States that have minimum posted speed limits and what are they.

[roadman65]

 I do not know if anyone posted this before or not, but the State of Florida used to have statewide interstate and freeway minimum speeds that if a vehicle was going slower than that, could be ticketed unless there is heavy volume of course.

Sometime in the 90s the Florida Turnpike Enterprise and FDOT District 5 removed the signs in their jursidictions, but other areas in the state kept them still.  It was 40 mph when it was all over, then it beacme 45 along I-4 and now, I believe it became 50 in Polk County on I-4.

What other states still practice this kind of thing?  I know that PA uses it on its Turnpike, but I am not sure if its regular interstates practice it there.

[agentsteel53]

New Mexico has a minimum speed of 65 for the left lane of I-40 (maximum speed 75) west of Albuquerque.

[1995hoo]

Quebec usually posts a minimum of 60 on autoroutes where the maximum is 100.

[roadman65]

New Mexico has a minimum speed of 65 for the left lane of I-40 (maximum speed 75) west of Albuquerque.

That is a good one.  It makes sense as I know many drivers who drive slow in the left lane around my area.  Even my friend from Fort Myers, FL loves to ride the left lane all the time.  Even if he has the road to himself, he stays in the fast lane. 

I only ride the left lane on streets where I know I will be making a turn soon, or on OBT in Orlando I use the middle lane to avoid the local buses that stop in the far right lane along with the many right turns people make along this highway.

[NE2]

Many states have them.

[The High Plains Traveler]

I do not know if anyone posted this before or not, but the State of Florida used to have statewide interstate and freeway minimum speeds that if a vehicle was going slower than that, could be ticketed unless there is heavy volume of course.

Sometime in the 90s the Florida Turnpike Enterprise and FDOT District 5 removed the signs in their jursidictions, but other areas in the state kept them still.  It was 40 mph when it was all over, then it beacme 45 along I-4 and now, I believe it became 50 in Polk County on I-4.

What other states still practice this kind of thing?  I know that PA uses it on its Turnpike, but I am not sure if its regular interstates practice it there.

I was on I-10 in far western Florida within the past couple of weeks, and wondered at first why there was a large blank space under the speed limit. Then I observed the bottom part had been covered and I concluded a minimum speed had been removed.

On a routine basis along interstates, I've not seen a minimum of over 40, except in areas where left lane laggards are a problem (edge of metro areas such as Denver). Key word here is "routine", such as the way Minnesota posts its interstates statewide. The road I commute to work on every day has a 55 mph minimum even though it's an expressway with signals.

[Brandon]

Many states have them.

But not all.

Wisconsin, for example, has no minimum speed.  Iowa has 40 mph, Illinois and Indiana have 45 mph, and Michigan uses 55 mph in their 70 mph zones.

[wriddle082]

South Carolina posts a 45 minimum on nearly every interstate except the last mile or so of I-26 in Charleston, which has a maximum of 50 and a minimum of 30.

Georgia pretty much posts a minimum of 40 all over the state, and puts it on a separate sign from the regular speed limit sign.

Tennessee posts a minimum of 45 only in urban areas, but I believe 45 is implied statewide.

[mcdonaat]

Louisiana posts a minimum speed limit on I-10 in Baton Rouge of 45 MPH, and a maximum on the Basin Bridge of 60 MPH for passenger vehicles, and 55 MPH for cargo trucks.

[kphoger]

Illinois and Indiana have 45 mph

I thought Illinois had gotten rid of theirs.  I haven't been there in a few years, but I recall reading about it.

[agentsteel53]

Tennessee posts a minimum of 45 only in urban areas, but I believe 45 is implied statewide.

an urban minimum?  so basically they will find the one dude who is the cause of rush hour, and throw him in the clink for life?

[Brandon]

Illinois and Indiana have 45 mph

I thought Illinois had gotten rid of theirs.  I haven't been there in a few years, but I recall reading about it.

Nope, Illinois still has it.  It's just not always posted in Cook County, and only Cook County for some reason.

[Scott5114]

OK has 40.

Question I've had before: is the minimum absolute? You can theoretically be ticketed for driving too fast for conditions, even if that is under the statutory maximum speed limit. Of course this is not a problem because the speed limit is an upper bound and it is okay to drive below it. But can the lower bound be disregarded if conditions require it? Am I obliged to maintain a speed of 40 mph in a snowstorm? (Of course, no cop is going to be out in the snow enforcing the minimum speed limit, as they're needed to respond to wrecks and help dig people out of the snow, but the lawyer in me wants to know...)

[cpzilliacus]

Maryland has generally not posted minimums on its "free" network, but I have seen minimum limits on the MdTA (tolled) system in some places in the past (though not recently), usually 40 MPH (which is pretty fast for a road like I-895, where the posted maximum is 50 MPH for long segments).

[1995hoo]

I have never seen a minimum posted anywhere in Virginia. State law prohibits driving, quote, "at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law." The statute allows for the posting of numeric minimums, but I don't believe it's ever been done.

