- Arizona bill proposes no daytime limits on rural interstates.
- Pilot program begins on Interstate 8 with strict safety rules.
- Montana data says behavior matters more than speed limits.
Speed limits aren’t designed for the sharpest drivers in the fastest cars on the clearest roads. Often, they’re actually quite the opposite. Traffic engineers routinely acknowledge that speed limits must account for low-skilled drivers. Those folks might want to steer clear of Arizona’s rural interstates if State Rep. Nick Kupper gets his way.
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Germany’s Autobahn may be the world’s most famous example of a highway without fixed speed limits, but a similar idea is now on the table in Arizona. Kupper is proposing that certain open stretches of rural interstate should be free of any maximum daytime speed. In other words, something quick could be coming up fast in the mirror.
A Controlled Approach to Unlimited Speed
Dubbed the Reasonable and Prudent Interstate Driving (RAPID) Act, the bill (HB 2059) would give the Arizona Department of Transportation authority to designate limited stretches of rural interstate as “derestricted speed zones.”
These zones would apply only outside urbanized areas with populations of 50,000 or more and only during daylight hours. At night, a hard 80 mph cap would remain in place.
Under the proposal, ADOT wouldn’t be flipping the switch arbitrarily. Any eligible highway segment would need to pass engineering and traffic studies, meet high-speed roadway design standards, and show a crash rate below the statewide average over the past five years.
There’s also a key carve-out, as commercial vehicles, including trucks, would still need to observe the standard 80 mph limit or lower, regardless of time or location.
Montana as a Case Study
Kupper points to Montana as proof that this concept can work. “Montana showed that you can modernize speed laws without sacrificing safety,” Kupper said. “When rules are clear and focused on driver behavior, states can let safe highways operate as they were designed to operate.”
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According to AZ Free News, a legislative audit in Montana found that while average speeds rose after daytime limits were removed, crash and fatality rates per vehicle mile traveled continued to fall and stayed in line with neighboring states.
The takeaway from the study wasn’t about numbers on signs, but habits behind the wheel. Seatbelt use and overall driver behavior had more influence on outcomes than the posted speed.
“Most drivers can tell the difference between a crowded city freeway and a wide-open stretch of rural interstate,” Kupper said. “The RAPID Act accounts for that difference.” Once the 2026 legislative session begins, HB 2059 will be formally taken up for consideration.