Some lawmakers in New York want to make a big change on the state’s highways: raising the speed from 55 mph to 70 mph. Without getting into the nitty gritty about the pros and cons of New York’s specific plan, should New Jersey do the same?
More specifically, should the speed limit on the Garden State Parkway be raised? The maximum speed allowed on the roadway currently stands at 65, but if you’ve ever driven it when traffic isn’t heavy, you’ve probably noticed that most drivers end up going upwards of 75 mph, if not faster.
In 2018, a Lakewood resident launched a Change.org petition urging Murphy to take action and raise the speed limit. At the time, he explained that “New Jersey is one of the only states with the max speed limit of 65. Most of the country has 70, 75 even 80.”
The petition garnered over 3,700 signatures before closing.
He’s right. 41 states have highway speed limits of 70 mph or higher, whereas the Garden State Parkway tops out at 65 and sometimes drops to as low as 45.
While raising the speed limit would be helpful for those in a rush, it has the potential downside of resulting in more accidents. So, is it worth it?
Makes no difference if they raise the speed limits because most people go faster any way. All it’ll do is reduce speeding tickets which is a good thing. I usually drive between 78-84 mph if I can.