Speed limits on non interstate freeways in your state

[Roadgeekteen]

However, all the freeways in the Houston area are capped at 65 for emission reasons.

Isn't Loop 99 70 mph?

That's Houston's outer beltway so maybe only everything inside that is 65.

[jakeroot]

I may be wrong, but I don't think there is a freeway in Texas with a speed limit under 60.

Wasn't Houston capped at 55 for a while? (I know it's not now).

Every non-interstate highway was capped at 55 until 1995.

No shit. I'm referring to recently.

Found the answer myself. Imposed in late 2001: State lowers Houston's speed limit to 55

[sprjus4]

However, all the freeways in the Houston area are capped at 65 for emission reasons.

Isn't Loop 99 70 mph?

That's Houston's outer beltway so maybe only everything inside that is 65.

Except US-59, I-69, I-45, I-10, and US-290 remain 65 mph (with actual speeds frequently in excess of 75 mph) until well far outside of Houston. They bump to 75 mph at the edge of county lines, likely apart of the environmental speed limit zone. SH-99 is right in the zone though, and is largely 70 mph.

Edit - Actually, segments of Loop 99 get up to 75 mph.

[sprjus4]

2016 article...

I-10 speed limit drops to 65 mph east of Houston

The Texas Department of Transportation has announced they will lower the speed limit on Interstate 10 between Chambers County and the Beaumont area from 75 mph to 65 mph.

They say the speed limits will be lowered to 65 mph Monday, Aug. 29. They say troopers will begin enforcing the speed limit once signs are installed.

They say the change is a result of a traffic and engineering study as well as the crash history of this section of roadway.

If you have friends who regularly travel in the area, give them a heads up!

I find it hard to believe this was for "safety" reasons. The interstate is mostly straight, and even with 65 mph posted, the majority of traffic still travels between 75 and 80 mph. The 75 mph speed limit was quite appropriate when it was in place, and ever since lowering it, traffic has barely slowed down from my experience.

If anything, it should have only dropped to 70 mph. Once past the split near Winnie, it finally bumps to 75 mph though is currently lower due to a work zone, unless of course they'll want to lower that also once it's expanded to 6 lanes.

[michravera]

Either 65 or 70 MPH on CA 99.  65 MPH on CA 41, 168, 180, and 198.

I think it's 70 on CA 99 and parts of US 101.

Yes, there is a lot of 70 MPH on 99 north of Bakersfield to around the Fresno City Limit.  There is another couple 70 MPH zones between Fresno and Merced.  US 101 has a freeway segment with 70 MPH near San Lucas but much of the highway is an expressway signed 65 MPH.  101 was a little outside of my normal "day-to-day" area to include in my original post.

US-101 was posted 70 MPH from just south of King City to just north of San Miguel (where there is a break in the freeway) last I saw. I was last there about a year ago and CalTrans was apparently working on the the break, so it may be posted 70MPH all of the way to just north of Paso Robles when they get finished with what it looked like they were doing.

I forgot, and am surprised that no one else mentioned, CASR-58. Portions are posted at 70 MPH near Edwards Air Force Base. I haven't heard whether they have extended the 70MPH sections since opening the bypasses. I know that they extended 70 MPH in one section where they later discovered that it was illegal (some cross traffic) and dropped it to 65MPH. They did not increase the posted limit from 65MPH when the Mojave bypass opened. I also know that the first several km after leaving I-15 are unposted and a reasonable person might believe that the 70 MPH last seen on I-15 was in effect.

This thread isn't about interstates,California needs to get with the program (in the eastern parts anyway) and permit posting of 80MPH on the portions of I-10, I-15, I-40, and CASR-58 where it would be safe. Of course, I'd be in favor of changing the speed limit in many cases to "DRIVE CAREFULLY", but that's another topic!

[cl94]

The highest speed limit you will see in New York is 65. The following non-Interstate freeways have 65 MPH sections:

-Most of the US 219 expressway in Erie County
-Most of the NY 400 expressway in Erie County
-NY 531 in Monroe County
-NY 5 expressway in Onondaga County
-NY 481 expressway in Onondaga and Oswego Counties
-NY 690 in Onondaga County
-NY 695 in Onondaga County
-NY 49 expressway in Oneida County
-NY 7 expressway in Albany County
-NY 17 expressway (Waverly-Endwell, Windsor-Deposit, and east of Roscoe, except for drops around Monticello and Wurtsboro)
-The non-Interstate portion of the New York State Thruway within Exit 24
-The non-Interstate portion of the Berkshire Spur
-The Garden State Parkway Connector

Originally, 65 was limited to Interstates in rural areas, with a specific exception in the law for the NY 17 expressway. It has since been expanded to cover most of the rest of Upstate. No roads on Long Island have a speed limit above 55, nor does anything south of I-287 with the exception of the GSP Connector.

