Traffic lights on roads with high speed limits

[J N Winkler]

Within the traffic engineering profession, there is aversion to mixing stoplights with high speed limits.  When T-WORKS (the current transportation spending program in Kansas) was being developed, KDOT pitched a grade separation at K-254 and Rock Road, which is a stop-controlled at-grade intersection that has become busier as Bel Aire and northeast Wichita continue to expand.  This was for the explicit purpose of avoiding a reduction in speed limit from 70 to allow a traffic signal to be installed.

Upthread, Kphoger has already mentioned the stoplights at mile intersections along Kellogg between Wichita and Goddard (Kellogg speed limit currently 60).  This is planned for eventual expansion to full freeway and frontage roads have already been built in many locations, so these signals are regarded as interim provision.  There was a time when the intersections were still stop-controlled (favoring Kellogg) and I think the speed limit was 70.

Texas has a number of isolated grade separations at state highway intersections well outside cities where part of the motivation is clearly to prevent heavier traffic flows from being forced to come to a complete stop from 75.  Examples that come to mind include US 60/US 83/SH 33 south of Canadian, US 82/US 83 south of Guthrie, etc.

[cl94]

Hell, even in NY, there area a ton of 55 roads with semi-frequent lights. NY 32 Delmar Bypass is 5 in under 3 miles. Until 2016, Washington Avenue Extension in Albany met this, with 4 in 1.7 miles. US 9's 55 section between Malta and Saratoga has a ton of lights. US 9W north of the Mid-Hudson Bridge has enough lights to meet this.

NY 787 was mentioned upthread. I am 85% certain that had a 55 mph limit when I was a kid.

And yes, there are a boatload in other states. I know Ohio has lights on 60 mph roads, possibly higher. Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey have a ton of divided 55 mph highways with semi-frequent lights (US 13 and US 50 are huge ones here).

[Roadsguy]

Corridor H in WV is 65 mph with a few signal lights here and there.

I think a better question is what's the highest posted speed limit on a road that also has at least one signal? i.e. 70+ mph

[djlynch]

Texas ... I'm sure there many areas that would have 70 and 75 mph and stoplights.

I haven't run across any.

The closest I've seen to that are overhead flashing yellow lights, such as these on a 75-mph highway.

SH 71 between Austin and Bastrop has a stretch of 70 MPH limit with quite a few lights. I managed to find a Street View with both a traffic light and a speed limit sign.

I suspect that the locations of other lights on 70+ MPH roads skews a lot further east than people might thing. The miles and miles of nothing out west are also miles and miles of nobody, so there isn't enough traffic density to justify it.

[cl94]

Ohio MIGHT have a stretch of 70 with at least 1 light. I've personally seen lights at 60 and at-grades at 70.

[webny99]

Ohio MIGHT have a stretch of 70 with at least 1 light. I've personally seen lights at 60 and at-grades at 70.

Unsignalized at-grades are considerably more common, especially in the Midwest it seems. Do you have any idea whereabouts in Ohio a 70 mph stoplight might potentially be?

[cl94]

In theory, US 30 between Indiana and US 23. Don't think there are any, but most of it is 70, at-grades and all.

This rest area on SR 11 is a fun one. Only at-grade on an otherwise Interstate-grade freeway. Speed limit remains 70 through there.

[catsynth]

There are stretches of the Saw Mill Parkway in New York that drop suddenly from limited access (like most modern NY parkways) to traffic-light intersections.  I used to cross one of these between my home and my high school growing up in Chappaqua NY.  There are also a few in Yonkers between limited-access stretches.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I'll add in US 10/169 through Ramsey and Anoka, 60 MPH and four signals (for now until the DOT finally converts more of them into interchanges).

Just four??  Man, I could swear the number topped 6,000.  They must have been building grade separation over the last several years, huh?

They built an interchange at Armstrong Blvd. a couple years ago, and I think the last thing I saw was they were about to greenlight some kind of grade separation at Fairoak Avenue which would leave the three stoplights in the middle at Thurston Ave, Sunfish Lake Blvd, and Ramsey Blvd.

[Hurricane Rex]

In theory, US 30 between Indiana and US 23. Don't think there are any, but most of it is 70, at-grades and all.

This rest area on SR 11 is a fun one. Only at-grade on an otherwise Interstate-grade freeway. Speed limit remains 70 through there.

