Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 29, 1995 TAG: 9511290073
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Knight-Ridder/Tribune
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
Clinton signed the legislation as about a dozen protesters marched in front of the White House, chanting ``Avoid the Kill, Veto the Bill.'' The group, representing a coalition of highway and auto safety groups, carried signs reading ``Homicidal Legislation.'' The group pointed out that Clinton's father was killed in a car crash.
Eight states are poised to eliminate or raise their speed limits on interstate highways by early next month. Montana will have no speed limit during daylight hours; Kansas, Nevada and Wyoming will raise their speed limits to 75 mph; and California, Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas will raise their speed limits to 70 mph.
In addition to abolishing the 21-year-old speed limit and the helmet requirements, the new law envisions the exemption of more than a million medium- to heavy-duty trucks from key federal safety rules. It also encourages states to enact ``zero-tolerance'' laws that effectively make it illegal for underage drinkers to drive. States that don't comply face the loss of some federal highway funds starting in 1998
The president, who faced a certain veto override by Congress if he had rejected the bill, said he was ``deeply disturbed'' by provisions eliminating the speed limit and motorcycle helmet-use laws and the truck exemptions. Still, he said, the legislation overall would benefit the nation economically.
As word spread through the city earlier Tuesday that Clinton would sign the highway bill, highway safety advocates voiced outrage.
``Since Lyndon Johnson first signed the motor vehicle and highway safety bills into law some 29 years ago, no president has signed legislation that will destroy as many American families and individuals on the highways as Mr. Clinton may be about to do,'' said consumer advocate Ralph Nader.
A coalition of 46 consumer, safety and insurance groups had lobbied Clinton to veto the bill for safety reasons.
National speed-limit opponents applauded the president's decision.
Safety concerns aside, the primary purpose of the highway bill is to distribute billions of dollars in highway improvement funds to the states and to designate about 160,000 miles of roads as interstate roads under a new National Highway System map. The bill gives those roads priority for federal funding.
The bill designates a route for proposed Interstate 73, which would stretch from central Michigan to Charleston, S.C., and pass through Roanoke.
The bill provides $150 million annually to Virginia's high-priority roads. It would be up to the Commonwealth Transportation Board to decide whether to spend any of that money on building I-73.
Staff writer Greg Edwards contributed to this story.
by CNB