US 395A variable speed limits removed

[Kniwt]

It looks like this might not have been mentioned here when it started a couple of years ago, but now it's over:

The variable speed limit signs along US 395A (Old 395) through Washoe Valley north of Carson City -- which were put in place mainly to manage traffic during frequent high winds -- have been replaced with standard 50mph speed limit signs. I found no news reports about this, but I did find this in the June 2017 minutes of the Western States Rural Transportation Consortium:
http://www.westernstates.org/Documents/WSRTC/WSRTC_SteeringCommMtg_Minutes_FINAL_2017-06-20_WEB.pdf

The variable speed limit system in the Washoe Valley was removed.  More reliable controllers and communications, or redundant communications, were needed.  Cell modems and microwave wireless seem to be better options.

Here's a picture of a now-removed sign:

[skluth]

Do these work anywhere? They tried variable speed limit signs in St Louis and they were ignored by everyone - even the slower drivers.

[US 89]

Do these work anywhere? They tried variable speed limit signs in St Louis and they were ignored by everyone - even the slower drivers.

They've been installed on I-80 in the mountains east of Salt Lake City and they seem to work fine. The limit is only really lowered below 65 when it's snowing and you'd be driving slower anyway. IIRC, there are also variable limits on I-80 in Wyoming, but I haven't been up that way in a couple years.

[Kniwt]

Do these work anywhere?

There are two definitions of "work" at play here. Do they "work" in the sense that drivers obey them? Often not. But this was apparently more a case of the technology itself not working -- although, given that the technology works in plenty of other out-of-the-way places, it seems slightly odd that they couldn't make it work so close to relatively major cities.

[ARMOURERERIC]

I-77 in extreme southern VA has them.

[roadfro]

I didn't even know this was a thing... It was less than 20 miles from me–don't think I've been on US 395A in a while.

NDOT isn't completely abandoning variable speed limits though. They're being implemented on I-15 & US 95 in Las Vegas near the Spaghetti Bowl as part of Project Neon, concurrent with the larger VMS displays being installed.

[seicer]

I remember variable speed limits on the West Virginia Turnpike back in the early 1990's, but they were removed not too long after they were installed and replaced with just standard speed limit signs. I am seeing more variable speed signs in places like West Virginia and Ohio for their work zones.

[skluth]

Do these work anywhere? They tried variable speed limit signs in St Louis and they were ignored by everyone - even the slower drivers.

They've been installed on I-80 in the mountains east of Salt Lake City and they seem to work fine. The limit is only really lowered below 65 when it's snowing and you'd be driving slower anyway. IIRC, there are also variable limits on I-80 in Wyoming, but I haven't been up that way in a couple years.

It makes sense when the speed is being regulated due to weather conditions. I think most people would cooperate. However, in St Louis (or technically suburban STL) they were installed along I-270 so as to reduce congestion further down the road. If anything, people would speed up to try and be first to the congestion to get past it sooner. It was an abysmal failure.

This is an article about their removal - http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/modot-removing-variable-speed-limit-signs-i-270#stream/0
MoDOT evaluation article - https://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/Ri08025/or11014rpt.pdf

[doorknob60]

Do these work anywhere? They tried variable speed limit signs in St Louis and they were ignored by everyone - even the slower drivers.

In my experience, no. They put them between Baker City and La Grande on I-84 in Oregon. Normal speed limit is 70. Last time I drove through there (December), there was a time where it had been icy overnight but at that point in the morning the highway was relatively safe. The speed limit was 45! I continued going 70, as did most others. Funny thing is, as soon as the variable zone ended and it went back to 70, then the conditions turned bad and I was driving 45

On the way back, there was a "thick fog, Speed Limit 45" sign when it was clear as can be. A few miles down the road though, it did become foggy (for a short distance), but it was perfectly safe at like 60-65. Going way below the flow of traffic in thick fog (even if it's what the signs tell you) sounds more dangerous than going 70 through fog, you're just asking to be rear-ended.

From my experience, the only speeds those signs use are 70, 55, and 45. Really if they want it to be effective, they should also use 65 and 60 for more minor conditions, and save 45 (and below potentially) for when it's actively really bad. Or use more advisory speeds instead of actual speed limits (I believe I have seen advisory speeds on these ones, but not always). Also the speed limit normally should be 75 or 80, then 70 can be used when it was like the conditions I drove through that one day. Hard to know if 70 means "it's slightly sketchy, shouldn't go above 70" or "great conditions, this is the highest they can post, floor it".