AARoads Forum

National Boards => General Highway Talk => Topic started by: relaxok on February 11, 2011, 11:36:18 PM

Title: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: relaxok on February 11, 2011, 11:36:18 PM
Just curious what it is.. highest speed limit on a plain old 2 or 4-lane highway with nothing but a double yellow separating them.

Fast roads like that scare the crap out of me.. US-101 in Washington state in the Olympic National Park area, I'm pretty sure is 65 for a large part of it and is just 2-lane (1 each way) - with tons of logging trucks taking the route.  If I was a regular visitor to the area, I would be SURE that that's how I would die..  :ded:

Any place where it's higher?


Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Kacie Jane on February 12, 2011, 12:01:15 AM
I'm about 99% sure the speed limit on 101 in Washington is 60, not 65.

That being said Montana has several two-lane highways with a speed limit of 70, and I've heard rural Texas might have ones with 75.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Hot Rod Hootenanny on February 12, 2011, 12:12:32 AM
US 30 in Nebraska is 65 or 70 MPH.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: deathtopumpkins on February 12, 2011, 02:07:41 AM
Western Texas has quite a few 2-lane roads with 75 mph speed limits, many of which aren't even really long enough or of high enough quality to even reach that speed though.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: roadfro on February 12, 2011, 02:11:05 AM
Quote from: relaxok on February 11, 2011, 11:36:18 PM
Just curious what it is.. highest speed limit on a plain old 2 or 4-lane highway with nothing but a double yellow separating them.

Don't just think about double yellow lines here...

There are miles and miles of U.S. Highways in Nevada that are two-lane highway separated by broken yellow lines (and, increasingly often, centerline rumble strips). A high percentage of these are signed with 70 mph speed limits.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Kniwt on February 12, 2011, 02:26:32 AM
Quote from: deathtopumpkins on February 12, 2011, 02:07:41 AM
Western Texas has quite a few 2-lane roads with 75 mph speed limits, many of which aren't even really long enough or of high enough quality to even reach that speed though.

Here's FM 1053 just outside Fort Stockton. Not the best angle, but you can see the signage.
http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF8&hl=en&hq=&ll=30.952882,-102.860382&spn=0.001847,0.002749&z=19&layer=c&cbll=30.953108,-102.860117&panoid=spkvrR3fj5u_--P9gcX2ZA&cbp=12,70.36,,0,5
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: corco on February 12, 2011, 08:41:25 AM
QuoteI'm about 99% sure the speed limit on 101 in Washington is 60, not 65.
It might be 65 south of Aberdeen, maybe. and then between Sequim and Port Angeles, but I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure the reverse-direction leg is mostly 55, actually. Then there's the super annoying and really long 35 MPH stretch around Lake Crescent

QuoteUS 30 in Nebraska is 65 or 70 MPH.

It alternates 55-60 from Wyoming to Grand Island, then I think it's mostly 65 from Grand Island to Iowa. It's definitely never 70 (except maybe the Fremont bypass, but I don't think so- but that's a freeway anyway).
QuoteThat being said Montana has several two-lane highways with a speed limit of 70, and I've heard rural Texas might have ones with 75.
All but US-93 from what I've seen/heard
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Scott5114 on February 12, 2011, 10:02:31 AM
Two-lane highways default to 65 MPH in Oklahoma. Don't think I've seen any undivided highway higher than that here, though.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: english si on February 12, 2011, 10:53:41 AM
70mph (http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=51.655204,-0.496374&spn=0,0.004823&z=18&layer=c&cbll=51.655204,-0.496374&panoid=34TClkhI9EYtF_s33MKF9A&cbp=12,239.22,,0,7.7), not that you'd reach it. Currently carries a 20mph advisory speed limit for loose chippings, which there aren't any of.

Standard roads in the UK have a national speed limit of 60mph (for cars, 40mph for trucks) on undivided roads and 70mph (for cars, 50mph for trucks) on divided roads. However motorways are dealt with separately in the legislation and have a 70mph speed limit (for cars, 60mph for trucks, though the EU-wide 90km/h speed limiters means that they can't reach that). This means that a single-carriageway section of motorway has a limit of 70mph. The only problem is that there are no places where you can reach that speed without having to slow down after a few seconds - here (http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=53.719052,-2.632849&spn=0,0.01929&z=16&layer=c&cbll=53.719052,-2.632849&panoid=xzfnynw3CXuXiltsemx3TQ&cbp=12,247.89,,0,13.31)'s the longest bit of undivided motorway status road, it's about 1000ft between two roundabouts.

