Citing wind and safety concerns, Maryland state highway officials announced that speed limits on interstates and US routes will be cut to 45 mph as Hurricane Sandy passes through the region.
According to a release from the State Highway Administration, Maryland State Police and Maryland Transportation Authority, the reduction—which is indefinite and effective immediately—also applies to police, fire crews, ambulances and utility crews.
“Lowering the speed limit is necessary since speed and high wind is a dangerous combination. By reducing speed limit, our goal is to keep our emergency responders safe. For all members of the general public, we can’t stress enough the importance of staying off the roads as this unprecedented storm strikes Maryland,” Maryland State Highway Administrator Melinda B. Peters said in the release. “Stay home. There are more than 12,000 people responding along state and toll roadways. By staying home you allow them, utility crews and police to do their jobs.”
Earlier in the day, state officials announced closures of the Bay Bridge, Hatem bridge and Tydings bridge due to high winds.
The eye of Hurricane Sandy is expected to make landfall in southern New Jersey later tonight.
It's only common sense to slow down when the road conditions are dangerous. Oh by the way, IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY of the State Highway Officials to set the speed limits on the highways. Get ovet it.
The law says if your wipers are on, not if it is raining.
And to question who has the power to set speed limits is a legitimate question in the day and age of power hungry politicians and bureaucrats. Look at the Obama regime for proof of power grabs almost daily. to NOT question the power hungry pols is ABDICATING your responsibility as a citizen fool!
Brilliant. Who can a level 50 psyduck? Gosh "I think for the most part, sensible and cautious drivers take it down a notch when driving in any inclement weather." Well duhh there princess don't you think they would take it down a notch in hurricane weather. The roads werent even that bad you just need to know that it's all about knowing the area and reading the road. Chances are, if you drove behind someone else in this tropical depression you'd get owned by the rain coming off their tires. Therefore sometimes you need to speed buy the tractor trailer blocking your vision of all the lanes. People like bart and perryhallparent would of just followed omalleys rules and been a subject to the state and missed out. Signed A Highway Operations Technician
Also, if you had seen the original comment I was referring to, it was in response to some idiot who said that he blew down the highways doing 65 and didn't care. He was bragging about how fast he drove. "subject to the state and missed out" What did I miss out on? You are so idiotic.
And for all we know a "A Highway Operations Technician" can be like a refuse removal engineer who rides on the back of the local trash pickup truck. That terminology requires a few more bucks an hour and a few more benies to the union negotiations.
PerryHallParent, cn yu read ths as fst as nrml?? "Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteers be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe." http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,511177,00.html