States with automatic 55 miles per hour

[roadman65]

I noticed that in Pennsylvania some of the entry points have a  sign that states the speed limit is 55 mph or otherwise posted.  Then on US 1 in rural areas of Chester County when the speed limit goes to 55 mph, instead of a 55 mph speed limit sign there is an "END SPEED LIMIT X" assembly at the point the 55 zone starts.  Also, you very rarely see a 55 mph sign statewide (and back in the days of the 55 national maximum you did not see hardly any SPEED LIMIT 55 signs on PA Interstates) except where it gets zoned for that and the rest of the way with no speed limit signs.

The same in Michigan on US 31 where it becomes 55 mph.  You will only see one sign at its start and miles without a speed limit sign. 

I assume they have a law that states its normal to be 55 mph unless the state, county, or municipality wants it lower by separate legislation.  Are there any other states around like this?

[3467]

Yes in Illinois all roads are 55 unless marked otherwise. Briefly it reverted back to 65 after the federal 55 ended but the legislature here quickly dropped it back to 55. Local units can post lower but not higher.

[Brandon]

Yes in Illinois all roads are 55 unless marked otherwise. Briefly it reverted back to 65 after the federal 55 ended but the legislature here quickly dropped it back to 55. Local units can post lower but not higher.

Gotta love our dipshitty General Assembly.  Same bunch of assholes who passed the speed cameras in Chicago thing.

[Duke87]

New York has default 55 unless otherwise posted, but municipalities can lower it. New York City has default 30 unless otherwise posted.

Vermont has default 50 unless otherwise posted (gotta love New England).

Connecticut has default 30 unless otherwise posted.

[Dr Frankenstein]

I have a photo of Vermont's "STATE SPEED LIMIT 50 UNLESS OTHERWISE POSTED", but it's not up on my site yet.

[Alps]

NJ is 50 mph unless otherwise posted, though it drops to 25 in urban areas. What amount of suburbia constitutes a drop from 50 to 25 is unclear.

[1995hoo]

Virginia defaults to 55 mph, for the most part, unless the General Assembly authorizes a higher speed limit and VDOT performs the required studies to determine that a higher limit would be OK. This is the text of Va. Code 46.2-870:

Except as otherwise provided in this article, the maximum speed limit shall be 55 miles per hour on interstate highways or other limited access highways with divided roadways, nonlimited access highways having four or more lanes, and all state primary highways.

The maximum speed limit on all other highways shall be 55 miles per hour if the vehicle is a passenger motor vehicle, bus, pickup or panel truck, or a motorcycle, but 45 miles per hour on such highways if the vehicle is a truck, tractor truck, or combination of vehicles designed to transport property, or is a motor vehicle being used to tow a vehicle designed for self-propulsion, or a house trailer.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, the maximum speed limit shall be 70 miles per hour where indicated by lawfully placed signs, erected subsequent to a traffic engineering study and analysis of available and appropriate accident and law-enforcement data, on: (i) interstate highways, (ii) multilane, divided, limited access highways, and (iii) high-occupancy vehicle lanes if such lanes are physically separated from regular travel lanes. The maximum speed limit shall be 60 miles per hour where indicated by lawfully placed signs, erected subsequent to a traffic engineering study and analysis of available and appropriate accident and law-enforcement data, on U.S. Route 29, U.S. Route 58, U.S. Route 360, U.S. Route 460, and on U.S. Route 17 between the town of Port Royal and Saluda where they are nonlimited access, multilane, divided highways.

Separate statutes govern dirt and gravel roads in certain counties (generally 35 mph), "rural rustic roads" (generally 35 mph), and business/residential districts (generally 25 mph). There are a few other exceptions as well. But I doubt that's all that unusual–compare to Steve's comment about New Jersey's exception to the 50-mph presumption. There's no speed limit sign on the street where I live, for example, but I think it would be utterly ludicrous for anyone to argue that the speed limit is therefore 55 mph through a townhouse neighborhood (especially when the street leading in and out IS posted at 25 mph, even if half the people here try to go 40 on there).

[Scott5114]

In Oklahoma the default limits, as described by the driver's manual are:

• Turnpike: 75
• Interstate: 70
• Rural highway: 65
• County highway: 55

Simply paying for your ride magically buys you 5 MPH more on your speed limit by default (presumably this is enshrined in state law). How about that.

Some counties will post a small regulatory sign beneath the county line sign showing a lower default limit. In particular, many counties seem to like setting their limit to 45 MPH.

[formulanone]

NJ is 50 mph unless otherwise posted, though it drops to 25 in urban areas. What amount of suburbia constitutes a drop from 50 to 25 is unclear.

My guess is if the local constabulary has radar guns and motorcycles or if not.

[realjd]

I hate it when states do this. Since we have so many states with different rules, they should be explicit with speed limits. It's not like a speed limit 55 sign costs more than an end speed limit 35 sign.

