It’s been about 6 months since TxDot raised the speed limit on South Loop 289, and thanks to frequent speed studies, the organization says it’s been a successful transition.
“We use what’s called the 85th Percentile Method, it takes the speed at which 85% of the traveling public is traveling, and we use that to set speed limits,” TxDot Spokesperson Dianah Ascencio said.
The 85th Percentile Method is the thinking behind increasing the speed limit on the South Loop.
“It was 60 mph and after doing the speed study, it was revealed that most folks were driving at about 65 miles per hour, so that’s where we made the decision,” Ascencio said, “That’s where we got the numbers that 65 was a prudent and safe speed for motorists traveling along South Loop.”
National studies show when speed limits go up, the chances of having an accident actually go down. If you do crash, however, it’s more likely to be deadly.
“We do take into account the crash history of the roadway, curves and intersections coming in to the roadway, so there’s a lot of other variables that go into making the determination on what is a safe and reasonable speed for that particular stretch of roadway,” Ascencio said.
Police Accident Investigators report no fatal crashes have occurred on the South Loop since the change. Now every interstate within city limits is set to a speed of 65 miles per hour, but TxDot said no matter the speed limit, safe driving should always be priority.
“Even here in Lubbock, we do have congestion in the morning and in the afternoon, and South Loop is one of our busiest roadways. We always want to encourage drivers to use safe driving habits when they’re out.”
