So yesterday, while driving on the Atlantic City Expressway, I noticed covered-up speed limit signs. One of them was partially exposed by the wind and appeared to say "Speed Limit 60". I've never seen such a limit in NJ before. Is it a mistake? A temporary construction installation? Or did I misread the partially covered-up sign?
The normal speed limit is 65. Most construction speed limits are 45.
I would think you just mis-read a covered 65 sign, since 60 mph isn't used in NJ. Where did you see the sign?
That is very interesting that there is no 60 mph in not only NJ but many other states. Its either 55 or 65, or better yet everything from 25 to 55 in 5 increments, then goes over 60 to 65.
Only in FL on two lane roads do we use 60 and some four lane rural highways and recently I-4 near Orlando in two places, plus MO on two lane roads, and Indiana uses it for rural four lane non freeway roads.
In NJ, DE, PA, NY, and possibly the NE states skip over 60 for some reason. I find that most interesting.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on April 07, 2015, 09:27:47 AM
The normal speed limit is 65. Most construction speed limits are 45.
I would think you just mis-read a covered 65 sign, since 60 mph isn't used in NJ. Where did you see the sign?
I think it was westbound toward the western terminus of the ACE.
Quote from: roadman65 on April 07, 2015, 10:13:10 AM
That is very interesting that there is no 60 mph in not only NJ but many other states. Its either 55 or 65, or better yet everything from 25 to 55 in 5 increments, then goes over 60 to 65.
Only in FL on two lane roads do we use 60 and some four lane rural highways and recently I-4 near Orlando in two places, plus MO on two lane roads, and Indiana uses it for rural four lane non freeway roads.
In NJ, DE, PA, NY, and possibly the NE states skip over 60 for some reason. I find that most interesting.
I wonder about this as well, but, at least in NJ, signs ending in 5 are more common in general. You don't see 30 very often. 40 is skipped over on roads that reduce speeds from 45 to 35. It's usually reserved for when the entire road has that speed limit or as a step down from 45 to 25. 50 is only common on non-freeway divided highways and some 2-lane rural routes. I've seen 60 in Ohio and Washington state, but never in the northeastern US.
Before the politicians imposed the 55 mph national speed limit upon us, the speed limit on the Turnpike, on most of the Parkway, and on most other limited access highways was 60 mph. However, it was 70 mph on the AC Expressway.
Construction signs, maybe?
Quote from: roadman65 on April 07, 2015, 10:13:10 AM
In NJ, DE, PA, NY, and possibly the NE states skip over 60 for some reason. I find that most interesting.
I believe NY (outside of the city) used to skip 50 as well, though 50 has been becoming more common over the years.
There are some highways that have an unreasonable 50 or 55 mph limit and they should be raised to 60 or 65, depending on where it is. It's strange that the NE states don't have 60 mph speed limits. PA doesn't have them either, unless I'm mistaken.
I think that the I-95 in northern Virginia may have a 60 mph speed limit.
The reason 60 is so rare is that coming out from under the 55 mandate, the first speed that we allowed was 65. As states started raising limits from 55 to 65, 60 was skipped over by and large. Only as more roads have been upgraded toward 70 and beyond has 60 started to emerge as a posted speed on a number of roads. (To some degree, raising 55 to 60 is a relatively lower priority than raising 55 to 65 or beyond. The highest speed limits garner the most attention, too.)
I think this is the first 60 that I encountered - I-795 NW of Baltimore.
https://www.google.com/maps?ll=39.377892,-76.752178&spn=0.000004,0.002596&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=39.377969,-76.75272&panoid=2u50oqFLvzUucFmA_8WesA&cbp=12,345.11,,0,-1.33 (https://www.google.com/maps?ll=39.377892,-76.752178&spn=0.000004,0.002596&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=39.377969,-76.75272&panoid=2u50oqFLvzUucFmA_8WesA&cbp=12,345.11,,0,-1.33)
I will say, now that I remember it, that I did see a 60 mph speed limit on the NJ Turnpike, once. It was on one of the now-defunct vane display (seven segment) speed limit signs. The sign before and after didn't have 60 mph.
