Speed Limits That Make No Sense When Compared to Each Other

[webny99]

As I mentioned in the "Guess the Speed Limit Challenge", there's something really strange and frustrating about the speed limits in Monroe County, NY, particularly in the eastern part of the county.

Seemingly, north/south roads west of NY 250 CANNOT be posted higher than 35 mph, no matter the quality of the road. And yet, east/west roads can be posted 40 or even 45 mph no problem, despite being of equal or sometimes even lesser quality.

Take a look at the following. What kind of bizarro universe is this, where...

This can be 40 mph, but this has to be 35 mph?
This can be 45 mph, but this has to be 35 mph?
This can be 40 mph, but this has to be 35 mph?
This can be 40 mph, but this has to be 35 mph?
This can be 40 mph but this has to be 30 mph?
This can be 40 mph but this has to be 35 mph?
This can be 40 mph, but this has to be 35 mph?

I could go on and on, but you get the idea: Every one of these examples has something in common, and that is that the E/W road has the higher limit, while the N/S one is stuck at 35 mph (or in the one case, 30 mph). The only thing I can figure is that maybe E/W roads are somehow deemed more important commuter routes because they collect traffic heading to/from the city. In any case, it's bizarre and frustrating, especially because I have a reverse commute and tend to use the N/S routes more frequently, and many of said routes could easily be 45 mph if not 55 mph.

So, with that rant out of my system, what are some other examples of where two roads close together (within 5 miles) have different speed limits, but it's really impossible to justify one being lower than the other, when it should be the same if not higher?

[CoreySamson]

Here's two routes near West Columbia, TX near me that I'm baffled by:

FM-1301, 2-lane road, no shoulders, 65 mph speed limit:

TX-35, 4-lane expressway, ideal shoulders, 60 mph speed limit:

To be fair, TX-35 is a lot busier than FM-1301, but 35 right there could easily handle 70.

[Max Rockatansky]

Why do these threads need to be "rants?"

[webny99]

Why do these threads need to be "rants?"

Well, what would you call it if not a rant?

I actually figured I was doing myself and the audience a favor by just acknowledging up front that it is, indeed, a rant. I guess I just can't win.

[Max Rockatansky]

Why do these threads need to be "rants?"

Well, what would you call it if not a rant?

I actually figured I was doing myself and the audience a favor by just acknowledging up front that it is, indeed, a rant. I guess I just can't win.

Just a normal post with a detailed subject matter?  It just seems like that a lot of people titling threads as "rants"  lately and it seemed kind of odd.

[Daniel Fiddler]

Entirety of Florida Turnpike Mainline (should be 75 between I-95 and the Homestead Extension, 80 between the Homestead Extension and I-595 and between FL 417 and FL 50, and 85 the remainder of the way)

I-75 between Florida Turnpike Mainline and I-475 Macon bypass (should be 80)

I-475 Macon bypass (should be 75)

I-75 north of I-475 Macon bypass where only 70, as well as many other Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee Interstates and toll roads where only 70 (should be 75)

New Jersey Turnpike south of I-287 (should be 75)

US 45 and US 45 BYP from Ashport Rd to US 45 E in Madison County, TN (should be 60)

Old Hickory Blvd in Jackson, TN (signed at 30 mph, should be 40)

TN 22 in Adamsville where 30 and Clarksburg and Parker's Crossroads where 40 (should be 50, Adamsville has <3,000, Clarksburg has <1,000, and Parker's Crossroads <500 population)

US 412 where 55 between Lexington, TN and Chesterfield, TN (should be 65)

All of the Ontario 400 series and Quebec Autoroutes (Seriously, 100 km / h or 62 mph?  Should be at least 120 km / h or 75 mph)

[I-55]

Most of the artificial 60 and 65 zones in Indiana. Most divided highways can handle 65-70 and rural non-interstate freeways can easily handle 70.

[Daniel Fiddler]

Most of the artificial 60 and 65 zones in Indiana. Most divided highways can handle 65-70 and rural non-interstate freeways can easily handle 70.

I can concur with this, having driven on US 30 between Warsaw and Ft. Wayne.

[sprjus4]

^ While I agree with the points of underposted speed limits on interstate highways, I don't think that's the purpose of this thread.

It's to identify two similar routes that may have separate speed limits, where one could / should be higher than the other but isn't, etc.

[SkyPesos]

[Insert something about NY 198 being posted below almost every other freeway here]

[webny99]

[Insert something about NY 198 being posted below almost every other freeway here]

I know it's been a talking point, but I didn't realize the entire route is 30 mph. 