[CoreySamson]

However, all the freeways in the Houston area are capped at 65 for emission reasons.

Isn't Loop 99 70 mph?

That's Houston's outer beltway so maybe only everything inside that is 65.

Except US-59, I-69, I-45, I-10, and US-290 remain 65 mph (with actual speeds frequently in excess of 75 mph) until well far outside of Houston. They bump to 75 mph at the edge of county lines, likely apart of the environmental speed limit zone. SH-99 is right in the zone though, and is largely 70 mph.

Edit - Actually, segments of Loop 99 get up to 75 mph.

Interesting, I was not aware 99 had a speed limit that high. But if 99 gets a speed limit of 75, how come segments like 288 in rural Brazoria County and 249 near Tomball only have speed limits of 65? 288 for instance could easily handle 75. Does 99 qualify for higher speed limits because not as many people use it?

[sprjus4]

However, all the freeways in the Houston area are capped at 65 for emission reasons.

Isn't Loop 99 70 mph?

That's Houston's outer beltway so maybe only everything inside that is 65.

Except US-59, I-69, I-45, I-10, and US-290 remain 65 mph (with actual speeds frequently in excess of 75 mph) until well far outside of Houston. They bump to 75 mph at the edge of county lines, likely apart of the environmental speed limit zone. SH-99 is right in the zone though, and is largely 70 mph.

Edit - Actually, segments of Loop 99 get up to 75 mph.

Interesting, I was not aware 99 had a speed limit that high. But if 99 gets a speed limit of 75, how come segments like 288 in rural Brazoria County and 249 near Tomball only have speed limits of 65? 288 for instance could easily handle 75. Does 99 qualify for higher speed limits because not as many people use it?

Likely an exception because as far as I'm aware, the Houston metro has a 65 mph maximum speed limit stretching well outside of Loop 99.

I-10, I-45, I-69, US-290, SH-288, SH-249, and other roads outside and even inside of Loop 99 should all be posted up to 75 mph.

[deathtopumpkins]

Assuming Wikipedia can be believed on this, Houston's environmental 65 mph speed limits were banned by the state legislature in 2003, but the law only applied to new road mileage - existing limits were allowed to remain, but no new road mileage may be subject to the 65 mph cap.

[Roadgeekteen]

Assuming Wikipedia can be believed on this, Houston's environmental 65 mph speed limits were banned by the state legislature in 2003, but the law only applied to new road mileage - existing limits were allowed to remain, but no new road mileage may be subject to the 65 mph cap.

Does that mean no new freeways in Houston can be 65 anymore or can they still be 65?

[deathtopumpkins]

It means new freeways don't HAVE to be 65. They can still be 65 if that's the appropriate speed limit, but they aren't subject to the environmental cap.

[sprjus4]

It means new freeways don't HAVE to be 65. They can still be 65 if that's the appropriate speed limit, but they aren't subject to the environmental cap.

I suppose that explains why segments of Loop 99 are posted at 75 mph.

I tweeted TxDOT a couple years ago in regards to the 65 mph limit along I-10 well east of Houston, and they said it was due to the environmental regulation, however as I posted above it was 75 mph just a few years ago and was decreased due to "safety" reasons despite most people still going 75 - 80 mph, the same speed people drove prior to the decrease.

[capt.ron]

It's 65 in Arkansas currently.  That may change when Interstate speeds change in July.

I thought that US 67 in 70?

US 67 is 70 mph from north of Jacksonville to Walnut Ridge. it drops to 60 mph just north of town where it turns into the "5 lane freeway".

[stevashe]

Washington gets it right, there is no speed limit discrimination between Interstates and non-Interstates. US-395 is 70 MPH between Pasco and Ritzville just like the rural interstates are. Though, there are some examples where their choices are questionable, such as the US-101/WA-8/US-12 expressway between Olympia and Aberdeen, which is posted at 60. If 70 is too fast for some reason, 65 would feel a lot more reasonable. For what it's worth, to my knowledge the highest 2 lane limit is 65, seen on quite a few highways including WA-14 and US-97.

I also do not know of any posted two-lane roads above 65 in WA.