Scotland makes it explicit here (http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=56.014085,-3.878088&spn=0,0.01929&z=16&layer=c&cbll=56.014163,-3.878225&panoid=nfWM0gxK5Im0Ery6dS2xkA&cbp=12,64.6,,2,-2.11), rather than implied, with 70mph signs.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: vdeane on February 12, 2011, 12:46:01 PM
You people out west are lucky.  The highest you see in NY on non-freeways is 55mph, even on roads that could use a faster limit (like NY 12 between Alexandria Bay and NY 37)
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: algorerhythms on February 12, 2011, 02:58:45 PM
Quote from: deanej on February 12, 2011, 12:46:01 PM
You people out west are lucky.  The highest you see in NY on non-freeways is 55mph, even on roads that could use a faster limit (like NY 12 between Alexandria Bay and NY 37)
In Maryland it's typically 50 mph, with a few rare 55-mph exceptions (such as US 219).
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Chris on February 12, 2011, 05:36:58 PM
Anything over 55 mph in Europe is rare, but not uncommon. Germany for instance has a general non-urban limit of 60 mph. There are also two-lane roads in Sweden and Hungary where 70 mph is allowed. In the Netherlands, 90% of the non-urban roads are limited at 40 mph.. (37 mph to be exact) :( We really got overboard with it.

37 miles per hour limit...
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F3hXzG.jpg&hash=a726af775b2e8d38741a9788f19575a08bf72b85)
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: corco on February 12, 2011, 05:41:29 PM
Wyoming's blanket speed is 65 on rural roads. On some roads, that seems way too slow- you can comfortably go 85 down WYO 487 or US-191 from Rock Springs to Pinedale, even if it is just two lanes (ignoring deer).

Then pretty much every super narrow random paved cowpath has a 65 MPH speed limit, and cruising at 65 is comfortable unless you encounter another car, in which case it becomes kind of scary, because the roads are narrow and often deteriorated towards the margins. Fortunately it's rural Wyoming so you never encounter another car.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Tom on February 12, 2011, 05:46:59 PM
Until the so-called "energy crisis" of 1973-74, the highest speed limit on 2-lane roads in Michigan was 65 in the daytime and 55 at night. :coffee:
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2011, 07:19:30 PM
I have seen 110kph (68mph) in both Sweden and Mexico.  Mexico's two-lanes with good shoulders and visibility earn the 110, just like the four-lane dual carriageways with similar features.  I do not know what Sweden's regulation is, but the road was of similar quality to Mexico's standard I just described.

I believe* the Alaska Highway in British Columbia has a few sections of 110 as well.  Two lanes, wide shoulders, good visibility.  This seems to be a recurring international standard, and it corresponds fairly well to the US's 65 and 70 mph limits out west on that style of road.

(* it might be 100, though..... in any case, the road sure isn't patrolled much.  We made it from Seattle to Anchorage in 31 hours of driving - 2360 miles - through judicious use of the "floor the shit out of it" technique, 115mph, passing six or seven mining or logging trucks at a time.)

in Texas, they strictly believe that each and every one of their roads is wide enough to handle its level of traffic, and therefore the rural speed limits are set by county.  Any road in a county of sufficiently low population density will earn the 75mph limit given a basic engineering study.  If the road appears well below standard, it must be because it is never used.  If it's flat and has decent visibility, 75 it is.

(the 80mph on interstates is a special law above and beyond the standard engineering studies that explicitly mentions a dual-carriageway limited-access road.)
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2011, 07:25:47 PM
Quote from: Tom on February 12, 2011, 05:46:59 PM
Until the so-called "energy crisis" of 1973-74, the highest speed limit on 2-lane roads in Michigan was 65.

before said crisis, I know Nevada and Montana had no speed limit at all on their rural roads, and I believe some other states did as well.  (western Nebraska randomly comes to mind.)  However, anyone driving at absurd speeds was subject to a reckless driving charge.  90 was probably tolerated; 130 not so much. 

