Most terrible speed limits.

[UCFKnights]

Another new one in Gainesville, FL: The already absurdly slow 35mph 4 and 6 lane divided Archer Rd was now reduced to 20mph. The road has absolutely no curves, no unsignalized intersections, and a seperate off road bike path and sidewalks that they're also moving further away from the road. The road does have heavy pedestrian crossing being across from a major university, but at signalized intersections (a few of which are configured for pedestrian scrambles/all reds, although do not allow diagonal crossing (one doesn't even give the smaller side street a walk symbol during the all red period). The reasoning, of course, is that pedestrians are more likely to survive being hit at 20mph than 35mph. If you try going 20mph in this area, it sure seems the cars will try to run you off the road, swerving all over the place to go usually 45mph in this area. https://www.google.com/maps/@29.6359745,-82.3527667,3a,15.4y,225.08h,87.43t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1scI5mbQ-k087ZYjaQ6oJe7Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[Roadgeekteen]

I was in Quebec, the whole provence qualifies for this thread. Should be 110-120.

[seicer]

Ontario is pretty asinine.

[Roadgeekteen]

Ontario is pretty asinine.

Canada in general is kinda low.

[bcroadguy]

Most of the limits around here are pretty low and usually ignored (like most of Canada), but here's some of the more absurd speed limits around where I live.

This straight divided expressway with a 60 km/h (37 mph) speed limit:
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.1825882,-122.6700675,3a,35.7y,268.31h,83.53t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sW53MMpO_Vuu4Okn6C626xg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Another 60 km/h expressway:
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2427231,-122.7580721,3a,39.8y,46.5h,88.82t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sIi13ixqGsUGFUWjIQJdxaw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Most people go 80-90 km/h (50-55 mph) on both of these. I've seen tow trucks towing people away for "excessive speeding" (40 km/h over the limit) on multiple occasions at both of these locations.

Here's a half-mile long rail overpass built like a freeway with a 50 km/h (30 mph) limit (and in one direction, **three** 50 km/h signs to remind you!). Tons of tailgating and weaving around the few people that stick to the limit or don't want to go any more than 10 over. 80 km/h seems to be the most common speed when there's not much traffic. Flow is usually 70 when it's busy:
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2549326,-122.7603551,3a,39.4y,32.24h,91.1t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sDy9AHcy1bxNFV3kcU8_rDQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

A nice suburban arterial with no private driveways, almost no unsignalized intersections, wide car lanes, bike lanes, and a shared cycling / pedestrian path on one side with a 50 km/h limit. The police love to sit at the bottom of this hill in the left turn lane: https://www.google.com/maps/@49.294696,-122.7697925,3a,41.2y,278.06h,84.62t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1szsSTfWTFLpGbbTsNHEITKg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

It's pretty hard to go the speed limit down this hill:
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2691396,-122.9200954,3a,40y,120.22h,85.63t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s1v4zfkJJaXbCFBlR5Wb72A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Major 8 lane freeway that had all the interchanges redone just a few years ago with a (55 mph) 90 km/h limit. A cop told me keep it at 110 and you'll have no problems:
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2371229,-122.9427285,3a,45.1y,287.47h,87.02t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sMk8lVo_awmezdpA8_Olg-g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

A straight four lane freeway with a grass median and an 80 km/h (50 mph) limit for some reason:
https://www.google.com/maps/@48.4761352,-123.3843749,3a,49.6y,348.69h,87.89t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sLJYJTgGior4gZ5m0blkb4g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[bcroadguy]

Another new one in Gainesville, FL: The already absurdly slow 35mph 4 and 6 lane divided Archer Rd was now reduced to 20mph. The road has absolutely no curves, no unsignalized intersections, and a seperate off road bike path and sidewalks that they're also moving further away from the road. The road does have heavy pedestrian crossing being across from a major university, but at signalized intersections (a few of which are configured for pedestrian scrambles/all reds, although do not allow diagonal crossing (one doesn't even give the smaller side street a walk symbol during the all red period). The reasoning, of course, is that pedestrians are more likely to survive being hit at 20mph than 35mph. If you try going 20mph in this area, it sure seems the cars will try to run you off the road, swerving all over the place to go usually 45mph in this area. https://www.google.com/maps/@29.6359745,-82.3527667,3a,15.4y,225.08h,87.43t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1scI5mbQ-k087ZYjaQ6oJe7Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

That's just insane.

[jakeroot]

Most of the limits around here are pretty low and usually ignored (like most of Canada), but here's some of the more absurd speed limits around where I live.

Apart from LA, Vancouver seems to have the most number of driving disobeying limits compared to others cities that I drive in. I can't think of a single road that's over-posted. Stretches of the SFPR have decent limits, but I still see drivers moving along at 120-130 every time I drive it, especially between Hwy 91 and Hwy 1.

[Roadgeekteen]

Soldiers Field road is 35.

[roadman65]

South Plainfield, NJ with its 25 mph on even roads like County Road 531 which should be 45 mph.  In fact in nearby Plainfield Park Avenue (which continues 531 across the border from S. Plainfield) is 30 mph.  5 more mile per hour in a more urban like setting as most of 531 in South Plainfield is not anyway a business district or anywhere near urban.

I though that the two lane portions of US 17 between I-95 and Charleston in SC were bad with the strictly enforced 50 mph like it was Delaware and its restricted two lane roads.  I believe now since the road was widened to four lanes, SCDOT raised it at least to 55 even though the Palmetto State allows for 60 mph on rural four lane roads that are not freeways.

[Mapmikey]

South Plainfield, NJ with its 25 mph on even roads like County Road 531 which should be 45 mph.  In fact in nearby Plainfield Park Avenue (which continues 531 across the border from S. Plainfield) is 30 mph.  5 more mile per hour in a more urban like setting as most of 531 in South Plainfield is not anyway a business district or anywhere near urban.

