Lawmaker wants to eliminate speed limits on two of America’s busiest highways

A California lawmaker has introduced a new bill that would completely eliminate speed limits on two of the busiest roadways in the nation.

On February 15, Senator John Moorlach introduced SB319 as a solution to the state’s massive traffic congestion problems.

The bill would create a “no speed limit” lane on both directions of I-5 and SR 99. The bill would require California transportation officials to build a new lane on both directions of the two roadways to be designated as a no speed limit zone. Normal speed limits would remain in effect in the other lanes.

“So why don’t we provide people with vehicles the opportunity just to drive at 100 miles an hour, get to San Francisco in a shorter period of time than the train would?” Moorlach told CBS Sacramento.

Moorlach says that the no speed limit lanes are designed to cut down on vehicles idling in traffic in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “You’re burning the fuel efficiently, as opposed to just sitting in slow traffic waiting for one truck to pass another truck for 20 minutes,” he said.

Moorlach compares his speed limit plan to Germany’s Autobahn, where the average vehicle travels at 93 m.p.h. and speeds of 125 m.p.h. are not uncommon.

Moorlach isn’t clear on how much his proposal would cost and there is no mention of commercial vehicle traffic within the text of the bill.