Due to the high tendency of those signs to not work properly, my guess is that 60 wasn't what it was supposed to say. 50 would be the next reasonable guess (60 would show if the lower left vertical bar was stuck), but that's a rarely used speed on the Turnpike.
MA 3, at least between Braintree and MA 228, along the South Shore has a posted 60 mph speed limit.
The Connecticut Turnpike speed limit used to 60 MPH (pre-55 mandate), including the section west of New Haven. I've got an old pic showing a Speed Limit 60 sign in the Orange area.
Practically all freeways within Beltway 8 in Houston are posted at 60.
Pre-NSL-55; MA 128's highest posted speed limit was 60 mph. When the speed limit went down to 55 (where it remains to this day along I-95/MA 128); many of the signs had 55 stickers that had smaller numerals than the original 60s. As a result, one could actually traces of the older, higher limit on several of those signs; some of which, between Newton & Dedham, survived into the late 80s/early 90s.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on April 08, 2015, 08:36:06 AM
I will say, now that I remember it, that I did see a 60 mph speed limit on the NJ Turnpike, once. It was on one of the now-defunct vane display (seven segment) speed limit signs. The sign before and after didn't have 60 mph.
Due to the high tendency of those signs to not work properly, my guess is that 60 wasn't what it was supposed to say. 50 would be the next reasonable guess (60 would show if the lower left vertical bar was stuck), but that's a rarely used speed on the Turnpike.
On the Turnpike mainline, all speeds end in 5. 65 or 55 is normal, subtract 10 for a work zone, 10 more for a complex work zone (multiple lane closures or shifts). My guess is that it meant to say 65 and was misprogrammed. I can't think of any circumstance when I've seen an x0 limit.
The only time I've seen 50 mph was a rare few times at the beginning of a snowfall, when snow was sticking on the shoulders but the travel lanes were OK.
During the 6-9 widening, there was a speed limit sign stuck on 30. The sign was located on Rt. 615 in the Cranberry area on an old overpass with a new overpass being built directly in front of it (http://goo.gl/maps/Jwrq8), but it doesn't appear to have been captured on GSV or BSV.
Quote from: Roadrunner75 on April 07, 2015, 10:24:01 PM
I think this is the first 60 that I encountered - I-795 NW of Baltimore.
https://www.google.com/maps?ll=39.377892,-76.752178&spn=0.000004,0.002596&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=39.377969,-76.75272&panoid=2u50oqFLvzUucFmA_8WesA&cbp=12,345.11,,0,-1.33 (https://www.google.com/maps?ll=39.377892,-76.752178&spn=0.000004,0.002596&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=39.377969,-76.75272&panoid=2u50oqFLvzUucFmA_8WesA&cbp=12,345.11,,0,-1.33)
And I-83 between the beltway and Hunt Valley.
I-84 in CT between Exits 25A and 33 would be a good candidate.
Actually the Parkway was 60 mph north of Toms River and 65 south of Toms River. Whether the 65 was allowed through the three at grade intersections, I cannot tell you.
I do however, remember a speed limit sign in Cranford saying 60 mph until the feds passed the national 55 law where they covered u the 60 afterwards.
Funny how after NJ raised the speed limits back up that some of the original 60 became 65 mph and the rest stayed at 55. Like Alps said it had to do with coming out of the 55 and going to 65 caused many road agencies to skip over the 60 aspect, that might be the reason.
GA signs i75 as 60 frequently.
Ohio loves their 60 mph limits. Almost everything near Cleveland is 60 (except the innerbelt, which is 50), as is some of the Akron area.
Quote from: cl94 on April 10, 2015, 11:46:52 PM
Ohio loves their 60 mph limits. Almost everything near Cleveland is 60 (except the innerbelt, which is 50), as is some of the Akron area.
Yeah, I've noticed that, but that must have something to do with their top speed being 70. Intervals of 10 seem to be common in speed limits.
