Inslee blocks part of 75-mph highway bill

John Stang

John Stang Jun 21, 2025

Feb 6, 2018

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                <h1>Inslee blocks part of 75-mph highway bill</h1>
                <h2><p>The prospect of driving 75 mph – legally -- on parts of Interstate 90 in Eastern Washington is less a sure thing that it might have appeared. Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday vetoed one section of a bill passed by lawmakers to pave the way for 75 mph speeds.

The vetoed</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/john-stang-crosscut-com/">John Stang</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
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            <p>The prospect of driving 75 mph – legally -- on parts of Interstate 90 in Eastern Washington is less a sure thing that it might have appeared. Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday vetoed one section of a bill passed by lawmakers to pave the way for 75 mph speeds.</p><p>The vetoed section of <a href="http://app.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?year=2015&bill=2181&ref=cascadepbs.org">the bill</a> by Rep. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax, would have given the state Department of Transportation the authority to carry out blanket increases in the current 70 mph speed limits on parts of I-90 and other highways.</p><p>However, Inslee signed into law other sections of the bill that would allow the Washington Department of Transportation to increase speed limits to 75 mph after it has studied the safety and desirability of such increases. "We need to really know what the research is before we make such a decision," Inslee said, citing safety concerns.</p>
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The prospect of driving 75 mph – legally -- on parts of Interstate 90 in Eastern Washington is less a sure thing that it might have appeared. Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday vetoed one section of a bill passed by lawmakers to pave the way for 75 mph speeds.

The vetoed section of the bill by Rep. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax, would have given the state Department of Transportation the authority to carry out blanket increases in the current 70 mph speed limits on parts of I-90 and other highways.

However, Inslee signed into law other sections of the bill that would allow the Washington Department of Transportation to increase speed limits to 75 mph after it has studied the safety and desirability of such increases. "We need to really know what the research is before we make such a decision," Inslee said, citing safety concerns.

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By John Stang

John Stang is a freelance writer who often covers state government and the environment. He can be reached on email at johnstang_8@hotmail.com and on Twitter at @johnstang_8