Urban freeway speed limits

[1995hoo]

Out of curiosity, what is that "No Photos" sign referring to? Never seen anything like it.

The Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, also known as MTA Bridges and Tunnels, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey claim to ban photography on (or in) their facilities. What they're really worried about, of course, is not tourists or roadgeeks but rather someone taking close-in photos of structural details and the like that might be useful to a terrorist. But because it's hard to enforce a selective ban like that they just claim to ban it altogether.

(BTW, my use of the word "claim" is intended to denote that I don't know whether such ban has been challenged or what the outcome of such challenges may have been.)

[formulanone]

(BTW, my use of the word "claim" is intended to denote that I don't know whether such ban has been challenged or what the outcome of such challenges may have been.)

"Freedom of Panorama" generally applies to all open, public places in the United States:
http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#120

I could understand if a structure was under construction, and "trade secrets" wanted to be kept away from methods of recording...Otherwise, we're letting the other team win.

[SSOWorld]

They wanted to ban, but lifted it.

Back-on-topic.

Milwaukee area is the only location in Wisconsin with 55 mph on Interstates
- east of Moorland Rd on 94 from Madison (50 from Miller Park to Marquette Interchange)
- South of county line on 43 from Green Bay (45 from North Ave to Marquette)
- North of Drexel Ave on 94 from Chicago (50 from 894 to Holt Ave and from Mitchell St to Marquette)
- Beloit Road on 43 from Beloit Rd Eastward.
- All of 794 is 50 mph
- All of 894 (without 43) is 55.

Other Milwaukee area 55 zones
- East of N 124th St (WIS 145) on 41/45 from the Fox Cities
- Fond Du Lac Freeway (145) - 55
- Airport Spur is 50
- 41 North (Stadium) is 50
- Miller Park Way is (I think 45-50)

Other cities:
Madison: WIS 30 and the Beltline are both 55.
Green Bay: WIS 172 is 55
Appleton: WIS 441 is 55 (I believe to US 10 East or the next exit)

Former areas
Wausau had a 55 zone on US 51between 29 E and Bus 51 N  and WIS 29  between WIS 107 and Business 51 before the freeway was rebuilt Now the only section left is the turn lane area between 172nd Ave and WIS 107 west of Wausau on WIS 29.  An "Advisory 55" is posted between CTH U and the top of the hill by Business 51 for Rough Road.
Madison had a 55 zone on the interstate before the feds relaxed, Stevens Point had a 55 zone (after permission was given to mark 51 as 65) and Green Bay on 43, all were removed in the late 1990s (don't exactly know when)

[roadman65]

I-4 in the Orlando area once had its speed limits dropped from 65 to 55 at the Rest Areas on both sides of town.  It was 55 the rest of the way except from FL 423 (Lee Road) to US 17, 92, & 441 it was 50.

Now it was raised to 60 mph from Sand Lake Road to Central Florida Parkway (the former Rest Area is now that) and it was lowered from 65 to 60 from US 192 to Central Florida Parkway making it 60 mph from Sand Lake Road to US 192 continuously.  When the national 65 law was repealed, 70 mph was added to parts of I-4 away from Orlando.  60 mph was made also from the Orange- Seminole County Line to the Rest Area east of FL  434 that was 55 originally.

70 mph goes from East of the St. John's River to just west of its eastern end dropping to 65 near I-95.  Then it goes from I-75 to US 27 on the other side of town.  65 from US 27 to US 192.  In Tampa, I do not know what the recent speed limits are there, but in Orlando from Exits 80 to 88 FDOT has a similar set up as the NJ Turnpike does and uses changeable speeds with the default at 50 as always was.

[kphoger]

On the Kansas Side:

• I-35 drops to 65 between Lone Elm and 169 in Olathe, to 60 near 75th, and to 55 near the Missouri Line (not counting the work zone speed limits for the US 69 widening). I don't know exactly where, but I would also count on a 70 mph speed limit between 169 and (at greatest) the Johnson/Miami county line.

I went to Kansas City (family wedding) in late August, and my recollection is that the 75 MPH speed limit ends at Gardner.

Wichita
I do not have complete information. I do show I-135 from the Turnpike to 53rd Street north as 60, then 70 from 53rd to 85th. Kellogg (US 54/400) is generally 60 along its freeway segments, and the Turnpike (I-35) is 75.

