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House approves expansion of 80 mph speed-limit eligibility on select interstates
Summary
The House passed HB 83, expanding locations that may be considered for 80 mph speed limits on certain rural interstate segments; sponsor cited multi‑year testing showing only a 1 mph long-term speed increase and localized accident reductions, while members raised safety and air‑quality concerns.
The Utah House on Feb. 6 passed House Bill 83 to expand the menu of interstate segments eligible for 80 mph speed limits in rural, geometrically appropriate stretches.
Representative Dunnegan, sponsor of the bill, told the chamber that earlier tests where the limit rose from 75 to 80 mph showed only modest long-term speed increases (about 1 mph) and localized reductions in accidents — an 11% decrease in one test segment and a 20% decrease in another — with no increase in fatalities for the tested corridors. He said the bill would not post 80 mph across entire stretches but would identify segments designed and engineered to safely support the higher limit.
Lawmakers raised safety and environmental questions. Representative Briscoe asked whether 80 mph would worsen air quality for residents with respiratory conditions; the sponsor said the targeted stretches are non‑urban and cited testimony that newer vehicles show little difference in pollution between 55 and 80 mph. Representative Red noted that kinetic energy grows nonlinearly with speed and warned of safety consequences.
Supporters, including a former highway patrolman, argued that aligning posted limits with the natural flow of traffic improves compliance and can reduce crash risk. The House approved HB 83 on a 69-5 vote. The bill will be transmitted to the Senate for its consideration.
