New Texas speed limit laws are in effect

The 82nd Texas Legislature passed laws effective September 1 that eliminate Texas’ 65 mph night-time speed limit. Texas was the last state in the nation to enforce night-time speed limits different than daytime. According the Texas Department of Transportation, the existing 65 mph signs should be removed by the end of the year.

The new law also allows the Texas Department of Transportation to conduct speed studies on existing roads where the current speed limit is 70 mph and, if deemed safe, raise that limit to 75 mph.

Chris Weber, District Engineer for TxDot commented, “Most existing roadway speed limits will be studied. We will be studying approximately 50,000 miles [statewide] of our 80,000-mile system to evaluate if it would be prudent to increase the speed limits. The study process should be completed by the end of 2013. This is due to the shear volume of roadways to be studied.”