Some Seattle I-5 pictures: Variable Speed Signs/Express Lane

[KEK Inc.]

More on my Instagram:  http://instagram.com/kek_inc/

[Bruce]

I'd like to see the non-Instagram'd pictures. The filters make it look like it's trying to be too old.

Anyway, these new signs look pretty good. They should be installed all across the state every few miles.

[Brandon]

Why is the speed limit so ridiculously low on what appears to be a freeway?

[tdindy88]

I was on this stretch once a year or so ago and have some of my own pictures of the signs on this highway. I'm not as savvy as to how to put them up on this forum however. In any case, I was in the HOV lane (since I was on a bus) during the morning rush hour and the speed limits seem to be based on the traffic flow at the time, which is why they change during the day. When I was heading up north (looking at my photos) the speed limit was 50 in the HOV lane and 45 in the rest of the lanes, but the rest of the lanes had signifcantly more traffic on them, so you were honestly only going that fast anyway. Heading near downtown, the HOV lane's speed limit dropped as the lane was nearing its end, as you had to move out of it and back onto the mainline, but oddly the mainline's speed limit had jumped back to 50. In short, it seems to be based on the current traffic and if the speed limit was 30, there was probably heavy traffic in that lane to justify that speed.

[Bruce]

Why is the speed limit so ridiculously low on what appears to be a freeway?

They aren't speed limits (the legal speed limit is 60 mph). These are "suggested speeds" from WSDOT that change according to traffic speed, accidents, emergency vehicle activity, etc.

[KEK Inc.]

They should be installed all across the state every few miles.

WSDOT spent $101 million on the 8 gantries on I-5 and $46 million on the lot on SR-520.  I don't think it's a very feasible option with these fancy LED -- well, practically monitors. 

They aren't speed limits (the legal speed limit is 60 mph). These are "suggested speeds" from WSDOT that change according to traffic speed, accidents, emergency vehicle activity, etc.

Actually, they are legal regulatory speed limits, not recommended or suggested speeds.  They're officially called variable speed limits.  If the signs are off, the speed limit is 60; however, the sign takes precedent.  The speed limit system is supposed to transition you to a lower speed since there's some blind turns, and some motorists are surprised and slam on the brake when traffic comes to a still.  This system transitions motorists to a more smooth stop rather than a sudden stop.  Seattle's road infrastructure is overloaded.