 The House Public Works and Transportation Subcommittee allocated $ 12 million ( about $ 21 @.@ 9 million in 2015 dollars ) in a bill during June 1986 . The Senate raised an issue over the 65 @-@ mile @-@ per @-@ hour ( 105 km / h ) speed limit in October , which made the outcome dubious . The House and Senate eventually settled on a version of the bill in March 1987 , only to have President Ronald Reagan veto the bill due to " pork barrel " spending . Congress passed the bill in April 1987 , overriding Reagan 's veto , in the same legislation that allowed for rural Interstates to have a speed limit of up to 65 miles per hour ( 105 km / h ) . The bill authorized $ 15 million ( about $ 41 @.@ 7 million in 2015 dollars ) in federal funding , and the cities of Oceanside , Carlsbad , Vista , San Marcos , and Escondido agreed to pay $ 6 million ( about $ 16 @.@ 7 million in 2015 dollars ) ; the total cost was $ 30 million ( about $ 83 @.@ 4 million in 2015 dollars ) . Caltrans predicted that without the widening project , traffic speeds on SR 78 would be as low as 15 miles per hour ( 24 km / h ) by the year 2000 because of congestion . A public relations campaign had begun to garner public support for the project , including bumper stickers saying " I hate 78 " . 
