After a three-year-long study, the state of Utah will be permanently setting the speed limit at 80 mph for two sections of Interstate 15.
This decision comes after studying the effects of raising the speed limit 5 mph to 80 mph in areas where it was determined safe to do so, areas of roadway without many curves or mountains and have not had a lot of speed-related accidents in the past, according to published reports.
The study showed that the average speed on those roadways increased only marginally and accidents decreased.
According to published reports, UDOT Director Carlos Braceras said that the agency will be moving to make the higher speed limits permanent on those two sections of roadway within the next couple of months. Also, more 80 mph test areas may be created in the future.
There are currently only two states that have speed limits higher than 75 mph. Those states are Utah and Texas.
Related stories:
9/11/2012: Texas Moves Ahead With 85 mph; ATA Announces Opposition
80-mph Limits Made Permanent on Two Stretches of I-15 in Utah
After a three-year-long study, the state of Utah will be permanently setting the speed limit at 80 mph for two sections of Interstate 15
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