"Resume Safe Speed"?

[fillup420]

I see signs that say "Resume Safe Speed" in western North Carolina, usually on rural highways. There are a few along US 221, and I saw one today on NC 184 in Beech Mtn. What does that sign mean?

[roadman]

As I understand it, these signs indicate the end of a posted speed zone and resumption of the "prima-facie" speed limit.  Massachusetts normally signs this condition as "End Speed Zone".

[tckma]

I see signs that say "Resume Safe Speed" in western North Carolina, usually on rural highways. There are a few along US 221, and I saw one today on NC 184 in Beech Mtn. What does that sign mean?

I'll have to pay attention for that next time I'm in NC.  It seems to imply that everyone is traveling at an UNsafe speed prior to reaching that sign.  I've seen "RESUME HIGHWAY SPEED" in some states (I forget which ones) at points where a rural, two-lane highway leaves a small town or other thickly settled area ("thickly settled," yeah, my 8 years of living in Massachusetts is showing).  Resume *highway* speed seems to make a lot more sense in those situations.

Occasionally, when I'm up in Connecticut visiting my in-laws, I'll see "END LEFT LANE PROHIBITION".  I highly and sincerely doubt that means I can now drink in the left lane, or some form of protest in favor of drinking in the left lane.  But what's prohibited in the left lane?  I don't know, because I don't ever see any signs indicating that something IS prohibited in the left lane.

[HazMatt]

The official speed limit outside of cities (unless otherwise posted) is 55 in NC.   Those signs are typically on roads where you'd have a hard time going 55 except for small stretches.  I always assumed NCDOT puts these up instead of speed limit signs so as to not encourage people to try to go that fast, especially since there are a lot of people that view the speed limit as the minimum required speed.

[hubcity]

NJ seems to have forgotten that the 'End Road Work' sign exists.

Well, that depends...can you identify a stretch of highway in NJ that isn't under construction?

/I keed, I keed...

[MASTERNC]

There's also the "RESUME LEGAL SPEED" sign Ohio used to use, especially coming out of construction zones.

[MikeTheActuary]

Well, that depends...can you identify a stretch of highway in NJ that isn't under construction?

I would say that missing stretch of I-95 is not under construction. 

[Mapmikey]

Virginia has END xx  MILE SPEED signs in its rural areas, mostly on secondary roads.

https://goo.gl/maps/Qemh2kVkKUK2

Decades ago Virginia used to post END REDUCED SPEED signs...

This picture was taken Dec 2011 in the same place as the link above (SR 679 Greenbackville)...

[1995hoo]

Virginia has END xx  MILE SPEED signs in its rural areas, mostly on secondary roads.

....

There used to be two of those (END 65 MILE SPEED) near the eastern end of the Dulles Greenway approaching the toll plaza. They were (rightly, IMO) removed a few years back. Technically, "END 65 MILE SPEED" would denote that the default 55-mph speed limit would apply, right? In that location, the speed limit drops to 35 approaching the toll plaza and then goes up to 55 on the far side, so the signs were arguably the incorrect ones.

[Bitmapped]

There's also the "RESUME LEGAL SPEED" sign Ohio used to use, especially coming out of construction zones.

I always hated those in Ohio. They've finally gone to posting what the speed limit is, which is a lot clearer and addresses cases where the construction zone overlapped a speed limit change.

With their new variable speed limit signs, ODOT is also now actually signing Work Zone speed limits. In the past, they'd just post a regular (reduced) speed limit in work zones without the Work Zone banner you see in most states. In that case, technically, I think the speed limit would continue even after the work zone until another speed limit sign appeared.

[Bitmapped]

Pennsylvania is a frequent abuser of "End Speed Limit xx" sign assemblies. It's not uncommon to see these signs followed 100 feet later by a different reduced speed limit, which begs the question why they didn't just post the new speed limit on the first sign.

[tckma]

There's also the "RESUME LEGAL SPEED" sign Ohio used to use, especially coming out of construction zones.

Again, implying that your previous speed was ILLegal???

[tckma]

Pennsylvania is a frequent abuser of "End Speed Limit xx" sign assemblies. It's not uncommon to see these signs followed 100 feet later by a different reduced speed limit, which begs the question why they didn't just post the new speed limit on the first sign.

Not just the "End Speed Limit xx" signs.  There's THIS episode of "Why Did PennDot Even Bother?" among many others just like it:

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7888768,-76.9988765,3a,52.4y,264.2h,86.45t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sJ1tus5fjAeLZ-m5qPW7kog!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[bzakharin]

It's kind of mind boggling that all of this exists. All that's really needed is a "Speed Limit Whatever" sign instead of playing memory games with the driver (was that construction zone in the 50 MPH or 45 MPH part of the road? Am I in a residential zone or not? What's the default speed limit in this state again?) NJ has exactly one "End Speed Zone" sign that I know of, and even that is followed immediately by "Speed Limit 25". Aside from construction zone endings speed limits are almost always signed very well here. PA Turnpike is great about signing the speed limit after a work zone ends.

Pennsylvania is a frequent abuser of "End Speed Limit xx" sign assemblies. It's not uncommon to see these signs followed 100 feet later by a different reduced speed limit, which begs the question why they didn't just post the new speed limit on the first sign.

Not just the "End Speed Limit xx" signs.  There's THIS episode of "Why Did PennDot Even Bother?" among many others just like it:

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7888768,-76.9988765,3a,52.4y,264.2h,86.45t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sJ1tus5fjAeLZ-m5qPW7kog!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Seeing as this is the border of Pennville, and there is a pavement change here too, I'd guess that one or both of these jurisdictions is not maintained by Penndot, though, of course, it doesn't make it any less stupid.

This one, however is outright malicious:
https://goo.gl/6uAAwR
https://goo.gl/AbvjtS
Speed Limit 35 followed by 25 at the bottom of the hill.

[machias]

In NY we'd have a sign posted "end xx mph limit", meaning default limit of 55 mph until further notice.

That varies quite a bit depending on the jurisdiction. NYSDOT would usually post "State Speed Limit 55". With the latest incarnation of the MUTCD I've seen more and more "Speed Limit 55" signs. Counties like the "END XX MPH LIMIT".  Before that it was "END XX MPH SPEED".

[CYoder]

Virginia has END xx  MILE SPEED signs in its rural areas, mostly on secondary roads.

https://goo.gl/maps/Qemh2kVkKUK2

Decades ago Virginia used to post END REDUCED SPEED signs...

This picture was taken Dec 2011 in the same place as the link above (SR 679 Greenbackville)...

And another just outside of Abingdon VA (followed shortly by a standard 55 sign).