Quote from: bzakharin on April 11, 2015, 10:57:06 PM
Quote from: cl94 on April 10, 2015, 11:46:52 PM
Ohio loves their 60 mph limits. Almost everything near Cleveland is 60 (except the innerbelt, which is 50), as is some of the Akron area.
Yeah, I've noticed that, but that must have something to do with their top speed being 70. Intervals of 10 seem to be common in speed limits.
It was that way long before the jump to 70. No drops from 70 to 60, either, because Ohio limited 70 to designated "rural" areas. 65, however, is allowed in cities (outside of Cleveland and Akron, which are 60), with Columbus being almost entirely 65 outside of the Innerbelt, SR 315 south of Ackerman Road, I-70 between US 40/Broad Street and I-71 (all 55) and US 33 on the southeast side (60), even on pretty urban sections of freeway.
Quote from: 02 Park Ave on April 07, 2015, 09:56:41 PM
I think that the I-95 in northern Virginia may have a 60 mph speed limit.
Virginia has a fair amount of 60-mph postings.
I-95 is posted at 60 between just south of Occoquan and just north of the truck scales. It's 55 north of there and 65 south of there. (The reversible center carriageway is normally 65 throughout that area.) I-66 is posted at 60 from just west of US-29 in Centreville to just west of Route 234 Business near Manassas (again, 55 east of there, 65 west). There are other 60-mph zones on Virginia Interstates in various places. VDOT claims the 60-mph zones on Interstates are intended to "help drivers in making the transition from the higher rural speed limits to the slower 55-mph zones." I can't say I've ever noticed any difference.
Virginia posts various four-lane highways with at-grade intersections at 60 as well. Much of US-29, for example, is posted at 60; same applies to large portions of US-360 and 460. The big thing is that the General Assembly doesn't allow anything above 60 mph on any road with at-grade intersections. The non-freeways where 60 is allowed are all specified in the statute, too: VDOT can't just post any four-lane rural road at 60 mph.
I remember the first time I saw a 60-mph speed limit was in a work zone in South Carolina in the summer of 1991 riding on a charter bus on the way home from a school trip to Atlanta. Until the NMSL was repealed, that was the ONLY place I'd ever seen 60 on a sign (not counting metric speed limits in Canada or the signs at the border telling you "Maximum 60 changes to Maximum 100 km/h").
Saw the sign fully uncovered today. It really does say "Speed Limit 60" in a really ugly font. Westbound, Mile marker 41.2, construction zone. Apparently it's intentional.
I am going to have to make a detour on my way home tomorrow!
In that area is supposed to be a median crossover project, in case they need to contraflow the EB lanes for Westbound traffic in the event of an evacuation. Even though it's on the Expressway, it's an NJDOT financed project.
Why is broke NJDOT funding toll road work? I could see if it was a NJTPA road since they get a chunk of cash from them yearly, but I don't think that is the case with the SJTA.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on April 13, 2015, 09:35:57 PM
I am going to have to make a detour on my way home tomorrow!
In that area is supposed to be a median crossover project, in case they need to contraflow the EB lanes for Westbound traffic in the event of an evacuation. Even though it's on the Expressway, it's an NJDOT financed project.
Quote from: NJRoadfan on April 13, 2015, 11:28:26 PM
Why is broke NJDOT funding toll road work? I could see if it was a NJTPA road since they get a chunk of cash from them yearly, but I don't think that is the case with the SJTA.
Here's the tabulation report: http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/business/procurement/ConstrServ/documents/BidTabs14462.pdf
I always thought that New Jersey lowered speed limits down by 15 mph in construction work areas. When I-287 had some bridge repairs between River Road in Piscataway and NJ 28 in Bridgewater back in 85 and 86, the speed limits at time of work was 40 mph because back then I-287 was 55 at that time.
I have seen some 50 zones reduced to 35 in my years of living there. Only did I see the GSP go 10 below the posted speed, but the Parkway always was different as they were not part of NJDOT except in the former at grade parkway intersections, the 80- 83 section, and the 129- 140 section before 1987. Thus I cannot remember the great widening of 1979 and 1980 between the NJ Turnpike and Route 22 that had a lower speed limit during the phase to be sure what it was. At that particular time NJDOT owned the roadway there.
