As reported by the Chicago
Tribune, the Illinois Department of Transportation has released a map
of the interstates that will have a 70 mph speed limit starting on January 1,
2014. 1,900 of the state’s nearly 2,170
miles of interstate will be able to travel at 70 mph instead of the
existing speed limits, generally 65. But only about 30 percent of the
Illinois Tollway’s 286-mile network will get the higher speed limit, according
to a map released by IDOT. And in the Chicago area, the 70-mph limit will be
posted only on five fairly short stretches of interstate. Those are sections of
I-80 and I-55 in Will County, a stretch of I-57 in far southern Cook County and
all of Will County, a portion of the I-88 toll road in far western Kane County
and part of the I-94 tollway in northern Lake County.
The sponsor of the bill,
Sen. Jim Oberweis, R-Sugar Grove, is not pleased
at all with the lack of 70 mph speed limits around the Chicago area. Orberweis
told the Tribune, “It’s just clear that they (IDOT) are
disregarding the will of the people.”
In a
statement, IDOT said the new speeds will be placed on interstate stretches
“where deemed reasonable and safe.” Department spokesman
Paris Ervin said the agency conducted traffic engineering studies of all
locations with limits below the existing 65-mph maximum and “other
locations deemed necessary.”
I think
this change in speed limits makes sense for most of the interstates around
Illinois. As I have written about in the past, drivers rarely follow the 65 mph
speed limit for the most part anyway. The question that remains is whether this
will make the interstates more dangerous and more prone to deadly car accidents. I will be following closely to see if the amount of auto accidents
in these areas increases and/or the number of fatal car crashes increases now
that the speed limit is higher.
If you or someone you
love has been injured in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident, then
call Chicago personal injury attorney for a free legal consultation at
312-588-3384.