I've traveled on or above all of metro Atlanta's major roadways. Whether in my car or high above in the WSB Skycopter I've been able to cover most pavement around town. In all my travels, and in all of my traffic reporting, I've been able to determine the one stretch of road in North Georgia that apparently doesn't have a speed limit. I'm referring to the section of Ga. 400 between I-285 and toll plaza.
The posted speed limit is 55 miles per hour. But, during non-rush hour times it seems that there is no speed limit.
I've never seen anything like it. Despite the fact that the speed limit goes down to 55, every one's speeds go up, even though they know that they must stop and pay the toll just ahead.
Why is this happening? Is it the lack of law enforcement on that strip of roadway? Do drivers enjoy racing the MARTA trains heading to downtown? Why is speeding so commonplace here? I don't get it.
When I drive down toward toll plaza I often feel like I'm Mel Gibson's Mad Max being chased by post-apocalyptic gangs. I try to stay in the far right lane and just keep pace with traffic, but even in the "slow" lane driving 60-plus mph it's like I'm standing still as drivers whiz by me at outrageous speeds.
I can't think of another freeway in Georgia where this phenomenon occurs. It's like there truly is no speed limit. Wanting to get to the bottom of the Ga. 400 speed vacuum I did some research of speed limits in this country.
Speed limits date back to 1901 here in the United States. In 1909 I found that the state of Washington had a speed limit of "one mile in five minutes" in "thickly settled areas and business districts", and at "one mile in two-and-a-half minutes" for rural areas. That works out 12 mph in town and 24 mph in the rural areas.
Before 1973 each state was able to set their own speed limits. Then during the energy shortage, Congress tried to get states to set a maximum speed of 55 mph on their roadways by telling the U.S. Department of Transportation to hold back funds to states that didn't adhere to the new standard. By March of 1974 every state adopted the new limit. Cue Sammy Haggar's "I can't drive 55″.
It stayed at 55 until 1987 when Congress allowed states to increase the limit to 65 on "rural" highways. Eight years later The National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 was passed which allowed states to once again set their own speed limits. Since then, 34 states have raised the limit to 70 or higher on at least some of their roads, including Georgia. Utah and Texas have some stretches of interstate where the speed limit is over 80.
Then of course there is Ga. 400 between I-285 and Toll Plaza where there is apparently no speed limit.
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