Overview
- House Bill 2059, sponsored by Rep. Nick Kupper, would remove daytime speed limits on qualifying rural interstate segments.
- The measure launches with a one-year pilot on I-8 south of Casa Grande, with nighttime speeds reverting to an 80 mph statewide cap.
- Eligible segments must lie outside urbanized areas of 50,000 or more people, post a five-year crash rate below the statewide average, and meet infrastructure standards set by ADOT.
- Kupper says the plan draws on Montana and Germany, citing research indicating roughly 83% of drivers settle near 77 mph in derestricted zones.
- Safety advocates and insurers warn of increased risk, with IIHS noting studies that link a 5 mph limit increase to about an 8% rise in fatalities, and Arizona would be the only U.S. state with certain derestricted roads if enacted.