60 mph on the Interstate - in the middle of nowhere

[The Average Joe]

I was driving into work early this morning (between 4:30 & 5am). I drive to work in I-40 from the west to Nashville. I noticed that after passing the Kingston Spings junction the speed limit drops from 70mph to 60 mph.

WTF? I'm practically in the middle of nowhere. I also noticed that the speed limit signs continued until I got to the Bellevue/Newsom Station junction where the speed limit picked back up to 70 mph only to drop back to the 65 mph which has been that way for years.

Question?...

What's the deal?

*Has this got something to do with the fact that every 18 wheeler that comes through I-40 has a wreck or flips in the stretch around the McCrory Lane junction?

*Is this a ploy by the "greenie weenies" to save fuel?

(everyone knows that lower RPMs burns more fuel)

OR

*Is this the latest and greatest way to collect revenue via speeding ticket by just randomly lowering the speed limit on the interstate?

Anybody know?...wanna venture a guess?

Anyone?....Beuller?

It sure would help to raise it back up. Traffic really gets bottle necked in the evenings coming home.

[Mike.357]

*Is this a ploy by the "greenie weenies" to save fuel?

(everyone knows that lower RPMs burns more fuel)

lower rpms uses more fuel? I need that explained to me.

[GLOCKMEISTER]

your usually not goign to get a ticket on the interstate unless your going 15 over... so at 70 your still good to go.

I'd say its because of the truck wrecks.

[The Average Joe]

lower rpms uses more fuel? I need that explained to me.

60MPH doesn't shift my truck into overdrive.

I'm burning more fuel in a lower gear.

It's even worse for semi-rigs. Just ask any trucker.

your usually not going to get a ticket on the interstate unless your going 15 over... so at 70 your still good to go.

I'd say its because of the truck wrecks.

I like cruising 75 on the interstate. I'd better keep my eyes pealed.

The speed limit change is probably because of all the wrecks....which is a shame because it's one of the least complicated portions of I-40.

[G27]

Shelby county dropped the speed limit on the interstates to 65 a few years ago to "save lives". Of course there are typically (almost daily) 5-7 undercover sheriff SUV's hanging about a mile from the change to 65 on I40, so it couldn't be about generating revenue...

[Guest ScottD]

We just had that happen as you come into Rutherford county on I-24E. It is because they are paving. I'm hoping they bring them down once they are done, and don't try to sneak it in on us permanently.

[glockster157]

I go thru that area a lot and I do believe there are road work signs up. They may be planning to do some night time summer work. What I hate about it is the way cops will take advantage of such situations. I have recieved 2 speeding tickets in my life and both were on Briley Pkwy due to speed limit changes for work that was not even begun, and some that never was, but the signs had been changed in advance. P'ed me off pretty bad and has really caused me to loose most respect for traffic cops as they do this stuff all the time around here.

AS to the mileage issue, I have had it go both ways, I think in passenger vehicles it is variable. My old Caprice got it's best mileage at 75 while my Dodge diesel does it's best at 65 or lower. Need taller tires.

[The Average Joe]

I go thru that area a lot and I do believe there are road work signs up. They may be planning to do some night time summer work.

Let's hope they're widening the interstate for an extra lane.

AND

Let's also hope the signs come down once the work is done.

Thanks for everyone's input.

[NuTcAsE]

lower rpms uses more fuel? I need that explained to me.

60MPH doesn't shift my truck into overdrive.

I'm burning more fuel in a lower gear.

It's even worse for semi-rigs. Just ask any trucker.

I think what you meant to say was, "you need the higher speed to get to and keep the vehicle in overdrive to turn lower rpm's"

[E4 No More]

They dropped the speed limit on I-24 because of too many wrecks.

[Guest monsterking138]

there's a speed limit on 24? so i shouldn't be going 90mph

[E4 No More]

there's a speed limit on 24? so i shouldn't be going 90mph

I got on I-24 E from Sam Ridley a few weeks ago and noticed the sign was changed from 70 to 60. My reaction was WTF? I'd heard nothing about it.

As far as 90 is concerned, my lips are sealed.

[Kegger]

I got nabbed on 24W the other day, didn't even see the 60MPH sign, and definitely didn't know about it.

But now I do.... With a nice big ticket to go with it.

[Guest db99wj]

Shelby county dropped the speed limit on the interstates to 65 a few years ago to "save lives". Of course there are typically (almost daily) 5-7 undercover sheriff SUV's hanging about a mile from the change to 65 on I40, so it couldn't be about generating revenue...

Ahhh the Frayser curve speed trap...They will get you for speeding, but mostly they are looking for those vans and trucks with Texas plates....lots of dope gets seized by them doing that.

[Mike.357]

Average Joe said

60MPH doesn't shift my truck into overdrive.

I'm burning more fuel in a lower gear.

It's even worse for semi-rigs. Just ask any trucker.

Oh you got you one of them newfangled auto-matic thing a majigs in you truck, I see what you mean.

My old beater has a old timey stick shift. I throw it into OD and keep the RPM's below 1800 to get best gas mileage. Can still run at about 65 or 70 depending on the wind.

[Guest grimel]

They dropped the speed limit on I-24 because of too many wrecks.

Speed doesn't cause wrecks, bad drivers cause wrecks.

[Guest TackleberryTom]

Why doesn't everybody get together and vote to change the speed limits? This is our country and state, it is time we start taking control of it. This premise of accepting whatever happens is for the birds. We stand up to get gun laws changed....why not apply that principle to the rest of our lives!!

[Guest tlondon]

I drive from Clarksville to Murfreesboro every day to go to work. the 60 miles an hour speed limit on I-24 is due to road paving going on. Its around the joelton area and also in Rutherford county. It is a temporary thing I believe.