I can definitively say there are none, as I've looked at WSDOT's GIS data on speed limits and the only highways with 70 mph limits have at least 4 lanes. In fact, might as well just give a picture of that data (only speed limits of 55 or higher are shown to avoid clutter).

There's no statutory cap on two-lane roads, but I've not seen one posted above 65. As far as the limits themselves, WA doesn't seem to use increments of 5 for their freeways. Everything is either 60 or 70. The two exceptions are I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass (sometimes lowered to 65).

Actually the variable limits are capped at 65 over Snoqualmie Pass from Exit 47 to about halfway in between Exits 63 and 70. This is also reflected in the map above. I didn't realize this for a long time because some of the variable speed limit signs can show 70 so I thought the ones I saw showing 65 were always being reduced from 70.

Oddly, although US-395 meets "freeway" criteria for WSDOT, the regular left and right turns at several points might disqualify it for this thread, leaving only rural interstates posted at 70, certainly giving the impression that WA does have a special limit for interstates. But all things considered, this definitely isn't correct, since US-395 is posted at 70, and it's a US Route (it's just not a freeway by roadgeek standards).

I'd argue some segments of 395 are without at-grade crossroads for long enough to count as a freeway, notably from south of WA-21 to the interchange with I-90, which is more than 15 miles long.

[mrsman]

Washington gets it right, there is no speed limit discrimination between Interstates and non-Interstates. US-395 is 70 MPH between Pasco and Ritzville just like the rural interstates are. Though, there are some examples where their choices are questionable, such as the US-101/WA-8/US-12 expressway between Olympia and Aberdeen, which is posted at 60. If 70 is too fast for some reason, 65 would feel a lot more reasonable. For what it's worth, to my knowledge the highest 2 lane limit is 65, seen on quite a few highways including WA-14 and US-97.

I also do not know of any posted two-lane roads above 65 in WA.

I can definitively say there are none, as I've looked at WSDOT's GIS data on speed limits and the only highways with 70 mph limits have at least 4 lanes. In fact, might as well just give a picture of that data (only speed limits of 55 or higher are shown to avoid clutter).

There's no statutory cap on two-lane roads, but I've not seen one posted above 65. As far as the limits themselves, WA doesn't seem to use increments of 5 for their freeways. Everything is either 60 or 70. The two exceptions are I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass (sometimes lowered to 65).

Actually the variable limits are capped at 65 over Snoqualmie Pass from Exit 47 to about halfway in between Exits 63 and 70. This is also reflected in the map above. I didn't realize this for a long time because some of the variable speed limit signs can show 70 so I thought the ones I saw showing 65 were always being reduced from 70.

Oddly, although US-395 meets "freeway" criteria for WSDOT, the regular left and right turns at several points might disqualify it for this thread, leaving only rural interstates posted at 70, certainly giving the impression that WA does have a special limit for interstates. But all things considered, this definitely isn't correct, since US-395 is posted at 70, and it's a US Route (it's just not a freeway by roadgeek standards).

I'd argue some segments of 395 are without at-grade crossroads for long enough to count as a freeway, notably from south of WA-21 to the interchange with I-90, which is more than 15 miles long.

On the basis of this map, I believe that WA is quite reasonable with its speed limits.

[Roadgeekteen]

Washington gets it right, there is no speed limit discrimination between Interstates and non-Interstates. US-395 is 70 MPH between Pasco and Ritzville just like the rural interstates are. Though, there are some examples where their choices are questionable, such as the US-101/WA-8/US-12 expressway between Olympia and Aberdeen, which is posted at 60. If 70 is too fast for some reason, 65 would feel a lot more reasonable. For what it's worth, to my knowledge the highest 2 lane limit is 65, seen on quite a few highways including WA-14 and US-97.

I also do not know of any posted two-lane roads above 65 in WA.

I can definitively say there are none, as I've looked at WSDOT's GIS data on speed limits and the only highways with 70 mph limits have at least 4 lanes. In fact, might as well just give a picture of that data (only speed limits of 55 or higher are shown to avoid clutter).

There's no statutory cap on two-lane roads, but I've not seen one posted above 65. As far as the limits themselves, WA doesn't seem to use increments of 5 for their freeways. Everything is either 60 or 70. The two exceptions are I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass (sometimes lowered to 65).

Actually the variable limits are capped at 65 over Snoqualmie Pass from Exit 47 to about halfway in between Exits 63 and 70. This is also reflected in the map above. I didn't realize this for a long time because some of the variable speed limit signs can show 70 so I thought the ones I saw showing 65 were always being reduced from 70.

