limit. It was engineered for those speeds.
The strongest argument against is that it wastes gas and plays into the hands of the Arabs and Venezuelans. As you say, the danger is with morons at the wheel, not high speeds.

I think any increase in speed should be tied to automated (and stepped up police) enforcement. You want to drive 70mph, even 75mph on a highway then if you go one mph over that you _will_ have a ticket in your mailbox. But if there is no concomitant increase in enforcement you're giving people license to use the already internalized "10 percent rule" on a higher number.

Also, enforcement efforts should be on average speeds over a mile or two like they are in England. But, our data protection laws should be better. If your license isn't over the speed limit for the time then it's automatically deleted.

Michael, portions of the Capital Beltway in Prince George's County were posted at 70 MPH prior to the imposition of the NMSL 55 limit in 1973.

I agree with you that nearly all of I-70 in Maryland could have a 70 (or even 75) MPH posted limit.

Maybe not I-68 (clearly not the substandard section through Cumberland), and even beyond that, there are some pretty sharp curves and steep grades (by Interstate standards).

But several others could safely have limits posted at 70 or 75 (I do not believe 75 has ever been a legal speed limit in Maryland):

1. U.S. 50 between New Carrollton and Annapolis
2. I-95 between the Beltways
3. I-95 (JFK Highway) between I-695 and the Delaware line.
4. I-97
5. I-83 between Timonium and the Pennsylvania line
6. I-270