Just upgrade that and you have I-whatever

[roadman65]

Florida has mostly 55 on signalized roads with higher than 65 speeds.  That is why US 27 dropped down from 65 to 45 in Lake County.  Thanks to the rapid sprawl several lights have been added and changed the nice flowing rural 4 lane highway into a six lane arterial with stoplights every half a mile.  At least in Polk County they have it reduced down to 60 mph, but that is District One and they were one of the first in the state to go 65 mph when Clinton signed the bill allowing states to set their own maximum speed limits.  District Five controls Lake County and that district requires any 65 mph highway to be at 55 just for the light.

Heck in Districts 2,3, 4 and 6 they still do not allow 60 mph on rural two lane roads, as Florida has different politics in each district.  D6 though has an excuse as its all Miami-Dade and Monroe counties which are all populated.  However, US 41 from FL 997 to Collier County could become 60 as that is rural Everglades and has no heavy traffic, but last time I was there it was 55 mph.

Out west many states there have high speed limits with signals.  I think Texas has some 70 roads with lights, but I am not sure if those that allow 75 now do have them or not.

[Hurricane Rex]

Oregon: Name a 55 mph rural road. Closest to home: 99W in Tualatin. If one of the 65T60 roads has a signal, feel free to correct me.

[roadfro]

Another one would be NV-160 in southern Las Vegas.
55 mph speed limit through 5.5 miles and eight or nine lights, depending on the direction:

This made me think of others in the Las Vegas area...

SR 146 - St. Rose Pkwy: 55mph (4 lanes each way, urban arterial) from I-15 to Eastern Ave, 4.9 miles.
Signals at: I-15 (SPUI), Las Vegas Blvd, Bowes Ave, Bermuda Rd, Executive Airport Dr, Maryland Pkwy, Spencer St/Seven Hills Dr, Jeffreys St, Eastern Ave.
There are many other intersections and commercial driveways intermixed in this stretch.

CC 215 (north leg): 55mph (2 lanes each way, divided highway) between N. 5th St and Range Road, ~4.5 miles
Signals at future interchanges: Losee Rd, Pecos Rd, Lamb Blvd, Range Rd.
No other accesses.

[jwolfer]

Florida has mostly 55 on signalized roads with higher than 65 speeds.  That is why US 27 dropped down from 65 to 45 in Lake County.  Thanks to the rapid sprawl several lights have been added and changed the nice flowing rural 4 lane highway into a six lane arterial with stoplights every half a mile.  At least in Polk County they have it reduced down to 60 mph, but that is District One and they were one of the first in the state to go 65 mph when Clinton signed the bill allowing states to set their own maximum speed limits.  District Five controls Lake County and that district requires any 65 mph highway to be at 55 just for the light.

Heck in Districts 2,3, 4 and 6 they still do not allow 60 mph on rural two lane roads, as Florida has different politics in each district.  D6 though has an excuse as its all Miami-Dade and Monroe counties which are all populated.  However, US 41 from FL 997 to Collier County could become 60 as that is rural Everglades and has no heavy traffic, but last time I was there it was 55 mph.

Out west many states there have high speed limits with signals.  I think Texas has some 70 roads with lights, but I am not sure if those that allow 75 now do have them or not.

District 2 has 60 mph 2 lane roads.. SR228/Normandy Blvd in Duval County west of Cecil Commerce Center.. parts of SR 16 in St Johns and Clay Counties to give a couple examples

Z981

[20160805]

in WI? None.  State regulations require 45 MPH zones max in traffic light areas.

WI 76 at the US 10 interchange would beg to differ - 2 sets within 0.2 mi (each side of the interchange) and Sammy Hagar's least favorite speed limit.

[riiga]

None in all of Sweden, regulations allow a maximum speed of 70 km/h (45 mph) for traffic light intersections.

[JREwing78]

in WI? None.  State regulations require 45 MPH zones max in traffic light areas.

They missed that memo in Monona - US-51 has at least two stoplights in a 55 mph zone - at Pflaum Rd and Buckeye Rd.

[webny99]

On a related note, how does your driving speed change on a 55 mph road with stoplights vs. one without? In my case, I tend to max out at  maybe 65 instead of 70, but will speed up if it looks like there's no lights for at least a mile or so.

[jakeroot]

AFAIK, the highest posted limit on a road in Washington State with a signal is 60 on SR-522 near Paradise Lake: https://goo.gl/pD4uw7

My experience in BC is limited to the Lower Mainland, but the SFPR/Hwy 17 intersection at Tilbury can be a bit hairy (dual carriageway, four lanes). Pro/per left turn against traffic that, while technically in an 80 zone, is often travelling at 110-130 (outside of peak times): https://goo.gl/eyB8fC. I personally have no problem with this, but the other signals along this route are all protected, so it's rather unique.