All of this is correct.  In addition, I-235 is 65 for its entire length in both directions except between Broadway and the I-135/K-254 interchange (eastbound), and K-96 (Northeast Freeway) is 65 for its entire length in both directions except for 55 westbound between Hydraulic and the I-135 trumpet.  I think K-96 (State Fair Freeway--west of the I-235/Meridian Ave. interchange complex) is 70 eastbound until West Street and then 65 to the I-235 ramps.  I suspect westbound traffic gets a 70 limit coming off I-235, but I haven't been that way to check.

In general reduced speed limits in advance of major interchanges are not uncommon in Wichita.

I-135 is 60 mph from the KTA toll booth / 47th street mess until the 53rd St North exit.
Kellogg is 60 mph from about Eastern St to.....well, somewhere out by 151st St West or even farther, I'm not sure exactly as I'm usually there when traffic is heavy.
I thought I-235 was 65 mph in its entirety, and don't remember a speed reduction posted as it approaches K-254; wonder if I've been speeding (more than I intended) all this time.....
K-96 is 65 for its entirety except for the brief period mentioned from about Hydraulic to I-135.
K-96 going off toward Hutchinson is 70 mph in both directions from I-235.

This is all 'as memory serves'.

[bassoon1986]

In Louisiana within urban city limits it drops to a max of 60. Downtown Shreveport drops to 50 from the Red River bridge to I-49 exit.

In DFW, it's mainly 60 as far as I've seen since I moved here. Denton drops to 55 from 60 on 35E coming from Dallas then back up to 65 north of 35e/35W but its tight, narrow and plenty of old short ramps.

Bexar County (San Antonio) will soon be 75 mph on I-35, which is pretty quick considering SA's size and congestion

[The High Plains Traveler]

Unless they've done some changes recently, Minneapolis-St. Paul is generally 55 mph inside the 494/694 beltway, which itself is mostly 60 mph. They did create some 60 mph segments closer in on I-94, I-35E and MN-100. The worst stretch is a 45 mph zone on I-35E south of downtown St. Paul, imposed as part of a consent decree to allow the freeway to be constructed as a "parkway" with no trucks allowed. Outside the beltway, things generally go up to 65 and then to 70 mph pretty quickly. That is, except the piece of I-94 going toward Wisconsin where the limit is the same as Wisconsin's 65.

[thenetwork]

Is that 35 MPH limit in Cleveland an advisory speed for the curve, or a regulatory speed limit?

35 MPH is the Advisory Speed...The speed limit for most of the Innerbelt and the East Shoreway, approaching DMC, is posted at 50 MPH.


And IIRC, there are 2 different speed limits on the same stretch of I-96 west of Downtown Detroit:  55 in the Local Lanes and 65 in the Express Lanes, or something close to that.

[InterstateNG]

Express lanes are now 70.

[brownpelican]

It's 60 in most urban areas in Louisiana except the following:

* Baton Rouge: I-110 is 50 mph from Capital Access Road to above Plank Road. Also, I-10 West at the I-110 interchange is 35 mph.
* Lafayette: I-10 and I-49 are 70 mph
* Lake Charles: I-10 is 50 mph from US 171 to Ryan Street/Lakeshore Drive.

[JREwing78]

They wanted to ban, but lifted it.

Back-on-topic.

Milwaukee area is the only location in Wisconsin with 55 mph on Interstates

A two-mile section of I-43 immediately east of I-39/90 near Beloit is also posted for 55mph.

[Interstatefan78]

Here in Newark, NJ  I-78 has a 55 mph speed limit from exit 56-58, but I-280 has a 50 mph speed limit from exit 15-17 due to the W.M. Stickel bridge.
Another note to Keep in mind is I-78 in Clinton,NJ has a 65 mph speed limit through an Urban area in northern Hunterdon county

[signalman]

Here in Newark, NJ  I-78 has a 55 mph speed limit from exit 56-58, but I-280 has a 50 mph speed limit from exit 15-17 due to the W.M. Stickel bridge.
Another note to Keep in mind is I-78 in Clinton,NJ has a 65 mph speed limit through an Urban area in northern Hunterdon county

Last I knew the speed limit on the Stickel bridge and its approaches was 40, then 50 on either side of the approaches.  The 50 mph limit has nothing to do with the bridge itself, but rather the geometry and traffic levels in Newark.  East of the bridge in Kearney I'd say it's very underposted and no one (including me) adheres to the 50 limit.  Also I'd say that it's a stretch to call Clinton an urban area.  It's a small town and nothing surrounding it.

