Sequential Speed Limit Signs

[TEG24601]

I hate sequential or stepped down speed limits.  They are just something else to raise revenue with.  Locally, Skagit County has this habit of lowering speed limits once or twice as you approach a rural intersection, for no logical reason.  And in Indiana, there are usually 2-4 steps up and down from highways speeds to city street speeds on highways going through town.  Both are quite ridiculous.

[ElishaGOtis]

BUMP. This one takes the cake.

55 > 45 > 35 > 25 > 15 > 5 in both directions approaching this cool old pontoon bridge. https://maps.app.goo.gl/heUX8q6aRYJjPm5j6?g_st=ic

Came across this on my Texas trip.

[Tendies]

I-10 in Arizona steps down from 75, to 65, 55, 45, to 35 in anticipation of the ag checkpoint at the border of California over the course of about 2.5 miles, or 16mph/mi (which bizarrely reduces to 0.00444hz, as the miles cancel out) on average. Each preceeded by "Speed Reduced Ahead" and/or "Speed limit x5 ahead" signs. After the checkpoint, the speed limit immediately rises to 70, with no phase up.

[vdeane]

Does anyone else find these sequential speed limit drops really annoying?  I find that they enforce a much more gradual speed drop than what my car requires, which results in spending a mile or two going slower than would otherwise be required if motorists were just left to decelerate on their own volition.

[kphoger]

Does anyone else find these sequential speed limit drops really annoying?

I do.

If the speed drop is really significant (say, 65 mph on the highway, 30 mph through town), then I appreciate having ONE step in between, but that's about it.

What I find more annoying, however, is that traffic heading away from the slow part usually has to deal with steps UP for no good reason.

[pderocco]

It feels to me like they're trying to get people not to use the brake coming into town, and barely using the accelerator going out of town.

[ElishaGOtis]

Does anyone else find these sequential speed limit drops really annoying?  I find that they enforce a much more gradual speed drop than what my car requires, which results in spending a mile or two going slower than would otherwise be required if motorists were just left to decelerate on their own volition.

Ehhh... I've seen one too many speed traps to see this as a concern unfortunately, at least on the drops. However, going back up to a higher speed limit I agree is EXTREMELY annoying...

[vdeane]

Does anyone else find these sequential speed limit drops really annoying?  I find that they enforce a much more gradual speed drop than what my car requires, which results in spending a mile or two going slower than would otherwise be required if motorists were just left to decelerate on their own volition.

Ehhh... I've seen one too many speed traps to see this as a concern unfortunately, at least on the drops. However, going back up to a higher speed limit I agree is EXTREMELY annoying...

Isn't that what the pictographic reduced speed ahead warnings with the new limit are for?  Now, if a road making a 55 to 30 drop has a brief 40 zone, fine.  But often those are longer and more drawn out than what my Civic needs.

The opposite situation isn't common in New York, so I don't have much experience with it.

[Scott5114]

Isn't that what the pictographic reduced speed ahead warnings with the new limit are for?

It's a lot easier and more realistic to enforce a law saying "No speed limit shall be more than 10 mph different than an adjoining speed limit" than it is to enforce a law saying "A reduced speed ahead warning sign shall always be installed and never go missing".

[roadfro]

What I find more annoying, however, is that traffic heading away from the slow part usually has to deal with steps UP for no good reason.

I also find them annoying, but I also understand the rationale. I'm assuming the rationale is not having different speed limits for opposing directions to make it easier for law enforcement. It also makes sense in cases where you may have crossroads in the transition zones—not good to be turning into a road with traffic legally going, say, 35 in one direction and 65 in the other...