Most inappropriate speed limits

[PHLBOS]

School zones in PA have a ridiculously low posted speed limit of 15 mph whereas neighboring states (mainly NJ & DE) have either a 20 or 25 mph school zone speed limit.

Unless one's in a diesel-powered Yugo (I'm aware that no such animal exists, but just saying); a minor tap on the accelerator puts nearly every vehicle over 15 mph.

[jeffandnicole]

All of I-90 in PA should be 65.  The 15-20 mile "urban" 55 MPH zone around Erie is a joke.  The bulk of Erie's population is a few miles north of I-90 and I think more local traffic uses the last few miles of I-79 more than they use I-90.

In other words, I-90 thru PA is just one big glorified speed trap.

Are people getting stopped there for speeding more than elsewhere?

[Rothman]

All of I-90 in PA should be 65.  The 15-20 mile "urban" 55 MPH zone around Erie is a joke.  The bulk of Erie's population is a few miles north of I-90 and I think more local traffic uses the last few miles of I-79 more than they use I-90.

In other words, I-90 thru PA is just one big glorified speed trap.

Are people getting stopped there for speeding more than elsewhere?

The enforcement is oppressive.

[cl94]

All of I-90 in PA should be 65.  The 15-20 mile "urban" 55 MPH zone around Erie is a joke.  The bulk of Erie's population is a few miles north of I-90 and I think more local traffic uses the last few miles of I-79 more than they use I-90.

In other words, I-90 thru PA is just one big glorified speed trap.

Are people getting stopped there for speeding more than elsewhere?

The enforcement is oppressive.

I second that. There is always at least one cop in the 55 zone. They will get you for going 60. I've seen cops doing speed traps and pulling people over in the middle of the night.

[cl94]

Oh, boy. New York does have quite a few of these. Here's a small selection.

-NY 354 between US 20 and the Erie/Wyoming County line, currently 45. Most of this could be 55 and the limit immediately jumps up to 55 at the line. Population density east of Aurora Street is quite low, especially in Marilla. Erie County cops often sit at the county line and nab people where the limit goes down without warning.
-Spring Avenue, Troy. Limit is 30, but there is little development due to the street running through a ravine and traffic often moves 40+. Geometry could support a limit of 35-40.
-NY 377, Menands, currently 55. Should probably be decreased to 45 due to population density, but I love this old sign.
-NY 254 between NY 9L and NY 32, currently 40. Most of the stretch is devoid of development and could easily be 50.
-Village of Round Lake, 20 on all village-maintained streets. NYSDOT usually allows a minimum of 25 on public roads, but somehow Round Lake got below that. Should be normal village limit of 30.

Rothman already mentioned a couple of my main Albany annoyances (South Mall and US 9W). I almost got nabbed in that spot on 9W last week.

[noelbotevera]

School zones in PA have a ridiculously low posted speed limit of 15 mph whereas neighboring states (mainly NJ & DE) have either a 20 or 25 mph school zone speed limit.

Some school zones do have 20 or 25 mph speed limit here in PA. They're just a bit harder to find.

[PHLBOS]

School zones in PA have a ridiculously low posted speed limit of 15 mph whereas neighboring states (mainly NJ & DE) have either a 20 or 25 mph school zone speed limit.

Some school zones do have 20 or 25 mph speed limit here in PA. They're just a bit harder to find.

Whereabouts are those?  Such are certainly not in the southeastern 5 counties (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery & Philadelphia).

[paulthemapguy]

* Rural expressways in Indiana - need to be 65 to 70, not 60.

* Almost any work zone on a tollway in Illinois- they seriously expect compliance with a 45 mph speed limit for 37+ miles on a road that should be 70 or 75 when not under construction?

Totally agree with the Indiana expressways bit.  Especially because the only speeding ticket I've ever gotten was on US41 in Newton county.  It's a freaking expressway!  Maybe that's why I was driving at 73 

Illinois is starting to get better about work zone speed limits.  They would put 45 in any work zone that was 55 or above normally, but recently I've seen some "work zone 55" signs around.

[cl94]

* Rural expressways in Indiana - need to be 65 to 70, not 60.

* Almost any work zone on a tollway in Illinois- they seriously expect compliance with a 45 mph speed limit for 37+ miles on a road that should be 70 or 75 when not under construction?

