Texas allows drivers to go faster if they use toll road.

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Texas allows drivers to go faster if they use toll road.

Motorists in the United States could soon be able to drive at a higher speed limit – but only if they pay to do so.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is reportedly planning to set the speed limit for a new stretch of motorway at 85 miles per hour (137km/h) – the second highest sign-posted speed limit in the world behind Poland which has 140km/h speed limits on some roads.

The new 66 kilometre stretch of road, known as Highway 130, offers motorists an alternative to the current route between San Antonio and Austin, the Interstate 35 – which was named the fourth most congested road in the state in 2011.

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TxDOT director of speed management Darren McDaniel says there are tests being run on the stretch of highway prior to the official decision.

“We'll definitely take a look at that stretch, and we will conduct speed studies to see what that speed limit will be,” McDaniel is quoted by Reuters as saying.

The part of the I35 that is already open is sign-posted at 80mph (128km/h), and McDaniel says most motorists are already driving at 85mph anyway.

Those critical of the higher speed limit claim it will lead to more fatal crashes, but McDaniel says the extra speed won’t be a factor – provided everyone obeys the limit.

“The more people we can get to travel a uniform speed, the safer are the conditions that will exist,” McDaniel says.

There’s no information yet on how much the charge will be to drive on the toll road.

The 85mph limit is one of the highest in the world, although some sections of Germany's autobahns do not have posted speed limits for regular passenger cars.
http://news.drive.com.au/drive/motor...608-20038.html
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