Most terrible speed limits.

[roadfro]

I was driving this earlier today. Thirty-what?
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.2284806,-76.9321619,3a,75y,2.86h,88.89t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swFChtiBzRTK69QVLx9AIVQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

It's not super terrible, recognizing that what appears to be a freeway is approaching a traffic signal in less than half a mile. But I could see 40 or 45 being a bit more palatable.

[Ketchup99]

I was driving this earlier today. Thirty-what?
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.2284806,-76.9321619,3a,75y,2.86h,88.89t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swFChtiBzRTK69QVLx9AIVQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

It's not super terrible, recognizing that what appears to be a freeway is approaching a traffic signal in less than half a mile. But I could see 40 or 45 being a bit more palatable.

Problem is, traffic was still flowing 60+. Even in the other direction - no signal in sight - it's signed at 45, flow about 70. But a 35 sign when I was almost being run off the road at 55 is never good.

[tolbs17]

The eastern leg of the CF Harvey Parkway in Kinston, North Carolina that opened sometime last year. It's posted at 60 mph and not 65 or even 70 mph. I watched a video on YouTube about a guy driving on that alignment and he was going like 78-80 mph on it. That's 18-20 mph over the limit. That's WAY over the limit!

No street view in that area so I can't post it but I'm sure you guys know what I'm talking about 

[sprjus4]

I don't understand the case with the C.F. Harvey Pkwy, IMO.

The design speed for the roadway is 70 mph and is a rural freeway with full control of access.

https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/cf-harvey-parkway/Documents/R5703_Environmental_Assessment.pdf

It's environmental assessment lists it was intended to have a posted speed limit of 65 mph. The southern segment of the parkway closer to US-70 is a similar condition, and has that faster speed limit. The non-controlled-access segment is 60 mph, while transitioning to 65 mph as the freeway starts.

The nearby NC-11 Greenville Bypass was recently complete a couple years ago, and is posted at 70 mph. It also had a design speed of 70 mph.

[tolbs17]

Question to the Mods/Admins: Should this thread belong in Traffic Control or should it get moved to General Highway Talk?

[Roadgeekteen]

Revisiting this topic with some examples from my recent roadtrip:

I-79 south of Pittsburgh is 55 until Washington PA for some reason

I-81 drops to 55 in Carslile for some reason

Parts of NC 80 had no speed limit: the car said the speed limit was 55, we were going 35 at most.

[MASTERNC]

Revisiting this topic with some examples from my recent roadtrip:

I-79 south of Pittsburgh is 55 until Washington PA for some reason

I-81 drops to 55 in Carslile for some reason

Parts of NC 80 had no speed limit: the car said the speed limit was 55, we were going 35 at most.

I-79 in the Pittsburgh area is way underposted, especially south of I-376.  Same with some expressways in Philly, such as US 202 and US 1 (in Chester County).

I-81 in Carlisle has heavy truck traffic and short acceleration lanes, so not surprised there.

[Max Rockatansky]

55 MPH on I-95 through Philadelphia seemed to be obscenely slow when I was there Philadelphia Meet.  Pretty much nobody was following the speed limit and the default traffic flow was closer to 70 MPH.

[webny99]

55 MPH on I-95 through Philadelphia seemed to be obscenely slow when I was there Philadelphia Meet.  Pretty much nobody was following the speed limit and the default traffic flow was closer to 70 MPH.

That's really the case on most/all 55 mph highways in the Northeast. It's even the case here, and speeds tend to be even higher closer to the Bos/Wash corridor.

[Dirt Roads]

Parts of NC 80 had no speed limit: the car said the speed limit was 55, we were going 35 at most.

Your GPS was correct.  North Carolina state law is that the speed limit is 55 MPH unless otherwise posted (except in cities and towns, where the speed limit is 35 MPH unless otherwise posted).  There are still some locations in North Carolina where rural roads leaving town will still have an old "End 45 MPH Limit" sign, rather than the MUTCD-compliant "Speed Limit 55" sign (R2-1). 

By the way, you should have seen a bunch of green "Citywide // Speed Limit 35 // Unless // Otherwise Posted" plaques (NCDOT preference in lieu of the R2-5P plaques) whenever entering any city or town. 

[roadfro]

By the way, you should have seen a bunch of green "Citywide // Speed Limit 35 // Unless // Otherwise Posted" plaques (NCDOT preference in lieu of the R2-5P plaques) whenever entering any city or town. 

Very curious why that sign is styled as a green guide sign instead of a white regulatory sign...

[thenetwork]

By the way, you should have seen a bunch of green "Citywide // Speed Limit 35 // Unless // Otherwise Posted" plaques (NCDOT preference in lieu of the R2-5P plaques) whenever entering any city or town. 

Very curious why that sign is styled as a green guide sign instead of a white regulatory sign...

That's been a North Carolina thing for as far back as I remember.