[agentsteel53]

is it true Massachusetts's default speed limit is still 40?  it was in the 1970s, with signage at the state lines.

[Ace10]

Simply paying for your ride magically buys you 5 MPH more on your speed limit by default (presumably this is enshrined in state law). How about that.

Florida does this too in the Orlando area. I-4 through Orlando is signed 55 mph (and sometimes lower through downtown), but Florida's Turnpike, traveling through the same area, is 70. Other limited access highways (all toll roads) in central Florida are 55-65.

This is all probably due to the fact that the toll roads have interchanges and exits spaced further apart than I-4, but it does make for a safer and faster trip.

[Alps]

Mass. seems to be 50 by default.

[rickmastfan67]

I know in NC the default speed is 55.  They have this sign posted on I-77/I-74 just after the Welcome Center.

It can confuse you since the real speed limit for I-77/I-74 there is 70MPH.

[roadman]

is it true Massachusetts's default speed limit is still 40?  it was in the 1970s, with signage at the state lines.

Default speeds in Massachusetts where signs are not posted:

Divided highways outside "thickly settled" areas - 50
Non-divided highways outside "thickly settled" areas - 40
Roadways within "thickly settled" areas - 30
School Zones - 20
Certain sections of Mass. Turnpike - 65

Source - Mass General Laws Chapter 90, Sections 17 and 17A

[Zmapper]

Do they use the term "thickly settled" in the lawbook? How do they even define what is thickly settled and what isn't?

[The High Plains Traveler]

Colorado's statutory speed limit is 55 mph unless otherwise posted. This is so even though the state will post rural two-lane state highways 65 if conditions allow. I learned this during a conversation with a Prowers County deputy sheriff in deepest southeast Colorado, who stopped me for following too closely while I was preparing to pass a vehicle poking along at 55 on a county road. In response to his question to me on what I thought the speed limit was I offered "65" (not really thinking it was so). Surprisingly he let me go. Of the several times I've been stopped in Colorado, that was the one time I deserved a ticket.

I've wondered about the statutory default speed limit in California. Many times on two-lane roads, there will be an "END xx SPEED LIMIT" sign leaving a town or other area of reduced speed without a following speed limit sign. Other times I'll see 55 posted on those highways, which are often a little too windy to reasonably warrant 65.

[treichard]

I noticed that in Pennsylvania some of the entry points have a  sign that states the speed limit is 55 mph or otherwise posted.  Then on US 1 in rural areas of Chester County when the speed limit goes to 55 mph, instead of a 55 mph speed limit sign there is an "END SPEED LIMIT X" assembly at the point the 55 zone starts.

There are a handful of locations in PA where you leave a small town and see an "END SPEED LIMIT 35" (or other low speed) sign, followed by a short distance (~0.1 mi.) until a "SPEED LIMIT 40" (or other higher speed) sign is posted.  Presumably one can legally drive 55 mph for that short distance even though the intention is likely otherwise.

[JREwing78]

For a long time, Michigan's default on rural, non-freeway mileage was 55mph. I haven't seen evidence they're budging from that on 2-lanes, but on several 4-lane highways the speed limit's been raised to 65mph.

[SSOWorld]

Wisconsin has four statutory (a.k.a Default) limits:

*15 in school zones, near parks with children and alleys
*5 on "service roads" within corporate limits
*35 in dense urban development areas
*55 outside built up areas

If any other speed limit is needed signs must be posted along the zone.  This includes 65 zones on freeways and select 4+ lane divided rural highways (meaning - no 65 signs, drive 55)

[HighwayMaster]

Ohio is 55 unless otherwise posted.

[Crazy Volvo Guy]

Alabama rules unless otherwise posted:

Interstate: 70
Other rural 4-lane/divided highways: 65
All other rural State/US highways: 55
County/city roads: 45
Residential areas: 30

[MASTERNC]

I think Delaware is also 55 unless posted (only exceptions are I-495 and DE Route 1, where it is a variable 65 MPH)

[vtk]

Ohio is 55 unless otherwise posted.

Only in rural areas.  Urban arterial are 35.  In residential areas, 25.  Alleys, 15.  I think rural freeways and expressways if not posted are 65 but I'm not sure on that one.

Turnpike is 70 by recent legislation, and that's probably a maximum.  Not sure what limit applies if not posted, but I assume the current limit is posted thoroughly.  (does the Turnpike have any segments lower than 70?)

[kphoger]

I hate it when states do this. Since we have so many states with different rules, they should be explicit with speed limits. It's not like a speed limit 55 sign costs more than an end speed limit 35 sign.

Where Illinois saves on sign installations is intermediate signs between towns.  Typically on a drive, there's the first limit sign when you leave a town, and then you never see another one till you get to the next town.  They don't erect them in between at crossroads because turning drivers are assumed to know the speed limit is 55.  It's a strange feeling at firtst to go thirty miles or more without seeing a speed limit sign.