A bill to increase the speed limit on some stretches of Interstate highway in Wisconsin recieved a public hearing at the Capitol on Tuesday. Speed limits of 70 miles an hour or more are currently in place in 37 states, and legislation from Representative Paul Tittl (R-Manitowoc), would add Wisconsin to the list.
“Areas that we’re envisioning that would go from 65 to 70 would be like rural Interstates,” Tittl told members of the Assembly Transportation Committee. “So when you start getting into congested areas like downtown Milwaukee . . . we’re not looking at changing that.”
Testifying in favor of the was bill Gary Biller, President of the Waunakee-based National Motorists Association.
“Comparable midwestern states with established maximum speed limits are greater, have lower accident fatality rates than Wisconsin,” with the exception of Iowa, said Biller. He also noted that the Interstate system is designed for the higher speed.
As originally written, Tittl’s bill listed sections of Interstate to be designated seventy miles an hour. He dropped that provision and will leave the decision up to DOT traffic engineers.
Tittl told committee members that the long commute from his legislative district served as the inspiration for the bill.