A Better Road Speed Maximum

Rex Rew

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DOI: 10.2190/6M6H-WT01-BF8A-MNXD

Abstract

As developing technology enabled people to move faster over the roads they went farther, accumulating miles traveled in direct proportion to the speeds made possible for them. Distances between places of interest and importance to the individual expanded. The increase in miles traveled negated much of the benefit that should have accrued from the increased speeds attainable. While little true value has come from high speeds, some important negative results have been a great increase in fuel use, pollution, danger of accident, and lessened pleasure in travel. A national maximum speed of 35 miles per hour for all vehicles on roads is advocated. This radical move would result in the evolution of more efficient and cleaner personal vehicles and safer and more exciting travel, while the much more efficient and less polluting transport of persons and freight by rail would be enhanced beyond our dreams, to huge ecological benefit.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.