Totally agree with the Indiana expressways bit.  Especially because the only speeding ticket I've ever gotten was on US41 in Newton county.  It's a freaking expressway!  Maybe that's why I was driving at 73 

Illinois is starting to get better about work zone speed limits.  They would put 45 in any work zone that was 55 or above normally, but recently I've seen some "work zone 55" signs around.

I love the "work zone speed limit 45 photo enforced". That was quite the shock when I first saw it, being from a state that bans speed cameras outside of school zones in one city.

[paulthemapguy]

I love the "work zone speed limit 45 photo enforced". That was quite the shock when I first saw it, being from a state that bans speed cameras outside of school zones in one city.

Welcome to Illinois, home of Al Capone, John Dilinger, Hugh Hefner, Rod Blagojevich, George Ryan, and many more people whose methods for acquiring revenue are dubious at best! Porn? Illicit alcohol? Counterfeit driver's licenses? Senate Seats? Cards Against Humanity?  We've got it all, and we'd be more than happy to sell it to you for the right price.

For real, though, if that's your stance you might enjoy this local story that was all over the news outlets early this week
http://www.timeout.com/chicago/blog/judge-rules-that-all-red-light-and-speed-camera-tickets-are-void-022216

[Buffaboy]

Most interstates in Upstate NY should be bumped up 10 MPH.

[wxfree]

I've always thought the speed limit of 70 on US 67 from west of Glen Rose, Texas, to FM 203 was too high.  That road has repeating curves and hills and in the past several years has picked up quite a bit of traffic, including a lot of trucks.

As an old example, for about a year after the national speed limit went away, the limit on FM 933 for about a mile from TX 174 was left at the state default of 70, in spite of the short distance having an S-curve with an advisory speed of 35 and a rough rail crossing with an advisory speed of 25, and the whole stretch was narrow and included a narrow bridge.  After about a year a reasonable speed limit of 55 was set.

There are some 75 mph speed limits on roads for which such speed is scary due to a combination of narrow roads, curves, and too much traffic.  I think 75 is a good maximum limit for straight two-lane roads, even narrow roads with no traffic and few intersections, but in some areas they went overboard.

On the other side, after the national speed limit went away, the 55 mph speed limits were kept on a couple of west Texas highways, SH 54 and SH 118, for no apparent reason.  That part of SH 118 now has a speed limit of 75, which is reasonable.  SH 54 had its 55 mph limit for almost 20 years before it was increased to a reasonable 70.

[Takumi]

On VA 153, 55 MPH is just too slow for me.

[Jim]

Come to think of it, 30 mph on US 9W south of the Thruway, too.  State Police love to pull people over on that short stretch where the city speed limit is still in effect before the bridge over Norman Kill and the speed limit goes up to 45.

Yes to that one.  There's no reason it needs to be 30 on the north side of the bridge until you get close to the Thruway/787 junction.

Another locally is I-890, at least the couple miles west of GE, should be 65.  Of course, it's a popular speed trap area just west of the lock and just east of the Thruway Exit 26/NY 5S interchange.  I have no problem with the tighter, curvier, more crowded parts of 890 remaining 55.

[bzakharin]

Some 25 MPHs in Camden County NJ are ridiculous, like Chapel Avenue the entire way and the section of Church Road between NJ 38 and NJ 41 (goes up to 35 and 40 on either side).

Some 4-lane mostly divided highways in South Jersey are 45 or 50 MPH when they could easily be 55. The NJ 42 section of the Black Horse Pike is 45-50. NJ 70 is 45 west of NJ 73 and 50 east of NJ 73. NJ 38 is 50 MPH. Part of NJ 73 is 50 MPH (most is 55).

[noelbotevera]

School zones in PA have a ridiculously low posted speed limit of 15 mph whereas neighboring states (mainly NJ & DE) have either a 20 or 25 mph school zone speed limit.

Some school zones do have 20 or 25 mph speed limit here in PA. They're just a bit harder to find.

Whereabouts are those?  Such are certainly not in the southeastern 5 counties (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery & Philadelphia).

I can't quite remember, but there's some in the Pittsburgh area and up north near Lock Haven and State College.

