70 mph speed limit

70 MPH Speed Limit

Missouri’s Experience

Mike CurtitTraffic Liaison Engineer

Missouri - Rural Interstate Speed Limits

Prior to 1988 – 55 MPH1988 to 1996 – 65 MPH (trucks over 12T 60 MPH)

1996 to Present – 70 MPH (all vehicles)

How Fast Would You Drive?

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 201260

62

64

66

68

70

72

74

76

78

80

Rural Operating Speed

IS - 70IS - 44

Year

85th

Per

centi

le S

peed

87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 120.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00

VMT

Year

Daily

Veh

icle

Mile

s Tr

avel

ed(M

illio

ns)

87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 120

20

40

60

80

100

120

Rural Interstate

Fatal Crashes

No.

Of F

atal

Cra

shes

Interstate – pre-SRI

SRI Improvements

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 20110

10

20

30

40

50

60

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Freeway Cross-Median Fatalities and Median Guard Cable 2002-2011

Calendar Year

Cro

ss-M

edia

n Fa

talit

ies

Mile

s of

Med

ian

Gua

rd C

able

Desired Trend:

Desired Trend:

Questions?Michael Curtit, P.E.Traffic Liaison EngineerMissouri Department of TransportationPhone: 573-526-0121Email: Michael.Curtit@modot.mo.gov