Wallpapers
Man to Walk Across State for Speed Limit Awareness
14May
Carlin walking across Oregon
Back in 1995 the national 55 MPH speed limit was repealed. Since then however, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has refused to raise the limits on most freeways beyond 65. This makes Oregon the slowest state west of the Mississippi. Ted Carlin, 61, wants to call attention to this situation by making a 456-mile walk across the state all at a 3 MPH walking pace!
Carlin is determined that ODOT policy made the roads more dangerous. Last year he received a speeding ticket then began setting his cruise control at 55 to avoid future tickets. By doing so Carlin noticed that far from making his trip safer, it disrupted the flow of traffic around him.
A Long Walk Ahead
“I would soon have four to five cars stacked up behind me,” Carlin wrote on his blog. “The cars would then attempt to pass in dangerous areas becoming much more of a hazard than a fast-moving automobile.”
Carlin kicked off his walk by starting with his feet in the Pacific Ocean in Newport on May 3. He plans to make his final stop in Ontario, the eastern edge of the state, by June 11. Carlin has been joined by supporters and friends, encouraging him along the way. Carlin’s wife drives a Chevy Impala, carrying supplies for him and displaying a large “Say No to 55 MPH” message across the back.
According to a 2004 ODOT survey, the 85th percentile speed on rural interstate highways is 71.1 MPH statewide. The bordering states of California and Washington post 70 MPH limits in comparable areas while Idaho posts 75 MPH. The majority of public comments submitted to ODOT urged increasing the limit to 70, but an ODOT panel unanimously decided to keep the lowered limits based on “the safety and environmental benefits.” Instead, the panel recommended increasing Oregon State Police speed patrols with orders to “reduce the current 10-15 MPH tolerance for speeding.” Prior to 1974, Oregon’s maximum speed limit was 75 MPH.