The funniest thing is this sign, which clearly used to say "Freeway Ends" and they just put a NY 198 shield over it as if to somehow deny that it's a freeway... (and as if you're somehow going to reduce speed from 30 mph to get on I-190!)

[ChiMilNet]

Most any two lane rural road in Illinois only being 55 mph.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Most any two lane rural road in Illinois only being 55 mph.

IL, WI, and IA need to get on board with MN and MI in this regard, although are there any two-lane roads in the LP posted at 65?

[kphoger]

Most any two lane rural road in Illinois only being 55 mph.

IL, WI, and IA need to get on board with MN and MI in this regard, although are there any two-lane roads in the LP posted at 65?

When I lived in southern Illinois, I drove a delivery route that typically ranged from 250 to 350 miles per day.  I got to know the two-lane roads south of roughly US-50 in that part of the state really well during that time.  In my experience, traffic east of I-57 tended to be just fine with the speed limit:  I typically drove about 63 mph, I ended up passing a lot of vehicles at that speed, and hardly anyone ended up passing me.  In contrast, traffic west of US-51 tended to drive well over the speed limit:  going 68 to 70 mph would make me about average.

[wanderer2575]

Every one of these examples has something in common, and that is that the E/W road has the higher limit, while the N/S one is stuck at 35 mph (or in the one case, 30 mph). The only thing I can figure is that maybe E/W roads are somehow deemed more important commuter routes because they collect traffic heading to/from the city.

Or maybe it helps with traffic signal synchronization?  Is it the case with different speed limits N/S vs. E/W that a decent amount of traffic can get through each signal and also that motorists aren't stopped at each one?  I may be grabbing at straws, but I wonder if at least in some situations -- certainly not all -- this might be the reason.

[thefarmerchris]

Most of the artificial 60 and 65 zones in Indiana. Most divided highways can handle 65-70 and rural non-interstate freeways can easily handle 70.

I can concur with this, having driven on US 30 between Warsaw and Ft. Wayne.

I drive this route weekly and 70 is already the average speed for traffic.....outside of Columbia City where you will get a ticket for going 3 over. (45/50 limit)

[Ned Weasel]

The entire Kansas City, MO Downtown Loop should be 50 or 55 MPH instead of 45. The freeway portions of US 71 south of downtown KCMO should be 60 or 65 instead of 55. And the expressway portion of US 71 between 75th Street and Swope Parkway in KCMO should be 50 or 55 instead of 45. There isn't much justification for the 45-MPH speed limit there just because it has traffic signals, when US 73/KS 7 in Kansas City, KS has traffic signals and a 65-MPH speed limit. And the 45-MPH speed limit on the entire downtown freeway loop is just absurd, and trying to stay within 5 MPH of it is a nightmare when most drivers treat it like it's at least a 55 zone.

[sprjus4]

This road is 50 mph but this road has to be 45 mph.

[Roadgeekteen]

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=20436.0

[webny99]

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=20436.0

Relevant, but not a duplicate thread.

People seem to be misunderstanding the purpose of this thread, which is for examples of speed limits than make no sense when compared to another nearby limit, like the ones in the OP and in the post above yours.

[sprjus4]

^ Yup. People simply turned it into another thread to complain about low speed limits in general, when there's already threads for that.

[OldDominion75]

The speed limits in small communities throughout Warren and Vance counties on US-158 are ridiculously low. 35 mph needs to be at least 45, but really 55 in Middleburg. It needs to be 55 rather than 45 through Ridgeway and Manson. It needs to be 55 past the Food Lion shopping center in Norlina. The 35 mph limit in Macon and Vaughan need to be raised to 45 mph.

[webny99]

A slight variation on the original premise... speed limits that are the same despite being on roads of very different character that should not have the same limit. How about this and this both being 35 mph?

35 mph is actually reasonable for the former. It's very narrow with no shoulders, and it also carries considerable bike and pedestrian traffic because of the many hiking/biking trails in the area. But given 35 mph there, the latter example should be at least 50 mph or 55 mph.

[Bickendan]

Agreed that the second shouldn't be 35. 45 at bare minimum.

[sbeaver44]

US 30 being 55 between Lancaster PA and York while PA 283 between Lancaster and Harrisburg is 65

Drives me insane every time.  Guessing PennDOT hasn't done any speed studies on US 30 for ages.

Prevailing speeds on 30 are easily 65-70, not that different from 283, and I'd argue 30 has similar design to 283

I could accept 55 approaching Mt Zion Rd from the west in York, or 55 from Centerville Rd and east in Lancaster.  But 55 around Wrightsville is insane.