Traffic lights on roads with high speed limits

[ftballfan]

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.

I drove US-30 between US-23 and I-71 this past weekend and most of it is 70 despite the at-grades with minor roads. The first light EB on 30 looks to be at OH 57 south of Orrville (and east of Wooster). That one and a light in Dalton look like the only lights on 30 west of I-77

[cl94]

Ohio's only requirement for 70 is "divided highway". Several non-Interstates posted at 70 have at least one at-grade, including US 30. Definitely not a freeway.

[Buck87]

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

I can't think of any lights on anything higher than 60. And the one's I do know of that are 60 are spread out enough that didn't list them in my first post because they didn't meet the OP's qualifications for being multiple lights fairly close together. The closest two I can think of are the ones at either end of US 23's test section north of Delaware, which are almost 4 miles apart. There are 4 on US 20, but they're all spread out (at OH 4, OH 19, OH 590 and US 23)   

[US 89]

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.

Here's a signal at US 84 and TX 388 in Shallowater, TX. It appears the speed limit on US 84 is 75 mph, at least in the westbound direction.

[Duke87]

Yowza.

Well I suppose it's not totally surprising that there is (at least) one. This is not commonplace, though.

[bcroadguy]

While technically in a 90 km/h (55 mph) zone, the speed limit quickly picks up to 120 km/h (75 mph) on either side of this intersection:

https://www.google.com/maps/@49.3711535,-124.6162351,3a,43.8y,306.15h,89.72t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s2t9Ks62LUnAaK7YhEDnhOw!2e0!5s20150401T000000!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

[jakeroot]

While technically in a 90 km/h (55 mph) zone, the speed limit quickly picks up to 120 km/h (75 mph) on either side of this intersection:

https://www.google.com/maps/@49.3711535,-124.6162351,3a,43.8y,306.15h,89.72t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s2t9Ks62LUnAaK7YhEDnhOw!2e0!5s20150401T000000!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

I completely forgot that the Island had 120 zones. The only one I've seen is along the Coq.

[capt.ron]

US 64 bypass in Faulkner County, AR. Speed limit is 60 by the traffic light; 65 elsewhere.     
US 231 in southeast Alabama, especially between Montgomery and Dothan. Alabama needs to grade separate or put in some full blown interchanges in some of those intersections! Some of the intersections have rumble strips reminding you that a traffic signal is ahead!

[kphoger]

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.

I noticed on my most recent trip that K-42 southwest of Wichita is also 60 mph with stoplights.

[coldshoulder]

Ohio 82 in Trumbull County, east of Warren, is a four-lane divided highway with a signalized at-grade intersection at Howland-Wilson Road, between OH-46 and OH-11, with left-turn movements allowed from all directions.  Pretty sure the posted speed limit there is either 50 or 55, although it could possibly be 60 or even 65.

The intersection continues to be the scene of many accidents; and is under consideration for a makeover in conjunction with a proposal to convert the OH-46 and OH-82 grade-separated intersection to a Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI).

The current study recommendations are to cul-de-sac both the northern and southern portions of Howland-Wilson Road, and allow only right-turn movements from OH-82 onto Howland-Wilson.

https://goo.gl/maps/N2ErbSWqTJ7WsMR59

 

[jp the roadgeek]

This one is temporary, but there's the traffic light on I-690 during the NY State Fair.  The regular speed limit is 65,  but is reduced to 55 during the fair session.

[J N Winkler]

I noticed on my most recent trip that K-42 southwest of Wichita is also 60 mph with stoplights.

Yes.  The most recent of these is the one at MacArthur Road, which involved relocating part of it so that it crosses K-42 at right angles.  There are stubs of old alignment that still serve traffic since they are accesses to a gas station (west side) and a lumberyard (east side).  I remember when it still had stop control.  I won't be surprised if a signal is installed at 135th St. W. (the turnoff for Clearwater) in the next few years.

[X99]

Rapid City area: Pretty much all of the US 16 truck bypass, with a 55-65 mph speed limit and 8 stoplights, including the ones at the US 16 and I-90 intersections. Highway 1416 in neighboring Box Elder has no stoplights, but it does have stop signs at three intersections westbound (and none eastbound).

[webny99]

Rapid City area: Pretty much all of the US 16 truck bypass, with a 55-65 mph speed limit and 8 stoplights, including the ones at the US 16 and I-90 intersections.

Yes! That is one road I found rather frustrating. Between the stoplights and the hilly terrain, its like they're tantalizing you with a nice high speed limit which turns out to be impossible to attain, much less maintain.

[RoadMaster09]

In general (IMO) any road with a speed limit higher than 55 with traffic signals needs to have advance warning signs overhead that flash to prepare to stop.

Also, signals should be avoided on rural highways with 4 lanes or more and a speed limit of 60 mph or greater anyway (particularly on expressways); those should immediately become interchanges when warranted.

