75 is pretty common here in Colorado, once you're outside themajor metropolitan areas. 65 is tops on the outskirts, and 55 as you drive through. Dick ----- Original Message ----- From: John Allain <John.Allain(a)donnelley.infousa.com> To: <classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org> Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2000 3:22 PM Subject: Speed Limits

John wrote: Gary wrote: Not so. While the Federal government has never had the authority to set state or local speed limits, they blackmailed the states by threatening to withhold federal highway funds if the states set speed limits higher than those approved by Congress, originally 55 MPH imposed in 1973, later lifted to 65 MPH (with some restrictions) around 1986. At least part of the Kansas Turnpike is a Federal Interstate highway (I-70), but it would have been covered under this blackmail even if it hadn't been. When Congress raised the limit to 65 MPH, that ONLY applied to Federal Interstate highways. The state of Florida decided to raise the limit on the Florida Turnpike, which is not an Interstate, and was notified by the DOT that if they didn't drop it back to 55 within 24 hours, they would lose their highway funding. Unsurprisingly, they chose to change it back. It was only a few years ago that Congress passed a new law doing away with the blackmail. Now states can set their own speed limits without fear of losing federal funding.