As it relates to the brief discussion above on high-speed roads with no grade separation, US-395 in Washington, between Ritzville and Pasco, is a 70-mph four lane dual carriageway with occasional grade separation. WSDOT has not installed any median U-turn intersections, so the at-grade intersections remain traditional free-left movements. At least most of the intersections have acceleration/deceleration lanes!

Here's a speed limit sign just north of a full four-way intersection: https://goo.gl/5MUbbi

Here's an overhead shot of the four-way intersection preceding the above Street View photo: https://goo.gl/CBXZz7

I'm not sure if WSDOT ever plans to upgrade the 395 to full freeway.

[Tarkus]

Oregon: Name a 55 mph rural road. Closest to home: 99W in Tualatin. If one of the 65T60 roads has a signal, feel free to correct me.

If you're looking for another Oregon example, if you head farther south, OR-99 between Eugene and Junction City is 55mph with plenty of signals.  It's also 5 lanes the entire way (4 through lanes plus center turn lane).

I'm really surprised no one here has mentioned Irvine, California here yet . . . that city has tons of massive high-speed arterials with signals, including quite a few 60mph roads.  Irvine Blvd is a prime example--60mph from Alton Pkwy up to CA-133, with a total of 9 signals (including the two ramps with CA-133).  AFAIK, at one point, that stretch was even a 65mph zone, though I don't think it had quite as many signals then. 

Alton Pkwy also has a 60mph zone between Irvine Blvd and Commercentre Dr, though only two signals in that stretch--a good portion of the rest of that road is 55mph with signals, however.  45mph is actually on the low side for arterials in Irvine, with most being in the 50-55mph range.

The city runs the Irvine Traffic Research and Control Center (ITRAC), and apparently has some pretty amazing signal control software that's allowed them to pull this off.

[jakeroot]

^^
I'm not sure I've ever seen an arterial posted at 60 before. 45 and 50, sure. Maybe even 55. But not 60. I'm not even sure Texas does that.

[roadfro]

^^
I'm not sure I've ever seen an arterial posted at 60 before. 45 and 50, sure. Maybe even 55. But not 60. I'm not even sure Texas does that.

60mph arterial and it has a bike lane? I've definitely never seen that either (50 with a bike lane I have seen: McCarran Blvd in Reno).

[jakeroot]

^^
I'm not sure I've ever seen an arterial posted at 60 before. 45 and 50, sure. Maybe even 55. But not 60. I'm not even sure Texas does that.

60mph arterial and it has a bike lane? I've definitely never seen that either (50 with a bike lane I have seen: McCarran Blvd in Reno).

A tell-tale sign that a committee was involved in the design process, but not the speed limit selection.

IIRC, speed limits in California aren't necessarily enforceable if the limit is posted below the design speed. Could be that Irvine Blvd was designed for 60 mph, and they decided just to post the design speed as the limit until they know otherwise.

[Tarkus]

The 60mph zone on Irvine Blvd was actually the result of an engineering review, based on the 85th percentile speeds.  65mph is the default, apparently, and while I don't actually see any signs on the stretch indicating that fact on Street View, apparently, there still is a bit of a 65mph zone on part of it, per this 2017 ordinance file from the city, which appears to be the most up-to-date set I can find.  The actual 85th-percentile speeds look to be 58 both WB and EB at the part north of Pusan, and the part south (that's apparently still a 65) had 64mph EB/66mph WB.  The 60 zone on Alton was the result of an 85th-percentile speed of 64mph.

Jeffrey Road between Irvine Blvd and Portola Pkwy also appears to count as well as a 60mph zone with at least three signals.  Barranca Pkwy almost counts between Alton and Ada--only two signals (though the most recent Street View shows a 50mph construction zone on that stretch).

[Duke87]

In theory, US 30 between Indiana and US 23. Don't think there are any, but most of it is 70, at-grades and all.

Nope. The first traffic light on US 30 in Ohio is east of I-71.

And if there were lights there, Ohio would not post it at 70 since they only post 70 on freeways.

Texas ... I'm sure there many areas that would have 70 and 75 mph and stoplights.

I haven't run across any.

Yeah, neither have I. While Texas is not shy about posting two lane roads at 70 or 75, they are also not shy about dropping the speed limit lower when safety concerns warrant it.

Also, these two-lane roads posted at 70-75 are all in rural areas, and Texas tends not to install traffic signals in rural areas. Any rural intersection that warrants more than a stop sign usually becomes an interchange.