[webny99]

Also, signals should be avoided on rural highways with 4 lanes or more and a speed limit of 60 mph or greater anyway (particularly on expressways); those should immediately become interchanges.

Well that's just the thing with the US 16 Truck Bypass in Rapid City. It's become so developed that adding interchanges would be impossible. The limit is too high, but lowering the limit would eliminate the only remaining reason to call it a bypass.

[RoadMaster09]

Also, signals should be avoided on rural highways with 4 lanes or more and a speed limit of 60 mph or greater anyway (particularly on expressways); those should immediately become interchanges.

Well that's just the thing with the US 16 Truck Bypass in Rapid City. It's become so developed that adding interchanges would be impossible. The limit is too high, but lowering the limit would eliminate the only remaining reason to call it a bypass.

If the signals are that frequent, then it should be lowered to, say, 45 or 50. From the looks of it, I'd say 50 would be the best speed limit.

[kphoger]

In general (IMO) any road with a speed limit higher than 55 with traffic signals needs to have advance warning signs overhead that flash to prepare to stop.

I think that's overkill for a road with stoplights every mile (such as west of Wichita).

[sbeaver44]

I believe I found a PA example, which surprised me, because PennDOT almost always drops the speed limit within a buffer zone of a traffic light, usually something like 55-40-55

US 30 east of Chambersburg has a light at PA 233.  Looking at GSV I don't see any speed limit changes on 30, it seems to be 55 on either side.  That is the only traffic light on US 30 between PA 997 and the outskirts of Gettysburg IIRC.

[webny99]

I believe I found a PA example, which surprised me, because PennDOT almost always drops the speed limit within a buffer zone of a traffic light, usually something like 55-40-55

Hmm. I've never noticed that before.
I stand to be corrected, but I think US 220 at PA 287 is also 55 mph (still a reduction from 65 mph on the adjacent freeway segment(s)).

[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.

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.

Sorry to quote this ancient post.

I did a bit of digging. Irvine Blvd was posted at 65(!!) as recently as 2013, according to that survey you linked to, however, I can only find Street View evidence as recently as 2011. Judging by this Street View image from 2015, the limit was reduced prior to Irvine being upgraded with a median. Note that the "65" has been bagged.

This has to have been the highest posted arterial, ever.

[bcroadguy]

In general (IMO) any road with a speed limit higher than 55 with traffic signals needs to have advance warning signs overhead that flash to prepare to stop.

Also, signals should be avoided on rural highways with 4 lanes or more and a speed limit of 60 mph or greater anyway (particularly on expressways); those should immediately become interchanges when warranted.

In BC, flashing prepare to stop signs are required at traffic lights anywhere the limit is 70 km/h (45 mph) or higher. It's nice to have, but pretty unnecessary a lot of the time imo. I'm completely speculating here, but I get the feeling that a lot of roads that could easily have 70+ speed limits are limited to 60 km/h partially because they don't want to pay extra for warning lights.

[MarkF]

^^
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.

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.

Sorry to quote this ancient post.

I did a bit of digging. Irvine Blvd was posted at 65(!!) as recently as 2013, according to that survey you linked to, however, I can only find Street View evidence as recently as 2011. Judging by this Street View image from 2015, the limit was reduced prior to Irvine being upgraded with a median. Note that the "65" has been bagged.

This has to have been the highest posted arterial, ever.

A few miles away, Antonio Pkwy south of Rancho Santa Margarita to the Las Flores community was also posted at 65 a few years ago, now 55.   This one's a odd one, too, in that there is a 25mph school zone just north of Las Flores.

[Ian]

Maine, much like the rest of the New England, will typically lower the speed limit when approaching a signalized intersection and raise it again once beyond. On more major highways, they'll usually reduce it to 45-40 mph (50 is sometimes seen, but rare) on approach, or even as low as 35-25 mph if going through a town. The only exception to this rule that I'm aware of, is along ME 196 (Brunswick-Topsham By-Pass) at the intersection of Village Drive/Community Way in Topsham, where the speed through it remains at 55 mph. Both directions even include a bike lane to boot!

I believe I found a PA example, which surprised me, because PennDOT almost always drops the speed limit within a buffer zone of a traffic light, usually something like 55-40-55

Hmm. I've never noticed that before.
I stand to be corrected, but I think US 220 at PA 287 is also 55 mph (still a reduction from 65 mph on the adjacent freeway segment(s)).

I discovered another PA example of a 55-mph zone traffic signal this afternoon, at the intersection of US 222 and Penn Grant Road near Lancaster. I don't believe that examples of these are too uncommon around the Commonwealth, especially on more rural, divided 4-lane highways.

[froggie]

^ The one signal on US 209 between PA 33 and I-80 is in a 55 zone.

Regarding the earlier point, Virginia will often (but not always) lower the speed limit on a 4-lane highway through a signal.  That said, there are a number of examples of keeping it at 55 along US 13 on the Eastern Shore.