Anyway, that 15 mph difference was plenty in those days.
Speed limits in work zones vary greatly in NJ. It almost appears it's up to the individual contractor as to what the limit should be reduced to. There also seems to be no rhyme or reason as to what limits are used where.
On highways (and we'll exclude the toll roads), 45 mph still tends to be common in both 55 and 65 zones. But, 50 and 55 mph in a 65 have also been used. On the 295/76/42 project, they reduced the limit to 45 mph. Except...the wrap on one of the 65 mph signs came off, and they've never replaced it. Hell, they've literally plowed the dirt around the sign and didn't cover it up again, so it's not like it's not accessible (and I doubt they can leave the sign in the same spot permanently anyway based on the new road's configuration). So there's one area with a 65 mph zone in a permanent work zone! A 55 mph sign on I-76 is uncovered as well in what should otherwise be a 45 mph work zone.
For temporary construction (say, they close a lane down during the day or overnight, but have it reopen for rush hour), typically they don't reduce the speed limit.
If I'm not mistaken, there is a short area of 35 MPH on I-295 through the interchange construction. I've seen construction zones with posted speeds equal to the regular speed limit elsewhere in the state too.
That 35 mph sector was at that speed limit before the construction work commenced. So it was probably considered suitable and, accordingly, not lowered.
Quote from: bzakharin on April 14, 2015, 04:18:19 PM
If I'm not mistaken, there is a short area of 35 MPH on I-295 through the interchange construction. I've seen construction zones with posted speeds equal to the regular speed limit elsewhere in the state too.
Quote from: 02 Park Ave on April 14, 2015, 04:28:47 PM
That 35 mph sector was at that speed limit before the construction work commenced. So it was probably considered suitable and, accordingly, not lowered.
Here's a few interesting tidbits about that:
Yes, it always has been(*) 35 mph thru the curves on both 295 North and South. (None were updated to say 'Work Zone')
But...due to the construction work, many of the 35 mph signs were in the way, removed, and only a few were replaced. There's actually fewer 35 mph signs out there than before the construction started.
On the Northbound side after you passed thru the 76/42 area, there's a "45 mph ahead" sign (the newer type with the speed limit sign and the arrow pointing up). It's one of the few instances where you'll see this type sign mark a speed *increase*.
Prior to the construction on 295 North, at least signage wise, the 35 mph zone didn't end until after I-76 East to I-295 North ramp met up with 295 North. In the construction zone, the newer 45 mph work zone speed limits signs are posted prior to this merge point. So technically, signage wise, there's a 10 mph INCREASE in the construction zone! lol
For what it's worth, I have never seen or heard anyone someone getting stopped in the 35 mph zone.
(*)The long history (as seen in pictures on a newspaper's website) was that there used to be 40 mph advisory limits going into the curves prior to the mid 1970's. Due to people not adhering to them resulting in some spectacular accidents, they officially posted 35 mph speed limits thru the interchange.
Quote from: bzakharin on April 13, 2015, 08:27:41 PM
Saw the sign fully uncovered today. It really does say "Speed Limit 60" in a really ugly font. Westbound, Mile marker 41.2, construction zone. Apparently it's intentional.
I drove by today, both directions, and while there has been noticeable work done repaving the shoulders, all the work zone signs are covered, including the 'Fines Doubled in Work Zones' and all speed limit signs. Traffic wise, the work zone area is going to be a simple lane shift to the right, using the right lane and right shoulder.
Quote from: Alps on April 08, 2015, 07:14:21 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on April 08, 2015, 08:36:06 AM
I will say, now that I remember it, that I did see a 60 mph speed limit on the NJ Turnpike, once. It was on one of the now-defunct vane display (seven segment) speed limit signs. The sign before and after didn't have 60 mph.
Due to the high tendency of those signs to not work properly, my guess is that 60 wasn't what it was supposed to say. 50 would be the next reasonable guess (60 would show if the lower left vertical bar was stuck), but that's a rarely used speed on the Turnpike.
