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Texas is rolling out adjustable, digital speed limit signs on its highways. These signs can change the speed limit on the roads at any time.

The state of Texas is adding these new electronic signs to roadways under a law enacted in 2023. House Bill 1885 was inspired by a 133-car pileup on Interstate 35 in Fort Worth in 2021 that happened during a winter storm.

The law allows the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to temporarily lower highway speed limits by up to 10 mph based on road conditions. These conditions include “inclement weather, congestion, road construction, or any other condition that affects the safe and orderly movement of traffic.”

How will these new adjustable, digital speed limit signs work?

According to the San Antonio Express-News, TxDOT must post the new speed limit between 500 and 1,000 feet from where it takes effect. TxDOT can display digital signs either overhead or along the roadside. They may also use mobile message boards and temporary trailer signs. They also cannot set the temporary speed limit more than 10 mph below what is usually posted.

“If we’re not able to alter or modify the speed limit to reflect the current conditions, safety is in jeopardy,” State Rep. Terry Canales, who wrote the bill, told The Texas Tribune in 2023.

So far, drivers have reported seeing the adjustable speed limit signs on I-35W in Fort Worth and on U.S. 54 in El Paso. Chron contacted TxDOT to find out which roadways or cities might see the signs next. The Express-News asked TxDOT where it could install the signs in the San Antonio area. Neither received a response at the time of their publication.

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MotorBiscuit Senior Editor

Doug Sheckler

Doug Sheckler is a Senior Editor at MotorBiscuit and BroBible. He began his professional career working for an auto racing sanctioning body, and subsequently founded his own racing series, which remains in operation today. He has since spent the better part of two decades creating, editing, and writing for a variety of websites.

These days, he has a special affinity for hypercars and other exotic vehicles that he will never own. He also enjoys delving into stories about the world of criminals, the more foolish and/or clever the better, and is always up for a good conspiracy theory. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from the University of Iowa.

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