(which is how it is in Montana these days, interestingly enough!)
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2011, 07:36:57 PM
Quote from: corco on February 12, 2011, 08:41:25 AM
QuoteThat being said Montana has several two-lane highways with a speed limit of 70, and I've heard rural Texas might have ones with 75.
All but US-93 from what I've seen/heard


there is 70 on US-93.  Of all places, it's coming across Lost Trails Pass from Idaho - one of the more grueling stretches of road!

to be fair, it is a four-lane undivided highway there, not two.  But I think it retains the 70 as it drops to two lanes when the terrain levels out.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: national highway 1 on February 12, 2011, 07:57:10 PM
In Australia rural freeways & two lane highways are 110 km/h (68 mph), urban freeways are 100km/h (62 mph), while on remote outback desert highways it is 130km/h (80 mph)
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2011, 08:01:50 PM
Quote from: ausinterkid on February 12, 2011, 07:57:10 PMremote outback desert highways it is 130km/h (80 mph)

does this include two-laners?  if so, we may have a winner!
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Kacie Jane on February 12, 2011, 08:21:10 PM
Quote from: corco on February 12, 2011, 08:41:25 AM
QuoteI'm about 99% sure the speed limit on 101 in Washington is 60, not 65.
It might be 65 south of Aberdeen, maybe. and then between Sequim and Port Angeles, but I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure the reverse-direction leg is mostly 55, actually. Then there's the super annoying and really long 35 MPH stretch around Lake Crescent

According to WSDOT's log, the speed limit on 101 never goes above 60.  However, it also says the bypass around Sequim is 45, when it's actually 55.  So it's possible the speed limit info isn't updated as reliably and there's a 65 mph section hiding somewhere, but I don't recall any north of Aberdeen/Olympia.  (Never been on it south of Aberdeen)

I think there are 65-ers elsewhere in Washington though.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Mr. Matté on February 12, 2011, 08:23:05 PM
NJ's highest two-lane road's S.L. is a frighteningly high 55 on three roads (NJ 70, 72, CR 539 all in the Pinelands).
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2011, 08:24:17 PM
I do not remember any 65 on US-101 in Washington.  I do, however, remember 65 on US-12 in the eastern part of the state, including a three-lane section of a climb that allowed me to behold the spectacle of a truck passing a slow vehicle in the passing lane, the two of them coming opposite to me, and then a third vehicle encroaching into my lane, heading up the hill, to pass them both ... with poor me having to ride the right shoulder and hang on for dear life.

Gordon's Trucking, BTW.  that was the third vehicle that crossed into the downhill lane and attempted to make me the fly on its windshield.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: corco on February 12, 2011, 08:28:03 PM
QuoteI think there are 65-ers elsewhere in Washington though.

There's several 65s. SR 26 is 65 for pretty much its whole length, US-395 has lots of 65 MPH stretches where it's off freeway, I think 24 is 65, 97 heading from Wenatchee north is 65, I think 28 has 65 stretches. There's probably a bunch I'm forgetting, but generally the two digit east-west roads and US routes in eastern Washington have 65 stretches (20 may be an exception-it's been a couple years). US-12 alternates back and forth from 60 to 65, if memory serves correctly.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Kacie Jane on February 12, 2011, 08:30:55 PM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2011, 08:24:17 PM
I do, however, remember 65 on US-12 in the eastern part of the state, including a three-lane section of a climb that allowed me to behold the spectacle of a truck passing a slow vehicle in the passing lane, the two of them coming opposite to me, and then a third vehicle encroaching into my lane, heading up the hill, to pass them both ... with poor me having to ride the right shoulder and hang on for dear life.

Huzzah! Thank you!  :sombrero:

I knew I had seen it in person somewhere, and had ruled out 101 and SR 20.

But as corco said, I imagine it would be far more common out east.  But SR 20 and US 12 (driving to Montana and back respectively, same trip) was the only time I've found myself on two-laners in that half of the state.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2011, 08:37:37 PM
now that I think about it, 395 has a couple as well.  South of 90 in the same area.  And I believe WA-21 near Lind too, which I submit is the most abandoned highway in the state.  I remember stopping in front of an old barn around 6pm one day and taking photos for two hours with no one driving past.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: realjd on February 12, 2011, 08:45:05 PM
All these states are out west. I know here in Florida the 2-lane roads go up to 60. Are there any other Eastern states with a 2-lane road speed limit higher than 55?
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2011, 08:47:38 PM
doesn't Mississippi go up to 65 on two-laners?  or Alabama?  I could swear I've seen some 65s on roads in those states.