I can think of at least one situation where I was doing 20 mph on I-85 late at night somewhere near McKenney in a torrential rainstorm with my hazard flashers on and it still felt like I was going a bit fast. (I know it was somewhere near McKenney because I knew someone who lived there and I was seriously considering stopping there to get out of the rain.)

[J N Winkler]

Question I've had before: is the minimum absolute? You can theoretically be ticketed for driving too fast for conditions, even if that is under the statutory maximum speed limit. Of course this is not a problem because the speed limit is an upper bound and it is okay to drive below it. But can the lower bound be disregarded if conditions require it? Am I obliged to maintain a speed of 40 mph in a snowstorm? (Of course, no cop is going to be out in the snow enforcing the minimum speed limit, as they're needed to respond to wrecks and help dig people out of the snow, but the lawyer in me wants to know...)

I haven't bothered to look up chapter and verse in any state's statutes, but I believe the answer is No--a posted minimum speed limit cannot override your responsibility to go no faster than the conditions will permit.  In fact, you can be ticketed for excessive speed while travelling at less than the minimum speed limit if the police officer judges that you are going too fast for conditions (e.g., in the middle of an ice storm that deposits glare ice on the road surface).

I have never known Kansas to post a minimum speed limit other than 40 MPH.  Colorado also uses lane-by-lane speed limits on westbound I-70 up Lookout Mountain just west of Denver, but I am not aware of any Interstate minimum speed limits elsewhere in Colorado.  (With the exception of the lengths of I-25 in Denver and Colorado Springs that were upgraded through T-REX and COSMIX respectively, urban Interstates in Colorado are badly aligned with numerous mainline curves requiring advisory speeds and so are unsuited for minimum speed limits which create an obligation for drivers to maintain their speeds within a narrow band.)

[StogieGuy7]

I have never seen a minimum posted anywhere in Virginia. State law prohibits driving, quote, "at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law." The statute allows for the posting of numeric minimums, but I don't believe it's ever been done.

I can think of at least one situation where I was doing 20 mph on I-85 late at night somewhere near McKenney in a torrential rainstorm with my hazard flashers on and it still felt like I was going a bit fast. (I know it was somewhere near McKenney because I knew someone who lived there and I was seriously considering stopping there to get out of the rain.)

VA hasn't had a "minimum" speed limit since at least the late 1960's and probably not even before then.  Of those states that have them, some add "when conditions permit" to their minimum speed limit sign - I know that UT does this. 

[cpzilliacus]

I have never seen a minimum posted anywhere in Virginia.

Nor have I.

State law prohibits driving, quote, "at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law." The statute allows for the posting of numeric minimums, but I don't believe it's ever been done.

I would think that in some instances, driving very slowly on a freeway might be grounds for getting one of those (in)famous Virginia reckless driving summonses.

§ 46.2-852 of the Code of Virginia reads (I just copied this off of the LIS, so I think it is current):

Irrespective of the maximum speeds permitted by law, any person who drives a vehicle on any highway recklessly or at a speed or in a manner so as to endanger the life, limb, or property of any person shall be guilty of reckless driving.

It does say maximum above, but I would think that driving at 20 MPH when the pavement is dry and the road is not congested might well qualify as an act that could "endanger the life, limb, or property of any person."

I can think of at least one situation where I was doing 20 mph on I-85 late at night somewhere near McKenney in a torrential rainstorm with my hazard flashers on and it still felt like I was going a bit fast. (I know it was somewhere near McKenney because I knew someone who lived there and I was seriously considering stopping there to get out of the rain.)

That would presumably not be considered reckless driving.  Heck, driving at or close to the posted limit under those conditions would easily meet the definition of reckless driving!

[vdeane]

The only one I've seen in NY is the 40mph minimum on I-787, though the Thruway has a "flashers on under 40mph" law.  Vermont has a 40 minimum on rural interstates; NH is either 40 or 45.  I don't remember if Maine does this or not.

[deathtopumpkins]

I've seen a minimum speed posted in Virginia - on the US 17/258 James River Bridge. If I recall correctly it is 35.

[Ian]

NH is either 40 or 45.  I don't remember if Maine does this or not.

On the freeways in New Hampshire with a 65 speed limit, there is a minimum 45 speed. Maine also has a minimum 45 I believe, but it's only on the Maine Turnpike from what I've seen.

[corco]

I know on I-84 in Utah north of Ogden, the minimum speed limit has a "when conditions permit" banner below it.

[bugo]

OK has 40.

It's 50 on the rural turnpikes:

[signalman]

NH is either 40 or 45.  I don't remember if Maine does this or not.

On the freeways in New Hampshire with a 65 speed limit, there is a minimum 45 speed. Maine also has a minimum 45 I believe, but it's only on the Maine Turnpike from what I've seen.

I recently was in Maine.  There was a minimum of 45 mph on the Maine turnpike.  All other interstates only had a maximum posted.

[Takumi]

I've seen a minimum speed posted in Virginia - on the US 17/258 James River Bridge. If I recall correctly it is 35.

I recall seeing one on a secondary near me years ago, but I can't remember where.