I though that the two lane portions of US 17 between I-95 and Charleston in SC were bad with the strictly enforced 50 mph like it was Delaware and its restricted two lane roads.  I believe now since the road was widened to four lanes, SCDOT raised it at least to 55 even though the Palmetto State allows for 60 mph on rural four lane roads that are not freeways.

US 17 from about 2 mi north of Gardens Corner northward is 60 mph.

The 50 mph limit on the 2-lane portion before the multilaning started in the mid-2000s.  It was definitely 55 when I lived in SC...

[wolfiefrick]

In Kirkwood, the suburb of St. Louis where I live half the time, the maximum speed limit for pretty much every two lane road is 30 mph, regardless of how often it's trafficked, or how fast people realistically drive. In a majority of cases, that's appropriate, but there are some roads where it's stupid.

One notable case is on the stretch of Adams Ave – a wide two-lane road with ample shoulders and new reflective paint – running east-west between Ballas Rd near I-270 and Geyer Rd closer to downtown Kirkwood, has a 30 mph limit. This particular stretch winds through Sugar Creek Valley just west of Kirkwood's more dense residential districts, and mainly serves as an auxiliary link from I-270 to Kirkwood with majority through traffic. People routinely drive at least 40 mph through this stretch. The city refuses to raise the limit.

[kphoger]

I think 10 mph is the most terrible speed limit.

[Roadgeekteen]

I think 10 mph is the most terrible speed limit.

Isn't 10 only signed in like parking lots?

[jakeroot]

I think 10 mph is the most terrible speed limit.

Isn't 10 only signed in like parking lots?

Anything less than 20 isn't legally permitted in WA. I'm not aware of any state posting less than 20 regularly, though.



Jefferson Dav --- err, Richmond Highway (as of today), through Alexandria and Arlington, VA. 25 mph...mostly a 4 to 6-lane sometimes divided arterial carrying US-1:

http://bit.ly/2LKCCnR

[Big John]

^^ Wisconsin school zones are 15 MPH

[jakeroot]

^^ Wisconsin school zones are 15 MPH

I should have clarified. "Regularly", as in, on roads that aren't necessarily special (like a school zone, where 20 or 15 is probably the norm nationwide). For example, 20 is regularly used in WA in some cities like Seattle for all non-arterial roads.

[kphoger]

^^ Wisconsin school zones are 15 MPH

...which is ridiculous. 

[Roadgeekteen]

^^ Wisconsin school zones are 15 MPH

...which is ridiculous.

I thought most school zones were 15-20?

[TheHighwayMan3561]

^^ Wisconsin school zones are 15 MPH

...which is ridiculous.

I thought most school zones were 15-20?

Depends on the type of road. One school zone near me is a 50/35 (or maybe now a 40 or 45/35 since I think they may have cut the speed limit when the interchange with MN 101 was built).

[wolfiefrick]

^^ Wisconsin school zones are 15 MPH

...which is ridiculous.

I thought most school zones were 15-20?

Depends on the type of road. One school zone near me is a 50/35 (or maybe now a 40 or 45/35 since I think they may have cut the speed limit when the interchange with MN 101 was built).

On MO-94 just west of Highway 40 in Weldon Spring, there's a 45 mph school zone in front of Francis Howell High School. Not sure if there's one for Route D but there may be. The normal limit for both roads is 55 mph.

There's also a few 35 mph school zones on Wild Horse Creek Rd through Chesterfield; normal speed limit is 45 mph. I wasn't sure they were allowed to go so high in Missouri.

[kphoger]

I thought most school zones were 15-20?

I'm used to school zones being at least 20 mph.

45 mph school zone ... a few 35 mph school zones ... I wasn't sure they were allowed to go so high in Missouri.

At the north end of Kingdom City on US-54, there's a 60-mph school zone.

[Roadgeekteen]

I thought most school zones were 15-20?

I'm used to school zones being at least 20 mph.

45 mph school zone ... a few 35 mph school zones ... I wasn't sure they were allowed to go so high in Missouri.

In MA I have seen 15 more than 20.

At the north end of Kingdom City on US-54, there's a 60-mph school zone.

[wolfiefrick]

45 mph school zone ... a few 35 mph school zones ... I wasn't sure they were allowed to go so high in Missouri.

At the north end of Kingdom City on US-54, there's a 60-mph school zone.

What is the point of a 60 mph school zone? If school zones are designed to protect kids, a car going 60 mph hitting a kid is going to be fatal no matter what.

[Ben114]

45 mph school zone ... a few 35 mph school zones ... I wasn't sure they were allowed to go so high in Missouri.

At the north end of Kingdom City on US-54, there's a 60-mph school zone.

What is the point of a 60 mph school zone? If school zones are designed to protect kids, a car going 60 mph hitting a kid is going to be fatal no matter what.

Maybe it's there to make people feel good if they almost hit a kid.

Example: *going 60 and sees a kid*, immediately brakes, "Phew, I'm such a good person for thinking about a kid's life, because they are our future."

[wolfiefrick]

What is the point of a 60 mph school zone? If school zones are designed to protect kids, a car going 60 mph hitting a kid is going to be fatal no matter what.

Maybe it's there to make people feel good if they almost hit a kid.

Example: *going 60 and sees a kid*, immediately brakes, "Phew, I'm such a good person for thinking about a kid's life, because they are our future."

Interesting perspective. Probably enough rural moms complained and the state installed it just to get them to shut up.

I'm sure it's the same everywhere else: people complain about people driving too fast around their children, municipalities or state governments lower the speed limits to get the parents to shut up, people continue to speed and nothing ever changes.