I think North Carolina also has some undivided four-laners that are 60, especially in the Outer Banks part of the state where the roads are relatively flat and the population density is fairly low.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2011, 08:50:00 PM
as for the northeast, of course good luck with that.  except I know that Massachusetts has repealed its codified 1930s State Speed Limit of 40. So when you come across a 1960s "END SPEED ZONE" sign - congratulations, you are in a zone with technically no speed limit at all!  I know that as of 2006 there was one such sign left in the state, on an old town-to-town connector road near Brimfield.  It's probably gone by now.  Was surely fun flooring it as much as I could, over the bumps and around the curves, and doing a legal ... 51.  Okay, wasn't quite as fun as I'd imagined it would be.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Tarkus on February 12, 2011, 09:53:49 PM
Quote from: corco on February 12, 2011, 08:28:03 PM
QuoteI think there are 65-ers elsewhere in Washington though.

There's several 65s. SR 26 is 65 for pretty much its whole length, US-395 has lots of 65 MPH stretches where it's off freeway, I think 24 is 65, 97 heading from Wenatchee north is 65, I think 28 has 65 stretches. There's probably a bunch I'm forgetting, but generally the two digit east-west roads and US routes in eastern Washington have 65 stretches (20 may be an exception-it's been a couple years). US-12 alternates back and forth from 60 to 65, if memory serves correctly.

97 through much of Satus Pass, up until a few miles south of Toppenish is a 65 as well.  There's quite a few 3-digit routes that are 65s as well . . . I believe parts of 240, 243, 260 and 261 are 65s as well.  The statutory limit for any signed route is 60 in WA, as I recall.  It's 50 if it's unsigned, which kinda sucks out in the eastern part of the state. 

Oregon is, unfortunately, all arbitrary 55s, even out in the middle of the desert.  With the way the state government typically is, I don't anticipate they'll be doing anything about that.  The only way it'll happen is with a ballot measure.

-Alex (Tarkus)
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2011, 09:55:24 PM
Oregon and Washington are definitely two states that could use a Speed Limit 85 in a lot of rural areas.  Really, has anyone seen the traffic counts on certain segments of US-95 and US-395 in Oregon, or US-195 and WA-21 in Washington?
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2011, 09:57:12 PM
I have heard the United Arab Emirates has the speed limit of 160km/h (99mph) on several roads built for high speed.  Are any of those two-laners?

(as far as I know, 160 km/h is the highest numerically well-defined speed limit on the planet.)
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Duke87 on February 12, 2011, 11:02:31 PM
Connecticut never goes above 50 on non-freeways, and even that is an exceptional case. Most high grade semi-rural to rural roads are 40 or 45. We're timid...

And it isn't for revenue enhancement, either. The CT Smokies don't patrol very much.

Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: corco on February 12, 2011, 11:21:42 PM
QuoteUS-195 and WA-21 in Washington

195? That's a pretty busy road.

21 is like a vast amount of emptiness for its entire duration. At no point is it ever an important connector. That has a good case for "longest highway in the country you could decommission and nobody would notice". Make the speed limit 150. Who cares?
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Tarkus on February 12, 2011, 11:41:19 PM
Quote from: corco on February 12, 2011, 11:21:42 PM
QuoteUS-195 and WA-21 in Washington
21 is like a vast amount of emptiness for its entire duration. At no point is it ever an important connector. That has a good case for "longest highway in the country you could decommission and nobody would notice". Make the speed limit 150. Who cares?

And yet, it looks like 21's almost entirely a 55.  Talk about arbitrary.

-Alex (Tarkus)
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: relaxok on February 13, 2011, 12:28:50 AM
Quote from: corco on February 12, 2011, 11:21:42 PM
QuoteUS-195 and WA-21 in Washington

195? That's a pretty busy road.

21 is like a vast amount of emptiness for its entire duration. At no point is it ever an important connector. That has a good case for "longest highway in the country you could decommission and nobody would notice". Make the speed limit 150. Who cares?

