Aunt Judy's least favorite legislation?Spotted in another newsgroup:
* w w w .thenewspaper . com /news/23/2356.asp
(entire article posted)
"Speed limits are set to rise in the coming weeks in both Utah and
Dallas, Texas. The Utah Department of Transportation has now been
granted full legal authority to set the maximum speed limit on a test
stretch of Interstate 15 according to recognized engineering safety
standards, including a consideration of the actual speed at which the
majority of traffic is moving in safety. As the road is already
posted
at 75 MPH, this means the agency could either choose to join Texas in
posting an 80 MPH speed limit or become the nation's fastest road by
setting an 85 MPH limit. Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr. (R) signed the
legislation authorizing the speed limit increase on March 18.
In Dallas, the North Texas Tollway Authority plans to increase the
maximum speed limit on large stretches of the Bush Turnpike and
Dallas
North Tollway from 60 to 70 MPH. A series of investigative reports by
WFAA-TV over the past six months had revealed that the authority
violated state laws requiring that speed limits be set according to
recognized engineering safety standards. The authority never
conducted
any such studies.
The artificially low speed limits turned the 22.5 miles of toll road
into a bonanza for the cities in their path, including Dallas,
Frisco,
Garland, Irving and Plano. With just four miles of toll road under
its
jurisdiction, Irving police issued $375,000 worth of tickets in a
year. Garland with only two miles of road generated $400,000 in
revenue, WFAA reported.
"I don't believe the speed limits have, in any way, set a traffic
trap
for motorists," NTTA spokesman Sherita Coffelt told WFAA."
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Lest Aunt Judy has any doubt that politicians are crooks.... :^D
I did get a kick out of the "traffic trap" comment. I'm sure Brent
and Nate will get a good laugh over that gem.
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"You can't be serious!" - John McEnroe