NJDOT Delivers 65 mph Report

Recommends No Additional Miles at this
Time, Extends Study Period Another 18 Months

The report was compiled pursuant to pursuant to P.L. 1997, Chapter 415 -- the law establishing the 65 mph study program on 475 miles of interstates, state highways and toll roads -- and contains four significant findings:

Actual travel speeds increased on average only 1 mile-per-hour, with the exception of the New Jersey Turnpike where travel speeds increased 3 to 4 miles-per-hour on average.

Fatalities decreased nearly 10 percent and fatal accidents decreased nearly 8 percent in the 65 mph zones over a similar 18-month period prior to the study period.

Total accidents in the 65 mph zones increased 18 percent over a similar 18-month period prior to the study period.

Impacts to air quality and noise were affected minimally due to the nominal change in travel speeds.

"Our primary concern is for the safety of those who use our roads and we took a thoughtful, sensible approach to increasing speed limits around the state on a trial basis. The data shows that there are some positive trends with respect to travel speeds and serious accidents, but the increase in overall accidents gives us pause for concern. I believe the Department of Transportation, in consultation with the Attorney General, has made prudent recommendations," Governor Christie Whitman said.

"The NJDOT developed, with help from the Legislature, a good cross section of roads to test the 65 mph speed limit. While the data shows some positives we need to understand more comprehensively why total accidents have increased. I believe with an additional 18 months to evaluate data, we should be able to draw better conclusions," said Transportation Commissioner James Weinstein.

Commissioner Weinstein noted that an additional 18 months to collect data and evaluate the program would give state transportation engineers a full three years worth of information. A three-year study period is a professionally accepted minimum time frame within which to conduct a traffic safety study.

"If we ultimately recommend changes to the current 65 mph system, then we need to have a better sense of why the numbers are moving in the directions they are," Weinstein added. "But as transportation professionals, we see no overriding reason at this time to suspend or curtail the program."

In May 1998, speed limits were raised on portions of New Jersey roadways. Those roadways included parts of Route 18, Route 55, I-78, I-80, I-195, I-287, I-295, the New Jersey Turnpike, the Garden State Parkway and the Atlantic City Expressway. To encourage safe driving and compliance with the law establishing the 65 mph program penalties for speeding and other violations in the 65 mph zones were doubled.