[doorknob60]

Most San Francisco Bay Area freeways have a speed limit of 65 MPH although there are some freeways with 55 MPH limits.  The lowest freeway speed limit that I know of is US 101 as it enters downtown San Francisco.  It has a 50 MPH limit.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think there's a section of I-880 in Oakland where it drops down to 45. People still drive 65-70+, but that's what the sign said. It was probably a year and a half ago that I saw it.

In Oregon, 55-60 is the norm (not 65 though). Except in Portland, where a lot of places it's 50.

[roadfro]

In Oregon, 55-60 is the norm (not 65 though). Except in Portland, where a lot of places it's 50.

Frustratingly slow speed limits in Oregon. 55 on most urban freeways around Portland, and I-5 didn't bump up to 65 until well south of urban limits. From Nevada, I'm used to 65 on urban freeways and moving up to 70 or 75 on rural freeways.

[myosh_tino]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think there's a section of I-880 in Oakland where it drops down to 45. People still drive 65-70+, but that's what the sign said. It was probably a year and a half ago that I saw it.

You probably saw those in the vicinity of 5th Ave and High Street where Caltrans is in the process of replacing two aging overpasses.  The construction and lane shifts are the reason why the speed limit was lowered to 45 MPH although you are correct in that hardly anyone obeys the lowered limit.  It is common practice in California to use standard black-on-white speed limit signs in construction zones.  In most cases, these signs are placed over existing speed limit signs.

FWIW, the normal speed limit along this stretch of I-880 is 55 MPH.  The limit does not increase to 65 MPH until passing the Oakland Coliseum.

[mapman1071]

Phoenix has 55 on I-17 from Dunlap Avenue south around the bend to where it meets I-10 for the second time near Sky Harbor. Arizona 51 has 55 from the Glendale Avenue exit down to the Mini-Stack. Loop 202 east from the Mini-Stack is 55 but I forget for how far. Arizona 143 is 55 except for a short portion near I-10 where it's 45. On the outskirts, the new Loop 303 between Grand Avenue (US 60) and I-17 has a 55 mph speed limit for some silly reason, although the section skirting Sun City West does have a few at-grade intersections, such as at El Mirage Road.

As far as I know, all the other Phoenix-area freeways are 65.

All of Loop 303 Is 55, I am assuming when the road is upgraded to full freeway it will go to 65

[jeffandnicole]

Here in Newark, NJ  I-78 has a 55 mph speed limit from exit 56-58, but I-280 has a 50 mph speed limit from exit 15-17 due to the W.M. Stickel bridge.
Another note to Keep in mind is I-78 in Clinton,NJ has a 65 mph speed limit through an Urban area in northern Hunterdon county

Many Speed Limit charts found online showing NJ has a 65 rural limit/55 urban limit are incorrect. I persume one organization posted it that way, and the rest simply copy it.  The vast majority of the Interstate/Limited Access highway network in NJ is classified as urban, and much of it has a 65 limit.  Heck, the 14 lane/4 section NJ Turnpike between Exits 11 & 12 is 65mph.

Those charts also show the max limit on other roads is 50 mph, which is incorrect as well.

[Alps]

Here in Newark, NJ  I-78 has a 55 mph speed limit from exit 56-58, but I-280 has a 50 mph speed limit from exit 15-17 due to the W.M. Stickel bridge.
Another note to Keep in mind is I-78 in Clinton,NJ has a 65 mph speed limit through an Urban area in northern Hunterdon county

Many Speed Limit charts found online showing NJ has a 65 rural limit/55 urban limit are incorrect. I persume one organization posted it that way, and the rest simply copy it.  The vast majority of the Interstate/Limited Access highway network in NJ is classified as urban, and much of it has a 65 limit.  Heck, the 14 lane/4 section NJ Turnpike between Exits 11 & 12 is 65mph.

Those charts also show the max limit on other roads is 50 mph, which is incorrect as well.