[cl94]

Another locally is I-890, at least the couple miles west of GE, should be 65.  Of course, it's a popular speed trap area just west of the lock and just east of the Thruway Exit 26/NY 5S interchange.  I have no problem with the tighter, curvier, more crowded parts of 890 remaining 55.

Certainly. I was on it once for the sole purpose of clinching I-890 and thought the same thing. Really easy to go over 55, especially coming off the Thruway.

[vdeane]

55 on the LIE in Suffolk County, NY.  Considering that Upstate all interstates outside Metro NYC are 65 it makes no sense that NYSDOT did not let at least that part of Long Island get its freeways at that speed limit.

Lots of upstate NY metro areas have 55 zones on interstates.

And, to get silly local, there's also the 15 mph speed limit on Northway Mall Road.  Sure, it's an access road to a few big boxes (separated from the parking lots), but no one goes 15 on it.  No one even goes 25 on it.  I've seen Colonie PD pull people over on it occasionally, though.  Wonder what it must feel like to get a ticket for going the speed people usually go on it (30 or so).

Plus many of Colonie's arterials should be 40 but are posted at 30.

[Buffaboy]

55 on the LIE in Suffolk County, NY.  Considering that Upstate all interstates outside Metro NYC are 65 it makes no sense that NYSDOT did not let at least that part of Long Island get its freeways at that speed limit.

Lots of upstate NY metro areas have 55 zones on interstates.

And, to get silly local, there's also the 15 mph speed limit on Northway Mall Road.  Sure, it's an access road to a few big boxes (separated from the parking lots), but no one goes 15 on it.  No one even goes 25 on it.  I've seen Colonie PD pull people over on it occasionally, though.  Wonder what it must feel like to get a ticket for going the speed people usually go on it (30 or so).

Plus many of Colonie's arterials should be 40 but are posted at 30.

Yeah, the 55 section of I-90 in Buffalo is universally repudiated, unless you're a trucker.

[noelbotevera]

Sea to Sky Highway - large speed trap, because people are still dumb enough to believe speed kills.

[SignGeek101]

Sea to Sky Highway - large speed trap, because people are still dumb enough to believe speed kills.

That was bumped up to 90 km/h (56 mph) from 80 (50 mph) in Summer 2014 I believe. Thus, it's not as bad as before. Though when I went through there (July 2014), I recall people doing faster than that. Ironically, BC has the highest speed limits in Canada (120 km/h, 75 mph)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/speed-limits-on-some-b-c-highways-to-hit-120-km-h-1.2694277

Though I'm a little surprised no one's said the 100 limit in Ontario (or parts of Quebec). It's not enforceable generally anyway; I've seen 140 (87 mph) or even 150 (93 mph) on the 407, a freeway that usually has low traffic (and 10 lanes of traffic) due to its relatively steep tolls.

[Revive 755]

School zones in PA have a ridiculously low posted speed limit of 15 mph whereas neighboring states (mainly NJ & DE) have either a 20 or 25 mph school zone speed limit.

Unless one's in a diesel-powered Yugo (I'm aware that no such animal exists, but just saying); a minor tap on the accelerator puts nearly every vehicle over 15 mph.

Most school zones in Wisconsin and possibly Tennessee are also 15.  A limit of 15 is ridiculous, as it is not that hard to get up to 15 on a bicycle.  I think some cars I've been have almost idled that fast.

[cl94]

School zones in PA have a ridiculously low posted speed limit of 15 mph whereas neighboring states (mainly NJ & DE) have either a 20 or 25 mph school zone speed limit.

Unless one's in a diesel-powered Yugo (I'm aware that no such animal exists, but just saying); a minor tap on the accelerator puts nearly every vehicle over 15 mph.

Most school zones in Wisconsin and possibly Tennessee are also 15.  A limit of 15 is ridiculous, as it is not that hard to get up to 15 on a bicycle.  I think some cars I've been have almost idled that fast.

15 is common in much of New York. My Civic has trouble going that slow.

[DevalDragon]

Any 45 mph work zone speed limit on the Illinois Tollway, and arguably any part of it still designated 55 mph.

[mariethefoxy]

the 35-40mph speed drops on US 13 in South Delaware which basically exist to generate revenue for Greenwood and Harrington1

the sudden 65 to 45 at the end of I-290 in Worcester MA

the 55 zone on I-495 in Nassau-Suffolk, literally everyone is doing at least 70 on there.