Texas Opens 85-MPH Highway

Highest in the country

On one brand new stretch of toll road southeast of Austin, Texas, you can cruise at 85 mph and not worry about being pulled over for speeding.

That's because starting Wednesday, on this 41-mile segment of road, 85 mph is the legal speed limit. It's the highest in the country, and some are wondering whether it might be a little too high.

The new section of toll road provides an alternative to I-35, the congested artery that's the spine of the Texas highway system. People who have driven between San Antonio and Austin can atest to the traffic—it can be bumper to bumper. In addition to long haul truckers headed from the border to the interior of the U.S. and back, there are also soccer moms hopping on and off to get to Walmart and thousands of suburban commuters headed into the office.