So here is the question of the day. If you had the opportunity to drive at a speed limit of 85 miles per hour would you? That is what is going on in Texas right now when a new 41 mile toll road between Austin and San Antonio opens up. 35 states have speed limits reaching at least 70 miles per hour with both Texas and Utah at 80 miles per hour. Realize that the higher speed limits are probably only going to be on toll roads because, according to some officials, federal funding for free highways is starting to dry up! Joshua Shank from the non-partisan Eno Center for Transportation was quoted last week in USA Today stating more toll roads will come about because, “When you do that, it gives you the opportunity to offer premium services on those roads. Higher speeds are one way of doing that.” Somehow it doesn’t seem that long ago that President Nixon, for fuel economy reasons, made the national highway speed limit at 55 miles per hour. Do you remember when we were running out of fossil fuels? If you are like me while safety is a concern, most of us drive the speed limit with some believing they won’t be picked up at 5-10 miles per hour faster. In Texas, that could now be 95. How about elderly driver who is unsure of his speed and wants to keep it around 60? What happens when someone legally can go around him 35 miles an hour faster? Could be a problem. Look, I believe in 70 mile per hour speed limits but pushing it to 85 might become too dangerous. A tire blow out or someone changing lanes at a much slower speed could result in tragedy. Frankly, I don’t trust any car at that speed. Am I just an old guy or am I right? What do you think?85 mph Speed Limit