New Law Could Shave 30 Minutes Off Your Drive to Portland!

A bill is being proposed to raise the speed limits in Oregon! Rep. Cliff Benz, R-Ontario, his calling his legislation “Getting Oregon Up to Speed.” House Bill 3094 would raise all interstate highway speed limits to 75 miles per hour and state highways to 65 mph. Short trips would only see a small decrease in drive time, but longer trips would see even more minutes shaved from the drive. A nonstop trip from Pendleton to Portland going 75 mph would be almost 22 minutes faster than if traveling the current speed limit!

Opponents of the bill point out that faster speeds increase crash fatalities. After Washington raised the speed limit to 70 mph in 1996, traffic fatalities increased by 93 deaths. Though over time this did even out, raising the limit does have increase the possibility of more deadly crashed and property damage.

What do you think: should Oregon raise the speed limits? Take our poll!

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