Also, I took WA-112 out to Neah Bay and Ozette and back in the middle of the day on a weekend and didn't see another car the entire time... 

Sorry if I got the speed wrong on 101 - maybe it was 60 or something.. The terror of those logging trucks flying by you with nothing but a yellow dotted line at 70 mph is something that was seared in my brain ;)


Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: national highway 1 on February 13, 2011, 02:51:38 AM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2011, 08:01:50 PM
Quote from: ausinterkid on February 12, 2011, 07:57:10 PMremote outback desert highways it is 130km/h (80 mph)

does this include two-laners?  if so, we may have a winner!
Yes, the Stuart Highway in Central Australia is a sealed 2 lane highway with hundereds of miles between towns.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: corco on February 13, 2011, 08:35:53 AM
QuoteAnd yet, it looks like 21's almost entirely a 55.  Talk about arbitrary.

It doesn't have shoulders for most of its length- roads without shoulders tend to be 55 in Washington
QuoteAlso, I took WA-112 out to Neah Bay and Ozette and back in the middle of the day on a weekend and didn't see another car the entire time... 

112 is fun because west of the Sekiu cutoff there are one or two places where the shoulder is designated as a passing lane- the signs read something like "DRIVE IN SHOULDER DURING DAYLIGHT ONLY." I didn't get passed in those stretches when I did the drive, but it was sufficiently narrow that it would be a fairly shady passing manuever
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Michael in Philly on February 13, 2011, 03:56:29 PM
Quote from: english si on February 12, 2011, 10:53:41 AM
70mph (http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=51.655204,-0.496374&spn=0,0.004823&z=18&layer=c&cbll=51.655204,-0.496374&panoid=34TClkhI9EYtF_s33MKF9A&cbp=12,239.22,,0,7.7), not that you'd reach it. Currently carries a 20mph advisory speed limit for loose chippings, which there aren't any of.

Standard roads in the UK have a national speed limit of 60mph (for cars, 40mph for trucks) on undivided roads and 70mph (for cars, 50mph for trucks) on divided roads. However motorways are dealt with separately in the legislation and have a 70mph speed limit (for cars, 60mph for trucks, though the EU-wide 90km/h speed limiters means that they can't reach that). This means that a single-carriageway section of motorway has a limit of 70mph. The only problem is that there are no places where you can reach that speed without having to slow down after a few seconds - here (http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=53.719052,-2.632849&spn=0,0.01929&z=16&layer=c&cbll=53.719052,-2.632849&panoid=xzfnynw3CXuXiltsemx3TQ&cbp=12,247.89,,0,13.31)'s the longest bit of undivided motorway status road, it's about 1000ft between two roundabouts.

Scotland makes it explicit here (http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=56.014085,-3.878088&spn=0,0.01929&z=16&layer=c&cbll=56.014163,-3.878225&panoid=nfWM0gxK5Im0Ery6dS2xkA&cbp=12,64.6,,2,-2.11), rather than implied, with 70mph signs.

What's the "undivided motorway-status road" there?  The map opens to a bit of the A6 - it wouldn't be A6(M)?
Also, it's interesting that there's a business, or shopping center, of some sort just northwest of there labeled "Freeway Commerce."  Didn't expect to see the word "freeway" in England.

Cheers!
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: english si on February 13, 2011, 04:30:11 PM
Quote from: Michael in Philly on February 13, 2011, 03:56:29 PMWhat's the "undivided motorway-status road" there?  The map opens to a bit of the A6 - it wouldn't be A6(M)?
the road informally known as the Walton Summit Motorway (http://pathetic.org.uk/secretive/walton_summit_motorway/). It's not part of the A6, nor meets the A6 (or any A road for that matter). Google maps is poor there.
QuoteAlso, it's interesting that there's a business, or shopping center, of some sort just northwest of there labeled "Freeway Commerce."  Didn't expect to see the word "freeway" in England.
It's Hollywood's fault!
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Mergingtraffic on February 13, 2011, 05:58:28 PM
Quote from: Duke87 on February 12, 2011, 11:02:31 PM
Connecticut never goes above 50 on non-freeways, and even that is an exceptional case. Most high grade semi-rural to rural roads are 40 or 45. We're timid...

And it isn't for revenue enhancement, either. The CT Smokies don't patrol very much.

