ORLANDO, Fla. – A plan to raise speed limits on some Florida roads now has support in the Florida House.
On Tuesday, the House Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee backed an amendment to HB 567 that would raise the speed limit to 75 mph on limited access highways, which are ones with designated entrances and exits, like I-4 or I-95.
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The proposal would also raise the speed limit from 65 mph to 70 mph on highways outside of urban areas with 5,000 or more people. The highway must have at least four lanes and be divided by a median strip.
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Finally, the bill also allows the Florida Department of Transportation to set maximum speed limits for all other roadways to 65 mph from 60 mph, where it is deemed “safe and advisable.”
The bill itself is a package of changes for existing transportation law in the state. It’s also the companion to SB 462, which has the same speed limit changes as the House bill, and passed its first committee last week.
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Among the other changes SB 462 makes:
- It allows sales tax revenue from public electric vehicle charging stations to go to the State Transportation Trust Fund
- Allows FDOT to use eminent domain to preserve an area for future proposed improvements
- Requires certain project development and environmental studies to be completed within 18 months
- And makes a number of changes to the bidding process for construction projects
HB 567 now goes to the House Transportation and Economic Development Budget Subcommittee next for approval, while SB 462 is in the Regulated Industries Committee.
Lawmakers have tried to pass similar speed limit changes before. In 2014, Gov. Rick Scott vetoed that plan because of law enforcement concerns.
Information from the News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
