The fastest road in America does not cross the Mojave Desert or the big sky country of Montana. Instead, it cuts through an unexceptional stretch of farmland southeast of Austin, where the posted speed limit on Texas Highway 130 jumps to 85 miles per hour. The so-called Texas Autobahn begins just after the town of Mustang Ridge and continues for the next 41 miles to Seguin. Traversing the entirety of it won’t take you long, though because it’s a toll road, the trip will run you about $9. The road is flat and smooth, and thanks to the fact that the highway bypasses Austin traffic by tacking too far east to make it a popular alternative to Interstate 35, it’s almost entirely free of motorists. What surprised me most, when I went barreling down it in my ancient Honda one afternoon, was how quickly my speedometer edged past 90, and how much faster both I and my old clunker were itching to go.
This piece is just one bit of wisdom offered in our April 2015 cover story, “Welcome to Texas!” a friendly user’s guide for our state’s most recent transplants. To read more advice, go here.
