Michigan governor Rick Snyder has signed legislation allowing the increase of the posted speed limit to 75 mph on certain freeways. Intended for and limited to sections of freeway in rural areas, the increases are contingent on findings of traffic and safety studies conducted by the Michigan State Police and the Michigan Department of Transportation.
Specifically, House Bills 4423-4427 require the state’s DOT to allow the speed limit to be increased to 75 mph on more than 600 miles of limited-access freeways (mostly designated interstates) and to 65 mph on at least 900 miles of non-freeway state “M” numbered highways, but only if the safety and engineering studies show that to be the 85th percentile of speeds currently driven on those roads?which most people driving those roads today would tell you is pretty much a formality. The current maximums allowed are 70 and 55 mph. The most likely candidates are freeways in the northern part of the state, including the Upper Peninsula. Essentially, this is a reasonable way for the state to say: ?You know that rural freeway Up North where the public has already come to terms with the flow of traffic routinely exceeding the posted limit by 10 mph" Well, let?s try to take a little of the hypocrisy out of the whole scenario.” The bills also reduce the points penalty on drivers’ records?from three or two points to one?for those cited for exceeding the limits by a margin between 5 and 15 mph. ...