Texas speed limit history

Can anybody correct or add to this list of the
history of changes in Texas state speed limit laws?

Year cities general
1907 ? 18 absolute speed limits
? 10-15 25 urban speed limit depended on type of city
1917 18 25
1923 20 35
1929 20 45
1941 ? 60 night speed limit lower?
1951 30 60/55 prima facie speed limits
1963 30 70/65
-- NMSL compliance and repeal omitted --
2001 - - allowed 75 mph zones in rural counties
2005 - - expanded 75 zones and allowed 80 mph zones

Early city speed limits applied within city limits. Later
the scope changed to built-up areas. The first attempt at
this change was rejected by the courts as unconstitutionally
vague in the 1920s. A law prohibiting driving at a speed
capable of endangering life or property was struck down in
1930, as in some other states. (These cases are still
quoted by people who claim that speed limits are
unconstitutional.) The 1951 law prohibiting driving faster
than reasonable and proper was upheld by a divided supreme
court in 1957, at least when applied to a driver who was
also exceeding the statutory prima facie speed limit.

--
John Carr )

"John F. Carr" > wrote in message
...
> Can anybody correct or add to this list of the
> history of changes in Texas state speed limit laws?
>
> Year cities general
> 1907 ? 18 absolute speed limits
> ? 10-15 25 urban speed limit depended on type of city
> 1917 18 25
> 1923 20 35
> 1929 20 45
> 1941 ? 60 night speed limit lower?
> 1951 30 60/55 prima facie speed limits
> 1963 30 70/65
> -- NMSL compliance and repeal omitted --
> 2001 - - allowed 75 mph zones in rural counties
> 2005 - - expanded 75 zones and allowed 80 mph zones
>
> Early city speed limits applied within city limits. Later
> the scope changed to built-up areas. The first attempt at
> this change was rejected by the courts as unconstitutionally
> vague in the 1920s. A law prohibiting driving at a speed
> capable of endangering life or property was struck down in
> 1930, as in some other states. (These cases are still
> quoted by people who claim that speed limits are
> unconstitutional.) The 1951 law prohibiting driving faster
> than reasonable and proper was upheld by a divided supreme
> court in 1957, at least when applied to a driver who was
> also exceeding the statutory prima facie speed limit.
>
> --
> John Carr )

1999 Environmental Speed Limits (ESLs) authorized
2003 Authority to approve new ESLs repealed

- B

I know this is slightly OT but I was wondering if anyone has seen any
of the 80 MPH zones yet. I'd love to see one just for kicks but
unfortunately I'm too far from Texas.

MASTERNC wrote:
> I know this is slightly OT but I was wondering if anyone has seen any
> of the 80 MPH zones yet. I'd love to see one just for kicks but
> unfortunately I'm too far from Texas.

They weren't up as of the middle of August.....El Paso/Hudspeth County
line to just east of Pecos was still 75.

Just out of curiousity, how far east does the 75 MPH zone go on I-10?
I was surprised at how soon the 75 zone ended on I-20, only 45 miles or
so east of I-10.

Don't forget the 1999 repeal of the truck speed limit from 65 to 70.

I believe the implementation of the 80 mph/75mph expanded zones is
supposed to come into effect in Jan 2006.

John F. Carr wrote:
> Can anybody correct or add to this list of the
> history of changes in Texas state speed limit laws?
>
> Year cities general
> 1907 ? 18 absolute speed limits
> ? 10-15 25 urban speed limit depended on type of city
> 1917 18 25
> 1923 20 35
> 1929 20 45
> 1941 ? 60 night speed limit lower?
> 1951 30 60/55 prima facie speed limits
> 1963 30 70/65
> -- NMSL compliance and repeal omitted --
> 2001 - - allowed 75 mph zones in rural counties
> 2005 - - expanded 75 zones and allowed 80 mph zones
>
> Early city speed limits applied within city limits. Later
> the scope changed to built-up areas. The first attempt at
> this change was rejected by the courts as unconstitutionally
> vague in the 1920s. A law prohibiting driving at a speed
> capable of endangering life or property was struck down in
> 1930, as in some other states. (These cases are still
> quoted by people who claim that speed limits are
> unconstitutional.) The 1951 law prohibiting driving faster
> than reasonable and proper was upheld by a divided supreme
> court in 1957, at least when applied to a driver who was
> also exceeding the statutory prima facie speed limit.
>
> --
> John Carr )

>
> Just out of curiousity, how far east does the 75 MPH zone go on I-10?
> I was surprised at how soon the 75 zone ended on I-20, only 45 miles or
> so east of I-10.
>

I drove from El Paso to Houston in January of this year, and I made a point
of trying to remember exactly where it was. But that was 10 months ago and
I've forgotten. But the 75 mph zone on I-10 does extend a very long distance
(hundreds of miles) east of the 10/20 junction. I think the transition to
70mph was at the Kerr county line, about 100 miles west of San Antonio. If
I'm mistaken, then it is probably only one county westward.

In article >,
HoustonFreeways > wrote:
>>
>> Just out of curiousity, how far east does the 75 MPH zone go on I-10?
>> I was surprised at how soon the 75 zone ended on I-20, only 45 miles or
>> so east of I-10.
>>
>
>I drove from El Paso to Houston in January of this year, and I made a point
>of trying to remember exactly where it was. But that was 10 months ago and
>I've forgotten. But the 75 mph zone on I-10 does extend a very long distance
>(hundreds of miles) east of the 10/20 junction. I think the transition to
>70mph was at the Kerr county line, about 100 miles west of San Antonio. If
>I'm mistaken, then it is probably only one county westward.

This map posted earlier to this group shows the population density
in Texas counties:
http://home.att.net/~texhwyman/h_imgs/txpopdens.jpg

75 mile per hour speed limits are allowed on all state highways
in the colored counties.

The new law was intended to set an 80 MPH speed limit on I-10
and I-20 through the contiguous run of pink counties in West
Texas, plus the western part of Kerr County (near San Antonio).
In the summer Texas DOT headquarters told its traffic engineers
to find a reason not to raise the speed limit. It is not clear
whether they will succeed or fail in that mission.

--
John Carr )

HoustonFreeways wrote:

>>Just out of curiousity, how far east does the 75 MPH zone go on I-10?
>>I was surprised at how soon the 75 zone ended on I-20, only 45 miles or
>>so east of I-10.
>>
>
>
> I drove from El Paso to Houston in January of this year, and I made a point
> of trying to remember exactly where it was. But that was 10 months ago and
> I've forgotten. But the 75 mph zone on I-10 does extend a very long distance
> (hundreds of miles) east of the 10/20 junction. I think the transition to
> 70mph was at the Kerr county line, about 100 miles west of San Antonio. If
> I'm mistaken, then it is probably only one county westward.
>
>

The I-20 70/75 speed limit change line is in Ward County near Pyote. At
least it was in January 2004 when I drove it and paid special attention
to where the change occurred.

Take care,
Rich

God bless the USA

--
Some people are like slinkies; not really good for anything,
but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them
down a flight of stairs.

--Glenn Beck