I have noticed that on NY 55 it's 55mph and cross into CT on CT 55, it goes down to 45.  Same road! 

However, on CT63 in Bethany and Naugatuck there is a 50mph and they recently put up new 50mph signs that almost "extend" the limit zone farther west.  I'm sure it's not really an extension but there were never that many signs.  And the area is getting developed too. Shhhh keep it quiet!
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: cjk374 on February 13, 2011, 06:50:44 PM
Louisiana makes it simple: 

2-lane road (with or without shoulders)--55 mph

Interstate inside the incorporated limits of a town with more than 75,000 population:  60 or less

4-land divided, non-interstate grade--65 mph

Interstate grade--70 mph
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Michael in Philly on February 13, 2011, 11:54:37 PM
Quote from: cjk374 on February 13, 2011, 06:50:44 PM
Louisiana makes it simple: 

2-lane road (with or without shoulders)--55 mph

Interstate inside the incorporated limits of a town with more than 75,000 population:  60 or less

4-land divided, non-interstate grade--65 mph

Interstate grade--70 mph

Only drawback I see there is not knowing the population of, say, Monroe and exactly where the city limits fall.  And do they remember to tell you when you're leaving the city?
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Dr Frankenstein on February 14, 2011, 12:35:29 AM
In Québec, the standard on undivided two-laners is 90 km/h (55 mph). There are exceptions though: two-laners that have an "autoroute" designation; they may be super-twos or not. For example, A-955 is a two-laner with at-grade intersections and stops, and its speed limit is 100 km/h (60 mph). A-55 and A-20 have super-two sections, and are 100 km/h on most of their lengths.

However, nothing, even freeways, ever gets a speed limit of more than 100 km/h in QC, even in clear warm weather. Which sucks.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: agentsteel53 on February 14, 2011, 12:56:58 AM
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on February 14, 2011, 12:35:29 AM
However, nothing, even freeways, ever gets a speed limit of more than 100 km/h in QC, even in clear warm weather. Which sucks.

James Bay Road.  Posted at 100, but absolutely no highway patrol.  We were doing 70-110mph the whole way.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: cjk374 on February 14, 2011, 08:32:40 PM
Quote from: Michael in Philly on February 13, 2011, 11:54:37 PM
Quote from: cjk374 on February 13, 2011, 06:50:44 PM
Louisiana makes it simple: 

2-lane road (with or without shoulders)--55 mph

Interstate inside the incorporated limits of a town with more than 75,000 population:  60 or less

4-land divided, non-interstate grade--65 mph

Interstate grade--70 mph

Only drawback I see there is not knowing the population of, say, Monroe and exactly where the city limits fall.  And do they remember to tell you when you're leaving the city?

They post SPEED ZONE AHEAD (or the new speed limit sign on the yellow diamond with up arrow above it), then the lower speed limit sign a little ways further after that.  In Shreveport/Bossier City the speed limit drops to 50 mph. as you approach the Red River (westbound) and the I-49 interchange (eastbound).  They also post city limit signs as you enter, but you have to be on the look out for the speed limit signs when they change.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Crazy Volvo Guy on February 25, 2011, 03:37:30 AM
US-72 in AL between Athens and Rogersville used to be posted 65 MPH.  It's a 4 lane road with no more than a double yellow in the middle.  Now it's posted 60/45 when wet (apparently the road wasn't engineered properly and water frequently pools up in the roadway, causing far more hydroplaning than is normal in wet conditions.)

Texas has no statutory distinction between road types, so most of its rural 2-laners are posted 70.  Some out in the western part of the state are even 75.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: BigMattFromTexas on February 25, 2011, 08:24:39 AM
U.S. 90 outside of Del Rio - 75
U.S. 385 outside Big Bend -75
Every other U.S. highway in Texas - 70
State routes are usually 70 then have sAdopted
igns saying "Truck Speed Limit - 60". But most roads in Texas are 70.
BigMatt
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Sykotyk on February 25, 2011, 10:06:33 PM
The truck speed limits in Texas are for any road over 70mph and for all FM routes (usually 10 less than the regular speed limit).
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Compulov on April 03, 2011, 11:56:47 AM
Quote from: Mr. Matté on February 12, 2011, 08:23:05 PM
NJ's highest two-lane road's S.L. is a frighteningly high 55 on three roads (NJ 70, 72, CR 539 all in the Pinelands).
I've been on that part of 539. I always joked that the 55 limit is because the government wants to get you away from Ft Dix as fast as possible, since I think that's the only 55 section on 539. It's not bad during the day, but there's a *lot* of deer out there at night.