Oddly, although US-395 meets "freeway" criteria for WSDOT, the regular left and right turns at several points might disqualify it for this thread, leaving only rural interstates posted at 70, certainly giving the impression that WA does have a special limit for interstates. But all things considered, this definitely isn't correct, since US-395 is posted at 70, and it's a US Route (it's just not a freeway by roadgeek standards).

I'd argue some segments of 395 are without at-grade crossroads for long enough to count as a freeway, notably from south of WA-21 to the interchange with I-90, which is more than 15 miles long.

On the basis of this map, I believe that WA is quite reasonable with its speed limits.

The colors between 65 and 60 are pretty hard to tell apart though.

[roadman65]

In Florida the 70 mph maximum on interstates is used on non interstates as well.  In fact FDOT just raised SR 528 to 65 mph on the western 8 miles that was always 55 up until the HOT lanes were opened just last year.  I think only around the Orlando International Airport the 55 mph speed limit is still left. 

Florida is usually pretty good about freeways regardless of designation on them.

[wxfree]

I may be wrong, but I don't think there is a freeway in Texas with a speed limit under 60.

Wasn't Houston capped at 55 for a while? (I know it's not now).

When the environmental speed limits were put in place, the speed limits in the Houston area were capped at 55.  This is shown in minute order 108794.  Many people protested this, and I think it went to court.  I seem to recall the just blocking the order.  The signs may never have been changed.  Later, another minute order was issued, number 109064, which, as I recall, followed the DFW model of reducing the regular limit by 5.

[stevashe]

The colors between 65 and 60 are pretty hard to tell apart though.

Here's a version with 60 as green:

[tolbs17]

When Pennsylvania expanded the number and expanse of its 70 MPH zones in 2016, that included a few non-Interstate freeways:

- US 15 (from Trout Run north to the NY state line)
- PA Tpk. 576
- PA Tpk. 45 (most)
- PA Tpk. 66 (most)

I wonder if PA actually does care.  It's noteworthy that all those examples are either maintained by the PTC or a future interstate corridor.  Then again, 70 zones are sparse enough on PennDOT roadways that it can be hard to tell.

There's actually quite a lot of 70 in PA - most of 80, most of present/future 99, 380, 79 (I think), Turnpike, etc. Mostly, PA doesn't have too much non-interstate freeway, and so it is hard to tell.

There are still many roads that don't have any 70 zones for seemingly no reason, like I-81.  It's hardly pervasive like it would be in other parts of the country.

North Carolina still has a lot of 65 mph zones on segments that could easily be 70 mph, particularly on non-interstates, then other segments that are 70 mph throughout for long distances. Compare that to a state such as Virginia that posts 70 mph on most of its mileage.

The Monroe Expressway? It could easily be 70 mph but yet, it's only 65 mph.

[sprjus4]

^ Are you referring to back then or present day? Because there are definitely more roads in Massachusetts asides from the Turnpike that are posted at 65 mph, and at least one at 60 mph.

[sprjus4]

Really? They have 60 mph limits? I have never seen that yet, most speed limits just jump back and forth between  55 and 65, 60 is a real thing? Have never even seen 60 mph recommended signs around curves. Any in NY or NJ?

MA-3 (not to be confused with US-3 north of Boston, which is still stuck at 55 mph) is posted at 60 mph between I-93 and Sagamore. This road could likely be 65 mph, but 60 mph is better than 55 mph I suppose.

I don't believe New York or New Jersey have any. A few exist in Maryland, Delaware, and Maine, however, and Pennsylvania has had 60 mph on temporary work zones (normal 70 mph zones) but not any official, permanent zones.

[SkyPesos]

Ohio doesn't really distinguish between interstate and non-interstate freeways for speed limits. Plenty of non-interstate freeways signed at 70 mph.

[capt.ron]

US 67-167 between Jacksonville and Walnut Ridge is signed at 75 mph. AR 440 - 65 mph.

[deathtopumpkins]

Ohio doesn't really distinguish between interstate and non-interstate freeways for speed limits. Plenty of non-interstate freeways signed at 70 mph.

And even some non-freeways (e.g. US 30, US 24).

Interestingly I believe the only states that post freeways and non-freeways at the same maximum speed limit are Ohio (70), New Mexico (75), Missouri (70), Oregon (70), and Hawaii (60), with Oregon and Hawaii being the only ones to post the same maximum speed limit on a freeway and a 2-lane road.