School Speed Limits

[myosh_tino]

Here's an "Only in California" oddity about school zone speed limits.  The limits are generally 25 MPH although some cities are thinking about lowering them to 15 or 20 MPH.  The quirk here in California is the school zone speed limit applies "When Children are Present".  That phrase has been interpreted to mean whenever you see a kid, the limit is 25 MPH.  Doesn't matter if it's 9 AM, 3 PM, 10 PM or 2 AM or a weekday or on the weekend... if there's a kid, the limit is 25 MPH!

[luokou]

Here's an "Only in California" oddity about school zone speed limits.  The limits are generally 25 MPH although some cities are thinking about lowering them to 15 or 20 MPH.  The quirk here in California is the school zone speed limit applies "When Children are Present".  That phrase has been interpreted to mean whenever you see a kid, the limit is 25 MPH.  Doesn't matter if it's 9 AM, 3 PM, 10 PM or 2 AM or a weekday or on the weekend... if there's a kid, the limit is 25 MPH!

Hm, I thought "When Children are Present" was the general rule for at least the West Coast states. Well, as far as California, Oregon and Washington goes. I recall it was only fairly recent (as in the past decade or so) when school speed limits were on a time schedule, and that was only for a few select school zones last time I was living in the Portland area. Some reverted back to "When Children are Present", leading me to conclude that it was experimental then.

[tdindy88]

Going back to Indiana, I know there are some areas where the term "When Children are Present" are applied and others where the hours are applied, such as Indy and Hamilton County. To me, the "When Children are Present" gives me more of an incentive to slow down. The children are the reason we are slowing down in the first place and one should be a bit slower when they are around, anywhere. There ought to be a far greater likeihood that you will see children going down their neighborhood streets over the majority of the week than inside some brick building that your car likely won't be penitrating (and if it you did hit the school with your car the fact that you were going above the school zone speed limit is probably the least of your problems.) It shouldn't matter whether on not you are going by a school or just down a neighborhood street, if you see children, slow down. When the hours are posted instead, to me, it means that you are slowing down because of the existance of a building. It's more about the structure you are passing and not the people in that structure and it shouldn't be about that at all.

[vtk]

...to me, it means that you are slowing down because of the existance of a building. It's more about the structure you are passing and not the people in that structure and it shouldn't be about that at all.

It's not about the kids in the building.  It's about the significant bursts of kid traffic around the building (and along adjacent roads) that occur at least twice per day.  Which is why my complaint is not with the temporal extent* of the school zone, but the geographical extent.  The school zone should cover streets that are known to have heavy student pedestrian traffic, rather than every road adjacent to school property out to some arbitrary, fixed distance. 

*Actually, I would have a complaint about the temporal extent too, if it runs all day (when kids aren't coming or going).

[D-Dey65]

I've seen School Speed Limits in Florida that are as high as 50 MPH. In New York, 15 to 20 MPH is far more common.

[kphoger]

I seem to recall seeing a School Zone 55 MPH somewhere near Auxvasse, Missouri, on US-54, but I can't locate the sign on a cursory check of GMSV.  Maybe it's changed, or maybe I just don't know where to look.

My favorite school zone limits are the ones that say "When Flashing", yet the lights flash on days there's no school.  To be fair, I've never seen a cop sitting there clocking people in a situations like that.  But really, what if one's driving behind me?  Is it OK to not slow down?  Here in Wichita, Woodlawn Blvd between K-96 and 21st Street (four-lane arterial street) has a short school zone.  I have NEVER, not once, seen a child walking to or from school there.  Grrrr......

[Scott5114]

"When Children Are Present" sounds to me like a prime opportunity for some small town to cash in. Pay little Billy $5 to play with his dog on the school lawn at 4PM on a Saturday...

[surferdude]

For Pennsylvania it is 15 miles per hour regaurdless what the speed limit is around the location of the school.  In accordance with Publication 212, Offical Traffic Control Devices. 

[xcellntbuy]

I've seen School Speed Limits in Florida that are as high as 50 MPH. In New York, 15 to 20 MPH is far more common.

In Broward County and Miami-Dade County, 15 mph is universal.  In Palm Beach County, 20 mph is common.

[Scott5114]

In OK, 25 seems to be the standard, though you'll see occasionally see an odd 20.

[thenetwork]

There are a few places in Western Colorado where the regular speed limit is 45 MPH and the school zone limit is also at 45 MPH, as well as at least one 35/35 roads.   Sounds a little outlandish, but when you say that fines are doubled in the school zones, then it has some bite to it.

[D-Dey65]

I've seen School Speed Limits in Florida that are as high as 50 MPH. In New York, 15 to 20 MPH is far more common.