On the Turnpike mainline, all speeds end in 5. 65 or 55 is normal, subtract 10 for a work zone, 10 more for a complex work zone (multiple lane closures or shifts). My guess is that it meant to say 65 and was misprogrammed. I can't think of any circumstance when I've seen an x0 limit.
The Newark Bay Extension has a 50mph speed limit normally. It usually gets reduced to 45 if there's road work. I don't think I've ever seen the mainline Turnpike have a x0 speed limit. Usually 65, 55, 45, or 35 if the conditions are bad enough.
Quote from: roadman65 on April 07, 2015, 10:13:10 AM
That is very interesting that there is no 60 mph in not only NJ but many other states. Its either 55 or 65, or better yet everything from 25 to 55 in 5 increments, then goes over 60 to 65.
Only in FL on two lane roads do we use 60 and some four lane rural highways and recently I-4 near Orlando in two places, plus MO on two lane roads, and Indiana uses it for rural four lane non freeway roads.
In NJ, DE, PA, NY, and possibly the NE states skip over 60 for some reason. I find that most interesting.
I also have always found it interesting that PA doesn't have a single 60 mph speed limit. There are plenty of roads posted at 55 mph which would be more suited to 60 mph speed limits. Even some 60 mph speed limits could be posted in certain works zones, but it's always 55 or 50 on Interstates. One stretch that immediately comes to mind in which I feel a 60 mph speed limit would be in order is on I-79 to the west of Pittsburgh.
New Jersey does now have a legitimate, bonafide 60 mph limit in the construction zone on the AC Expressway near Exit 41. The first pic is on the EB side; the 2nd pic looking across the median at the WB side.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi225.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd144%2Froadnut%2FF62AC8C9-A9CF-4E74-8715-77CB6BCAF284.jpg&hash=3c672ff347aea21c0fceb7a8f29f5e5a83582f6c) (http://s225.photobucket.com/user/roadnut/media/F62AC8C9-A9CF-4E74-8715-77CB6BCAF284.jpg.html)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi225.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd144%2Froadnut%2F96EB2F06-F2D9-426D-802B-034E7EC964FE.jpg&hash=dd8ff547deea82c3ac5164e6d9264b5c1be87d05) (http://s225.photobucket.com/user/roadnut/media/96EB2F06-F2D9-426D-802B-034E7EC964FE.jpg.html)
Those are the ones I was talking about before. Are they permanent though? There are new reduced speed ahead signs, the pictograph versions with 55 on them in that area
They are just work zone speed limits, although without the 'Work Zone' sign that sometimes accompanies the reduced limits.
Going eastbound, I didn't see any reduced limit ahead signs; just the single pair of Speed Limit 60 signs. I didn't go westbound.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 02, 2015, 12:14:58 PM
They are just work zone speed limits, although without the 'Work Zone' sign that sometimes accompanies the reduced limits.
Going eastbound, I didn't see any reduced limit ahead signs; just the single pair of Speed Limit 60 signs. I didn't go westbound.
The reduced speed signs are Westbound and, I think, permanent because they replaced the old written "reduced speed ahead" signs, and because similar signs were installed going Eastbound approaching exit 7S.
Quote from: bzakharin on June 02, 2015, 12:27:32 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 02, 2015, 12:14:58 PM
They are just work zone speed limits, although without the 'Work Zone' sign that sometimes accompanies the reduced limits.
Going eastbound, I didn't see any reduced limit ahead signs; just the single pair of Speed Limit 60 signs. I didn't go westbound.
The reduced speed signs are Westbound and, I think, permanent because they replaced the old written "reduced speed ahead" signs, and because similar signs were installed going Eastbound approaching exit 7S.
Oh, you're talking about the Reduced limit ahead signs at the end of the Expressway WB where it meets Rt. 42. Yeah, they are new and permanent - that is simply the new standard reduced speed limit sign. (I thought you were referring to them in combination with this construction project earlier!)