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Tennessee Reduces County’s Speed Limits to Improve Air Quality

22 February 2005

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is reducing the speed limit for commercial trucks on interstates and controlled access highways in Hamilton County (which includes Chattanooga) from 70 mph to 55 mph. The Mayor of Chattanooga and the Mayor of Hamilton County had requested the reduction to reduce emissions in an attempt to bring the area back into federally required ozone attainment levels.

A study conducted by the Federal Highway Administration shows that reducing truck speed limits by 10 miles per hour can reduce the nitrogen oxide (NO_x) emission factor by approximately 18% or more per truck. If we get reductions anywhere close to that level in Hamilton County it will be worth it.

—TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely

The Chattanooga/Hamilton County Air Pollution Control Bureau estimates that reducing truck speeds from 70 mph to 55 mph could have the same impact as eliminating all industrial NO_x by 11% in Hamilton County on a daily basis.

The reduction will take effect this summer. The speed limit for cars will drop simultaneously to a maximum of 65 mph, although more to reduce the speed gap between the two types of vehicles than from a plan to reduce further reduce emissions.

A total of 56.85 miles of interstate will be impacted by the speed limit changes in Hamilton County. A section of US27 that runs approximately 17 miles in length will also have lower speed limits posted.

February 22, 2005 in Emissions, Policy | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (1)

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Green Car Congress, a great blog on "technologies, issues and policies for sustainable mobility," writes that in Tennessee they're reducing the speed limit for trucks to reduce the trucks' emmissions and i... [Read More]

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Comments

I wonder if they've considered using trains more. Shipping by truck sure seems to be inefficient compared to it.

Posted by: Mikhail Capone | Feb 22, 2005 3:50:44 PM

MAYBE THEY SHOULD TRY HORSE AND BUGGIES AND WE AVOID TENN AND DROP FRT AT THE STATE LINES AS IF WE DON'T HAVE ANOUGHT PROBLEMS TO WORRY ABOUT ,IE; FUEL COST,DRIVERS DARTING IN FRONT OF SLOWER VEHICLES....BS

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