Topeka ? Backers of a measure to increase to 75 mph the speed limit on some Kansas freeways and expressways see the move as a boon to the economy.

But it also would go over well with commuters and others who drive Kansas interstates — even on an irregular basis, said Arturo Thompson, a 34-year-old Lawrence resident.

“I think it makes a lot of sense, if the roads are well maintained,” said Thompson, who described himself as a regular interstate user. “I’m from Arizona and lived in Texas, where the speed limits have been higher. I think people, including myself, drive 75 to 80 miles per hour anyway.”

The measure would allow the state to increase the speed limit on rural portions of freeways and expressways, including Interstates 70 and 35, to 75 mph from 70 mph.

But the senator pushing the measure isn’t thinking about drivers such as Thompson.

“The reason for the 5 mph increase is to promote economic development and tourism across Kansas,” said Sen. Robert Tyson, R-Parker.

He said long-distance travelers are avoiding Kansas, preferring Interstate 80 in Nebraska, which has a speed limit of 75 mph in rural areas. And that, Parker said, has led to development of restaurants, motels and truck stops on the Nebraska route.

“I-80 is called Nebraska’s main street,” Tyson said. “Let’s do the same for Kansas and I-70.”

In fact, three of the four states surrounding Kansas allow 75 mph speed limits on interstates in rural areas.

“We need to join with our neighboring gateway states and not be a peninsula of restricted travel,” Tyson said.

He was joined by Sen. Dave Jackson, R-Topeka, and the Kansas Department of Transportation, which under the bill would be in charge of determining where the speed limits would be increased.

As for safety concerns, David Church, chief of KDOT’s bureau of traffic engineering, said he didn’t think an increase in the speed limit would lead to more freeway accidents.

“Crashes are normally associated with the variation in traffic speeds instead of the absolute speed,” Church said. “When we raised the speed limits from 65 to 70 a few years ago, we did not see an increase in crashes.”

Tyson admitted there were more traffic fatalities on I-80 than I-70, but he said that was simply because I-80 has more traffic.

Under the bill, 80 mph would remain the speed at which a moving violation is reported to a driver’s insurance company. Current law prohibits speeding tickets from affecting insurance rates if the driver was going less than 10 mph over the speed limit.

Senate Bill 384 was taken under consideration by the Senate Transportation Committee.