Maryland lawmakers seek to raise speed limit to 70 mph — including on ICC

The need for speed is apparently a bipartisan issue.

A group of Republican and Democratic lawmakers have found a rare point to agree on this year in Annapolis:

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About two dozen lawmakers on either side of the aisle have co-sponsored a bill that would give the state authority to raise speed limits on Maryland highways — including the Intercounty Connector — to 70 miles per hour.

The state is currently studying the much-debated 55 mph speed limit on the ICC, the state’s newest toll road, connecting Prince George’s and Montgomery counties.

Maryland’s top speed limit on other highways is now 65 mph.

Del. Neil Parrott (R-Washington) and Del. Aruna Miller (D-Montgomery) have scheduled a news conference for Thursday to explain their plan. But it’s not much of a surprise why the topic is a winner with many lawmakers who travel to Annapolis.

Several Montgomery County and Western Maryland lawmakers say they spend hundreds of dollars monthly traveling back and forth on the new toll road. And some have made no mistake they’d like to be able to do so more quickly.

Sen. Jennie Forehand (D-Montgomery) has introduced emergency legislation to raise the ICC speed limit to 60 mph.

It makes the math simple for a House-Senate compromise — 65 mph anyone?