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Higher Speed Limits to Prevent Virginia Car Accidents

The speed limit on many of Virginia’s interstate highways will be increased to 70 miles per hour by the end of the year. Safety experts believe this will reduce Virginia car crashes.
 
At the urging Governor Bob McDonnell, the General Assembly has given VDOT the authority to increase speed limits to 70 mph on interstates and other limited-access highways.  About 686 miles of Virginia’s  1,119 miles of interstate will be affected by the change, including the rural stretches of I-95 and I-64, and much of I-81 and I-66.
Highways in major urban areas are excluded from the speed limit increase because traffic engineering studies indicated it would not be safe to increase the speed in these areas.  The closest 70 mile per hour zone will be located on Interstate 64 just east of Williamsburg until the exit for Interstate 295 outside of Richmond.
 
The speed limit on thirty miles of I-295 from Petersburg to Richmond went up to 70 miles per hour in July.  This road is rural and has few Virginia truck wrecks and car crashes. Other speed limit changes will be phased in between now and the end of the year.  VDOT will improve on the high speed highways also with upgrades to guardrails, rumble strips and signs.
 
The top speed limit in Virginia is currently 65 except on I-85 between Petersburg and the North Carolina border.

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