ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tom Stephens, director of the Nevada Department of Transportation, talks about the higher speed limits in Nevada during a news conference, Dec. 8, l995, in Las Vegas. Stephens predicted that higher speed limits would have no increase in speed-related highway deaths.
Monday, Feb. 25, 2013 | 4:18 p.m.
Sen. Don Gustavson
CARSON CITY — A bill was introduced Monday in the state Senate to raise Nevada’s speed limit to 85 mph on sections of major freeways.
Sen. Don Gustavson, R-Sparks, the bill’s sponsor, said an increased speed limit wouldn’t result in more accidents or deaths.
Gustavson has 15 cosponsors in the Senate and 13 in the Assembly for the bill to allow the state Transportation Department to increase the maximum speed limit from 75 mph.
He suggested the limit could be raised on freeways such as Interstate 15 in Southern Nevada and I-80 in Northern Nevada.
The Transportation Department would have to consider the traffic, width of the highway and other factors to make sure it would be safe to up the limit.
Gustavson said Utah raised its speed limit to 85 mph, and it recorded fewer accidents and deaths on sections of highways with the higher limit.
The department would still have the authority to post lower speed limits for trucks, overweight vehicles, cars pulling trailers and buses.
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