Two Northwoods legislators think a bill to increase the speed limit on Wisconsin's four lanes five miles per hour will be met favorably.
The bill authored in the Assembly would give the Department of Transportation the authority to up the Interstate speed limit to 70 from the current 65 but wouldn't be required to do so.
Representative Rob Swearingen sits on the Assembly Transportation committee thinks it will move forward. He says a majority of people testifying at a hearing this week were in favor of the bill..
"....prior to 1973, the speed limit in Wisconsin was 70 miles per hour. If you fast forward to 2015, vehicles are safer as far as crash impact and braking and what not, so this proposal makes sense...."
State Senator Tom Tiffany says he's gotten quite a bit of feedback on the issue and favors raising the limit....
"....I do support that and there will be discretion by the Department of Transportation for what routes are eligible for for example two lane roads will not be eligible, just four lanes...."
19 states allow 70 miles per hour with 12 states allow 75 miles per hour or more.. The bill in the legislature died in the state Senate last term after it passed the Assembly.
