Panel OKs Bill to Increase Speed Limit in Some Areas

Legislation that would increase the maximum speed limit to 65 m.p.h. on certain highways in rural regions of California was approved unanimously by the Senate Transportation Committee on Tuesday.

The bill by Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sepulveda), which went to the Appropriations Committee for further consideration, would add about 235 miles of highways that qualify for the maximum speed limit.

The panel acted swiftly, with virtually no discussion of the bill.

Miles of Freeway

As of last July, California had 1,200 miles of interstate freeways on which motorists are permitted to travel at 65 m.p.h., instead of the usual 55 m.p.h. speed limit. The additional 235 miles of rural highways covered in the new bill are not interstate highways but will have to meet interstate standards for design and quality to be designated for the 65 m.p.h. limit.

The state Department of Transportation and the California Highway Patrol would decide which roadways are eligible for the higher limit. Among those under consideration are 26 miles of California 14 from Solemint to California 138 in Palmdale, and more than 100 miles of California 99 in the San Joaquin Valley from the Grapevine to Fresno, although the 55 m.p.h. limit would remain in effect through urban areas.

Federal Program

In raising the speed limit, California would be one of 20 states participating in a four-year federal program designed to study the impact of the 65 m.p.h. speed limit on rural highways that appear to be safe for interstate driving speeds. To qualify for the proposed higher limit, each roadway would have to connect to an interstate freeway that already operates at the higher speed limit.

CHP spokeswoman Susan Cowan-Scott said that last year’s speed limit increase on certain interstate roadways was appropriate because many of the rural roadways had been designed for speeds higher than 55 m.p.h., and because many motorists had been driving at the higher speed anyway.

The usual expectation of the CHP, Cowan-Scott said, is that 80% of the drivers will voluntarily comply with the law and the CHP should be needed only to deal with the remainder. For the rural interstates, the situation was found to be reversed--80% of the drivers were breaking the law.