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Wyoming bill would authorize 80 mph speeds

A bill on the move at the Wyoming statehouse would increase speed limits for all vehicles from 75 to 80 mph. Another bill could soon result in some vehicles traveling 90 mph to pass slower vehicles.

The House Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs voted unanimously on Tuesday, Feb. 21, to advance a bill to authorize the state’s highway superintendent to sign off on the 5 mph increase in areas deemed able to accommodate the change.

Currently, the Wyoming Department of Transportation can only lower the speed limit.

House Majority Leader Thomas Lubnau, R-Gillette, said his bill does not mandate the superintendent to authorize the higher speed limit.

“We now have variable speed limits that can only be varied down. This just allows those variable speed limits to be increased as well as lowered,” Lubnau told Land Line.

Lubnau said he believes the switch could improve safety on roads. He referred to research collected from Utah and Texas that shows highways posted at 80 mph have fewer accidents.

“I don’t know why that is, but the only variable in that equation was the change in the speed limit.”

The bill – HB48 – now awaits consideration on the House floor. Lubnau said the issue could be brought up there as soon as Wednesday, Feb. 22.

Action on the bill must happen quickly. The deadline to advance from the House is Tuesday, Feb. 28.

House lawmakers have already given preliminary approval for another speed-related bill.

Motorists would be allowed to surpass the speed limit by as much as 10 mph to pass other vehicles traveling well below the posted speed on two-lane roads. HB21 would apply only to roads with speed limits of at least 50 mph.

Construction zones are not included.

Supporters say it is a safety hazard for vehicles to get caught behind a slow-moving vehicle. They say the bill would help to keep traffic flowing.

Motorists found to be traveling in excess of the 10 mph leeway provided would face the same penalties as normal. The revenue would be deposited in the local county school fund.

The House approved the same effort a year ago, but the bill died in a Senate committee.

To view other legislative activities of interest for Wyoming, click here .

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