I always thought 55 on a two-lane undivided highway was high until I saw the 65 zone on AZ-74 near Lake Pleasant for the first time. Guess if you're gonna hit someone head on, does 110 vs 130 combined mph really make much of a difference? :)
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: ethanman62187 on August 24, 2011, 04:02:57 PM
I bet there are some 75 mph speed limits on any freeway that is undivided.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: corco on August 24, 2011, 04:15:34 PM
QuoteU.S. 90 outside of Del Rio - 75
U.S. 385 outside Big Bend -75
Every other U.S. highway in Texas - 70
State routes are usually 70 then have sAdopted
igns saying "Truck Speed Limit - 60". But most roads in Texas are 70.
BigMatt

And a couple others- I know for sure US 67 north of Fort Stockton is 75 for a bit, as is 62/180 after the Guadalupe Mountains but before El Paso County
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: agentsteel53 on August 24, 2011, 04:16:38 PM
Quote from: ethanman62187 on August 24, 2011, 04:02:57 PM
I bet there are some 75 mph speed limits on any freeway that is undivided.

there are.  and on standard two-lane roads.  see: west Texas.

I think some Nevada two-laners are 75 too, but they might just be 70.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Revive 755 on August 24, 2011, 10:34:28 PM
Quote from: corco on February 12, 2011, 08:41:25 AM
It alternates 55-60 from Wyoming to Grand Island, then I think it's mostly 65 from Grand Island to Iowa. It's definitely never 70 (except maybe the Fremont bypass, but I don't think so- but that's a freeway anyway).

There's 65 mph sections on US 30 either side of North Platte, but east of Gothenburg it tops out at 60 in the rural sections.  There are probably some 65 mph expressway sections between Grand Island and Iowa, but Nebraska never allows a speed limit of 70.

Pre-NMSL, Missouri supposedly allowed 70 on US highways - may have applied to non-divided and two lane sections.

Illinois allowed 65 on two laners pre-NMSL.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Bryant5493 on August 24, 2011, 11:32:20 PM
There's a portion of U.S. 72 east of Stevenson, IIRC, that's five lanes (2 east, double left turn lane, 2 west) undivided, with a 65 mph speed limit.


Be well,

Bryant
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: KEK Inc. on August 25, 2011, 09:47:53 AM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2011, 09:57:12 PM
I have heard the United Arab Emirates has the speed limit of 160km/h (99mph) on several roads built for high speed.  Are any of those two-laners?

(as far as I know, 160 km/h is the highest numerically well-defined speed limit on the planet.)

To my knowledge, they have like 4 lanes each direction.  I think I saw the road on Top Gear once, when they drag raced a Lamborghini Murcielago with a Mercedes McClaren.

I know Oregon has a cap of 55 pretty for undivided and 65 for freeway due to their strict speed limit law.  I know the ODOT spokesman, and he claims ODOT wants to raise the speed limit, but the state government doesn't want to (because they allow 3-trailer trucks).  

I can't think of an undivided 2-lane highway in California over 55.  There are several expressways at 65 that don't technically have dividers.

On a side note, I generally go down county roads at 70-90, but I slow down at state roads since they're generally full of cops.

[Removed unnecessary styling. -S.]
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: roadfro on August 25, 2011, 10:35:33 AM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on August 24, 2011, 04:16:38 PM
I think some Nevada two-laners are 75 too, but they might just be 70.

Nevada two-lane highways are 70 mph maximum. Some rural Interstate stretches (I-15, possibly parts of I-80) have 75 mph maximums.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: agentsteel53 on August 25, 2011, 11:14:36 AM
Quote from: roadfro on August 25, 2011, 10:35:33 AM

Nevada two-lane highways are 70 mph maximum. Some rural Interstate stretches (I-15, possibly parts of I-80) have 75 mph maximums.

that is what I had been thinking of.  and yes, a lot of 80 is 75.  heading east out of Sparks, the first 75mph comes up fairly quickly, around Patrick or so, and it is mostly 75 all the way out to Utah.  There's a few drops to 65 in the larger towns (Elko, Winnemucca, etc), but for the most part it's all 75. 

