Texas Interstate Highways to See Speed Limit Increase

Nearly 1,500 miles of Texas interstates will soon see a speed limit increase following the Texas Transportation Commission action approving a bump up from 70 mph to 75 mph.

The speed limit changes will go into effect across 60 Texas counties making it the largest conversion since a new law was passed last year. The 82nd Texas Legislature passed and the Governor signed House Bill 1353 which allows the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to establish 75 mph speed limits on Texas highways providing speed studies show it can be done safely.

Since September, the agency has been reviewing existing 70 mph speed limits across the state to determine where a 75 mph limit may be safely posted.

TxDOT Traffic Operations Division Director Carol Rawson said,

Posting new speed limits on 1,500 miles of interstate highway is a major milestone in implementing the new law. Texas’ economic strength depends on the efficient and safe movement of people and goods. These new speed limits increase highway efficiency while maintaining the safety of the transportation system."

Rawson reminds motorists that they  must continue to travel at the posted speed until new signs are installed by adding,

The new speed limit is not official until the signs go up.

TxDOT is still conducting studies of speeds on U.S. highways, state highways, farm-to-market and ranch-to-market roads and, based on the findings of the studies, these roads could see speed limit increases in the future as well.

Texas now has almost 3,600 miles zoned at 75 mph or higher.

New 75 mph speed limits approved Thursday are located on:

• I-10 -- 289 miles across El Paso, Gillespie, Kerr, Kendall, Bexar, Guadalupe, Caldwell, Gonzales, Fayette, Colorado, Austin, Jefferson and Orange counties
• I-20 -- 423 miles across Crane, Ector, Midland, Martin, Howard, Mitchell, Nolan, Taylor, Callahan, Eastland, Erath, Palo Pinto, Van Zandt, Smith, Gregg and Harrison counties
• I-27 -- 109 miles across Lubbock, Hale, Swisher and Randall counties
• I-30 -- 139 miles across Hunt, Hopkins, Franklin, Titus, Morris and Bowie counties
• I-35 -- 106 miles across Webb, Medina, Atascosa, Bexar, Hill and Cooke counties
• I-37 -- 130 miles across Nueces, San Patricio, Live Oak, Atascosa and Bexar counties
• I-40 -- 166 miles across Deaf Smith, Oldham, Potter, Carson, Gray, Donley and Wheeler counties
• I-44 -- 11 miles across Wichita County
• I-45 -- 143 miles across Walker, Madison, Leon, Freestone and Navarro counties

Click here for more information on the locations of the new speed limits

[Texas Department of Transportation]