In Broward County and Miami-Dade County, 15 mph is universal.  In Palm Beach County, 20 mph is common.

Well, Moon Lake Road (Pasco County Road 587), east of New Port Richey used to have a 50 MPH school zone until sometime within the past decade.

[Jordanah1]

i might have mentioned it earlier, but there is a 45mph school zone on the frontage road going past southern door highschool in door county wisconsin.

[SP Cook]

In WV, it is 15 for any two lane road and 35 for any four lane road (except, of course, for fully access controled roads such as interstates).  Standard signage is "When Children are Present" or a school can get a flashing yellow light hooked up to a timer (only would be on during the morning and afternoon, not the whole school day).  Such signage is a "joint venture" between the state DOH and the county school board (or the private school's management) with each paying half and the deal hooked up to the school's electricty and them running the timer. 

Its really kind of pointless in 95% of the applications.  WV is rural and virtally all schools are set back from the road, seperated from the road by a fence, and have 100% of the students arriving by bus (or at least eligiable to do so, but being dropped off by a parent).  Even urban schools are now deals where kids are bused to a rural area for a closed campus environment.  I would safely say that 0.5% of students walk to school.

[Brendan]

Around here, the "when children are present" usage is dwindling.  Government likes to make things simple for LEOs and drivers by leaving no gray areas.

Brendan 

[SidS1045]

In Massachusetts it's 20MPH per state law, and believe it or not, unless there's a "during school hours" sign along with it, the 20MPH limit is technically enforceable even in the middle of the night or during the summer.

[pianocello]

Around here, the "when children are present" usage is dwindling.  Government likes to make things simple for LEOs and drivers by leaving no gray areas.

Brendan 

...which explains why the signs in Davenport (and other areas as well) have been changed from "when children are present" to a certain time window. It all makes sense now.

[ftballfan]

A couple of years ago I saw a school sign in Mt. Pleasant, MI that had three time windows during which school limits applied.

[roadfro]

Around here, the "when children are present" usage is dwindling.  Government likes to make things simple for LEOs and drivers by leaving no gray areas.

...which explains why the signs in Davenport (and other areas as well) have been changed from "when children are present" to a certain time window. It all makes sense now.

Interesting. The current trend in the Las Vegas area is moving away from time windows towards "When Children are Present". Especially in cases where there were formerly two or three time windows listed on the sign. Although, the bigger trend is to move away from time windows or "WCAP" signage on arterial streets and install flashers and "when flashing" school zone signs wherever possible.

[xonhulu]

Oregon's going the other way, from "When Children Are Present" to time periods or "When Lights Are Flashing."  But the time period is just 7-5, and I think that's the way to go -- just keep it simple.

[DollarBill]

In Mississippi school zone speed limits are 10MPH lower than whatever the speed limit already is. School zones on full speed stretches of divided highways are 55 since the speed limits are 65 on divided highways. Is it not like this in every state? or are we just referring to school zones inside cities?

[1995hoo]

In Mississippi school zone speed limits are 10MPH lower than whatever the speed limit already is. School zones on full speed stretches of divided highways are 55 since the speed limits are 65 on divided highways. Is it not like this in every state? or are we just referring to school zones inside cities?

On the first page of this thread I mentioned a school zone near Madison, Virginia, where the speed limit drops from 55 to 35 during the relevant hours. Madison is by no means a city and US-29 is a four-lane divided highway through there. So I guess the answer to both of your questions is "No."

[Takumi]

In Mississippi school zone speed limits are 10MPH lower than whatever the speed limit already is. School zones on full speed stretches of divided highways are 55 since the speed limits are 65 on divided highways. Is it not like this in every state? or are we just referring to school zones inside cities?

On the first page of this thread I mentioned a school zone near Madison, Virginia, where the speed limit drops from 55 to 35 during the relevant hours. Madison is by no means a city and US-29 is a four-lane divided highway through there. So I guess the answer to both of your questions is "No."

In Virginia it may be decided by the local jurisdiction. Case in point: in Colonial Heights, the school zone speed limit is always 25, even when the road is normally 25 anyway. In Dinwiddie County I know of at least two situations like 1995hoo described, where a 55 drops to 35 at the relevent times.

[brownpelican]

It varies in Louisiana.

Most school zones are 25 mph. It's 20 mph in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Some side streets are 15 mph. I've seen them as high as 45 mph in the country.

[Alps]

Somewhere down south, I was on a 55 that dropped to 15 through a school zone. School was letting out. I actually had to crawl for 1/4 mile and then resume cruising at 64.