55 is the maximum limit that is allowed to be posted on all roadways except where 65 mph has been authorized by the State. That is why NJ has no 60 MPH speed limits.
50 is the default speed limit in rural areas if nothing else is posted. 25 is the default speed limit in urban areas if nothing else is posted. However, I do not know if these definitions correlate strictly to the NJDOT classification maps shown online. If they do, there are a lot of very rural areas classified as "urban."

[jeffandnicole]

Here in Newark, NJ  I-78 has a 55 mph speed limit from exit 56-58, but I-280 has a 50 mph speed limit from exit 15-17 due to the W.M. Stickel bridge.
Another note to Keep in mind is I-78 in Clinton,NJ has a 65 mph speed limit through an Urban area in northern Hunterdon county

Many Speed Limit charts found online showing NJ has a 65 rural limit/55 urban limit are incorrect. I persume one organization posted it that way, and the rest simply copy it.  The vast majority of the Interstate/Limited Access highway network in NJ is classified as urban, and much of it has a 65 limit.  Heck, the 14 lane/4 section NJ Turnpike between Exits 11 & 12 is 65mph.

Those charts also show the max limit on other roads is 50 mph, which is incorrect as well.

55 is the maximum limit that is allowed to be posted on all roadways except where 65 mph has been authorized by the State. That is why NJ has no 60 MPH speed limits.
50 is the default speed limit in rural areas if nothing else is posted. 25 is the default speed limit in urban areas if nothing else is posted. However, I do not know if these definitions correlate strictly to the NJDOT classification maps shown online. If they do, there are a lot of very rural areas classified as "urban."

Right...they're the DEFAULT limits, not the MAXIMUM limits!  So depending on how you want to define the limit, the charts should be showing 65 mph for rural & urban, or 55 mph for rural and urban, but not 65 rural/55 urban.

The charts are clearly describing the maximum limits found on the highways (ie: http://www.motorists.org/speed-limits/state-chart; http://www.iihs.org/laws/speedlimits.aspx , which does correctly show a 55 max other road limit), and thus 65 should be shown for both.

As far as the default limits go, I can only think of one road in all my NJ travels that doesn't have a posted limit - County Rt. 632 in Mantua, NJ, between NJ 45 & Rt. 678)

[doorknob60]

In Oregon, 55-60 is the norm (not 65 though). Except in Portland, where a lot of places it's 50.

Frustratingly slow speed limits in Oregon. 55 on most urban freeways around Portland, and I-5 didn't bump up to 65 until well south of urban limits. From Nevada, I'm used to 65 on urban freeways and moving up to 70 or 75 on rural freeways.

Oh, it's awful. It's even worse when you get out into Central and Eastern Oregon's rural 2 laners, where it's 55 always, when you guys are used to 65 or 70. Not that anyone actually goes 55 though.

[J N Winkler]

Oh, it's awful. It's even worse when you get out into Central and Eastern Oregon's rural 2 laners, where it's 55 always, when you guys are used to 65 or 70. Not that anyone actually goes 55 though.

I do.  I accept that roads of comparable standard in adjacent states are usually signed for 65 MPH, and I agree that is probably safe for the majority of two-lane state highway mileage in the drier parts of Oregon, but (1) I don't know which roads are good for 65 and which would stay 55 if the speed limit ceiling were moved to 65, and (2) I don't like spending any of my attention watching for state troopers.  So I just pull over every now and then to accommodate people who want to go faster.

[kphoger]

So I just pull over every now and then to accommodate people who want to go faster.

Would someone please get this man a Klondike bar?

[Alps]

So I just pull over every now and then to accommodate people who want to go faster.

Would someone please get this man a Klondike bar?

People do it all the time in Texas and Oklahoma. So I'm not 100% surprised someone in Kansas does it. Kansas struck me as a pleasant state.

[Scott5114]

Kansans tend to be quite courteous in my experience. (And no, I am not just saying that because there's two of you guys in the thread. ) They are probably just as deserving of that reputation as Minnesota, which was a lot more hit-or-miss to me. (Lots of rude behavior going on at my food stops, but the lady running the counter at the hotel we stayed at in Burnsville was top-notch.)

As a point of clarification, the pulling off described as occurring in TX and OK is a pull-onto-right-shoulder maneuver, where the passee remains at the speed they are going. The passer still has to enter the opposing lane, but not all the way, and they can see oncoming traffic more clearly. I am not sure if this is what J.N. practices or if he pulls all the way off the road and stops for a bit.