85 mph highway opens in Texas

Wednesday marked the opening of the new 85 mph speed limit on Texas State Highway 130, where a 40-mile section of the highway — a toll road — between San Antonio and Austin is now home to the country’s highest speed limit.

The stretch of highway is privately managed, and the 85 mph speed limit has been in the works for some time. As Overdrive reported in June, Texas Department of Transportation officials told the media they were performing studies to test the feasibility  of an 85 mph speed limit for SH 130.

A law passed in 2011 allowed speed limits of up to 85 mph, but this is the first to go so far. Others in the state have posted 75 mph speed limits, and in March, a stretch of 130 between Georgetown and Mustang Ridge and SH 45SE from Mustang Ridge to I-35 in South Travis County became the first to post 80 mph limits.

Is is safe or is that too fast?

Pilot Flying J opens 650th Location

Pilot Flying J recently opened its 650th location in North America. The store, a Pilot Travel Center in Von Ormy, Texas, opened on Oct. 15 and features full amenities for professional drivers, area residents and the motoring public.

Pilot Flying J also opened its 651st location - a Flying J Travel Plaza in Hudson, Wis.

Located off Interstate 35 at exit 140, the Pilot Travel Center in Von Ormy offers eight diesel lanes and 16 gasoline lanes with high-speed pumps for quicker refueling as well as a Subway and Cinnabon.

The Flying J Travel Plaza in Hudson is located off Interstate 94 at exit 10 along U.S. Highway 65 and offers eight diesel lanes and 12 gasoline lanes with high-speed pumps.

Both locations also offer:

- Expanded food offerings to include pizza, salads, sandwiches and hotdogs;
- Premium coffee and cappuccino selections; and
- General merchandise for quick shopping needs.