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[Hunty2022]

Is there any 60 MPH parts of 2 lane roads in Virginia, or is the limit 55?

[1995hoo]

Is there any 60 MPH parts of 2 lane roads in Virginia, or is the limit 55?

There are no 60-mph limits in Virginia on anything that is not at least a four-lane divided highway. The 60-mph zones on non-freeways (though we don’t generally use that word here) are specified by statute, so not just any four-lane divided highway is eligible.

I read somewhere that Florida is, or at least at one point was, the only state east of the Mississippi that posts anything higher than 55 on two-lane roads. I don’t know whether that’s still true. For some reason, my mind keeps telling me that in 1997 I drove on a two-lane road in Alabama, somewhere northeast of Montgomery and southwest of Martin Lake, that had a 65-mph speed limit, but it’s probably my mind playing tricks on me.

[Max Rockatansky]

Speaking of 55 MPH two lane roads, there are plenty in the Central Valley of California that could easily be sign posted as 60-65 MPH.  One that comes to mind is Nees Avenue between CA 33 in Firebaugh to I-5.  I usually go 65 MPH on Nees but almost everyone else hits 70 MPH or higher.  CHP was even out there yesterday pulling people over and giving them warnings for speeding.  The week prior they doing the same thing on Avenue 7 west of CA 145.

[dlsterner]

I read somewhere that Florida is, or at least at one point was, the only state east of the Mississippi that posts anything higher than 55 on two-lane roads. I don’t know whether that’s still true.

I was in Florida last December and can verify that there are still two-lane roads posted at 60 mph.  Don't know about any other states east of the Mississippi off the top of my head.

It certainly helps that these roads are usually flat^* and straight with good sight lines and shoulders.

^*As we know, Florida is quite flat.  Even flatter than Illinois.

(Edited to fix typing/autocorrect error:  nightlines -> sight lines)

[SEWIGuy]

55 is fine for Wisconsin. It’s not a plains state - the terrain is more rolly and curvy, and therefore the roads are as well. In addition, due to higher population density, two lane roads are busier on average here than they are in states where the limit is above 55 on two lane roads.

I second this. Maybe certain segments could be 60 or 65, but once you get into rural enough regions to justify it, you're more likely to hit a deer.

Well and you guys have all those trees, which makes it hard to see anything. The further west you go, the fewer trees (on average) are next to the road, which allows for earlier wildlife spotting.

As mentioned earlier, WY has 70-mph two lane roads (which is nice), but sometimes it doesn't line up nicely at state lines. Old US 14 at the SD/WY border jumps from 55 (the SD maximum for county roads) to 70 with no real difference in roadway design (except WY kept the wide shoulders from the US 14 days, would have liked Lawrence County to do that too instead of narrowing the shoulder when they repaved it back in the early 2000s but that's a personal pet peeve). I have not personally seen anyone really slow down at the border heading back from Beulah on my runs/bike rides.

Trees aren't much of a problem on some of these roads.  They sit on pretty large right of ways.

[1995hoo]

I read somewhere that Florida is, or at least at one point was, the only state east of the Mississippi that posts anything higher than 55 on two-lane roads. I don’t know whether that’s still true.

I was in Florida last December and can verify that there are still two-lane roads posted at 60 mph.  Don't know about any other states east of the Mississippi off the top of my head.

It certainly helps that these roads are usually flat^* and straight with good nightlines and shoulders.

^*As we know, Florida is quite flat.  Even flatter than Illinois.

Oh, I definitely know Florida has 60-mph speed limits on some two-lane roads (I’ve driven on some of them). I simply meant I don’t know whether any other state east of the Mississippi might have posted any at some point.

[dlsterner]

I read somewhere that Florida is, or at least at one point was, the only state east of the Mississippi that posts anything higher than 55 on two-lane roads. I don’t know whether that’s still true.

I was in Florida last December and can verify that there are still two-lane roads posted at 60 mph.  Don't know about any other states east of the Mississippi off the top of my head.

It certainly helps that these roads are usually flat^* and straight with good sight ines and shoulders.

^*As we know, Florida is quite flat.  Even flatter than Illinois.

Oh, I definitely know Florida has 60-mph speed limits on some two-lane roads (I’ve driven on some of them). I simply meant I don’t know whether any other state east of the Mississippi might have posted any at some point.

Gotcha.  I just misunderstood your comment.  My bad.

[GaryV]

I read somewhere that Florida is, or at least at one point was, the only state east of the Mississippi that posts anything higher than 55 on two-lane roads. I don’t know whether that’s still true.

I was in Florida last December and can verify that there are still two-lane roads posted at 60 mph.  Don't know about any other states east of the Mississippi off the top of my head.

It certainly helps that these roads are usually flat^* and straight with good nightlines and shoulders.

^*As we know, Florida is quite flat.  Even flatter than Illinois.

Oh, I definitely know Florida has 60-mph speed limits on some two-lane roads (I’ve driven on some of them). I simply meant I don’t know whether any other state east of the Mississippi might have posted any at some point.

Michigan does, since 2017

[kphoger]

Some Texas 2 lane highways have wide shoulders, and Texas drivers are well-known for pulling over and letting you by if you wanted to go faster than them. If everybody would drive that way and all 2 lane roads had wide shoulders, this would be an acceptable alternative to 4 lane highways in certain situations, but it probably wouldn't save a whole lot of money in the long run.

It isn't just that drivers are known for it, either.  According to Texas state law, letting a faster vehicle pass you is an explicitly permissible reason to drive on the right shoulder.

§ 545.058 — DRIVING ON IMPROVED SHOULDER.

(a) An operator may drive on an improved shoulder to the right of the main traveled portion of a roadway if that operation is necessary and may be done safely, but only:

  (1) to stop, stand, or park;

  (2) to accelerate before entering the main traveled lane of traffic;

  (3) to decelerate before making a right turn;

  (4) to pass another vehicle that is slowing or stopped on the main traveled portion of the highway, disabled, or preparing to make a left turn;

  (5) to allow another vehicle traveling faster to pass;

  (6) as permitted or required by an official traffic-control device; or

  (7) to avoid a collision.

[bwana39]

You're obviously talking about Texas.  Did you mean to post this in General Highway Talk?

To be fair, Texas is so huge that maybe the OP isn't aware that 75 mph on two-lane undivided roads is unique to Texas. And aren't there other states that have 70 mph, or am I misremembering...?

That said, I don't think it should be unique to Texas. 70 mph would be perfectly fine here, for example, where 55 mph feels like crawling.

Yes, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Oregon all have rural undivided speed limits of 70 mph.  75 mph is unique to Texas.

Yes, Texas has 70 and 75 on some 2-laned roads. They are cutting them back slowly but surely. This being so, there are still many that will never go down. Having grown up here, I don't get the big deal. And don't let the truckers act like they don't understand or maybe that we don't understand them . The fastest vehicles were the rock and sand haulers for Red River Sand & Gravel driving 80+ mpg on US-271 between Paris and Talco.