Hell, apart from a few cities and towns, I-80 is 75mph basically from Reno to Omaha!
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: agentsteel53 on August 25, 2011, 11:18:10 AM
Quote from: KEK Inc. on August 25, 2011, 09:47:53 AM
I can't think of an undivided 2-lane highway in California over 55.  There are several expressways at 65 that don't technically have dividers.

US-395 approaching the Nevada state line from the south is the first thing which comes to mind.  Two-laner, 65mph.  there are plenty of such roads out there; in fact I am venturing a guess that that is CA's default for rural two-laners unless a certain population density threshold is exceeded.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: myosh_tino on August 25, 2011, 02:02:51 PM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on August 25, 2011, 11:18:10 AM
Quote from: KEK Inc. on August 25, 2011, 09:47:53 AM
I can't think of an undivided 2-lane highway in California over 55.  There are several expressways at 65 that don't technically have dividers.

US-395 approaching the Nevada state line from the south is the first thing which comes to mind.  Two-laner, 65mph.  there are plenty of such roads out there; in fact I am venturing a guess that that is CA's default for rural two-laners unless a certain population density threshold is exceeded.
According to the California vehicle code (CVC) section 22349, the maximum speed limit on a two-lane undivided highway is 55 MPH (on a divided multi-lane highway it's 65 MPH) unless otherwise posted.  CVC section 22356 provides the language to increase the speed limit to 70 MPH on rural freeways with CHP approval.

I do know that the two-lane section of CA-58 from Barstow to the end of the 4-lane expressway west of Hinkley has a 60 MPH speed limit.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: citrus on August 25, 2011, 09:47:26 PM
Quote from: KEK Inc. on August 25, 2011, 09:47:53 AM
I can't think of an undivided 2-lane highway in California over 55.

There are some.... I know part of CA-78 out in Imperial County is 65, as well as a portion of CA-120 somewhere in between CA-99 and Yosemite, as well as the aforementioned stretch of CA-58 (though I remember that to be 65). I can imagine a lot of the flatter middle-of-nowhere highways (CA-62, perhaps?) have similar stretches, but I don't actually know for sure.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: The Premier on August 26, 2011, 02:23:50 PM
55 m.p.h in Ohio for undivided highways.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: roadfro on August 27, 2011, 04:33:57 AM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on August 25, 2011, 11:14:36 AM
Quote from: roadfro on August 25, 2011, 10:35:33 AM

Nevada two-lane highways are 70 mph maximum. Some rural Interstate stretches (I-15, possibly parts of I-80) have 75 mph maximums.

that is what I had been thinking of.  and yes, a lot of 80 is 75.  heading east out of Sparks, the first 75mph comes up fairly quickly, around Patrick or so, and it is mostly 75 all the way out to Utah.  There's a few drops to 65 in the larger towns (Elko, Winnemucca, etc), but for the most part it's all 75. 

Hell, apart from a few cities and towns, I-80 is 75mph basically from Reno to Omaha!

I-80 is not 75 mph between Reno and Fernley -- it stays 65 a ways out of Sparks, then bumps up to 70 by Patrick or USA Pkwy. That jump to 75 must be after Fernley. Even still, that's quite a ways of 75 mph speed limits across the state--or several states, as you indicate.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: ethanman62187 on August 28, 2011, 09:39:54 AM
I hope the speed limit there may go up to 80 mph or 130 km/h in the future if 75 mph or 120 km/h is too slow.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: roadfro on August 28, 2011, 01:48:11 PM
^ If you're talking about Nevada, it's unlikely. NRS 484B.600 subsection 1 gets in the way. It prescribes the state's maximum speed limit at 75 mph.
Title: Re: Highest speed limit on an undivided highway?
Post by: Crazy Volvo Guy on September 06, 2011, 01:35:56 PM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2011, 08:47:38 PMdoesn't Mississippi go up to 65 on two-laners?  or Alabama?  I could swear I've seen some 65s on roads in those states.

US 72 between Rogersville and Athens was 65, it's 4 lanes with a double yellow.  I believe that's as good as it would have gotten here, and I say 'was' because the aforementioned stretch has since been reduced to 60.