Business 85 speed limit in Greensboro

[GSP Tiger]

One thing that concerns me on my rencent trip to Greensboro this past weekend was the 55 mph speed limit on the Business 85 loop from I-85 to the US-29 split to Danville, VA. Most vehicles do 65 mph in that area. I cna understand the lower speed limit is a motive for drivers to use the rerouted I-85. Would raising the speed limit to 60 mph save lives and keep traffic moving more efficiently?

[DigitalSky]

Isn't it ironic that the parallel I-85 is 70

[GSP Tiger]

From Lexington to Jamestown, yes. I'm yet to drive on the rerouted I-85 on the Greensboro loop.

[ezcheese]

i would think it's only temporary until all the roadwork is finished.

[jasoniman24]

I could see NCDOT raising the speed limit to 60 between Groometown Rd exit / I-85 split to the merge with I-40. But I doubt they would ever raise it to 60 between the I-40 merge and the US 29 split (Death Valley), though people regularly do 70mph+ through there.

[Roadgeek]

Isn't it ironic that the parallel I-85 is 70

Actually, US-70 parallels I-40 longer than I-85.

[ILoveCallingNCHome]

I would say that for safety reasons, most of it (until you get outside of the Greensboro City Limits) will remain 55, even when construction is done. There are too many short interchanges on and off of 29 for it to be faster IMO. I know they were trying to bring it up to interstate standards, but even still..I just dont see the faster speeds through the City of Greensboro. It is sort of like business 40 through W-S , part of which has a speed limit of 45 for safety reasons.

[Jerseyman4]

Death Valley will always be 55mph

Rural areas benefit with higher speed limits if the highway is built to higher design speeds. Urban areas do not in most cases.

[DigitalSky]

Actually, US-70 parallels I-40 longer than I-85.

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear. I meant I-85 is 70mph paralleling Business 85 which is 50mph... the segment from Grandover through Davidson County going southbound.

[jasoniman24]

They have just bumped the speed limit to 60 mph on Business 85 from the I-40 split, to the merge with I-85 near Groometown Rd.