School Speed Limits

[pianocello]

Throughout Davenport, school speed limits are always 25 (normal speed limit between 30 and 35), and they appear in front of every elementary, middle, and (most recently) high school. Every sign reads "School Speed Limit 25 On School Days 7:00 AM-5:00 PM." (2-3 years ago they read "On School Days when Children are Present")

I particularly hate this because kids are usually outside of school 1 out of those 8 hours every day, and I rarely see kids out as early as 7 or as late as 5. Another annoying thing is that they're particularly long in distance (the two I go through on the way to school are about a quarter mile and almost a whole mile).

What are they like in other cities, and what are your opinions on them?

[1995hoo]

Around here it's always 25 (though I've seen as high as 35 in Virginia, that being on US-29 near Madison where the normal speed limit is 55). Virginia usually uses the "school zone speed limit when flashing" signs that have the two yellow lights and the lower limit applies only when those lights are flashing. I like it better than all-day limits (overkill) or the signs that make you read the hours when it applies (usually too much info to read in type too small to discern at a glance). The flashing-lights system is easy to tell at a glance.

Regardless of the speed limit, I'm always cautious near elementary schools because the little kids have no sense for traffic safety. I wouldn't want to be the guy who hits and hurts or kills some little kid.

[realjd]

Flashing lights almost exclusively here and usually 15mph. They don't often put school zones on major highways or arterials.

It's a bit excessive to make the restriction all day.

[nexus73]

Oregon is 20 MPH.  California is 25 MPH.  Somehow the extra 5 MPH in California doesn't result in massive carnage for the children.  Oregon's limit is too low in school zones.  65 MPH freeway speed limits are also 5 MPH too slow at a minimum.  Come to Oregon if you want to slow down...LOL!

Rick

[vtk]

Ohio is always 20 MPH.  The standard sign states that the speed limit is in effect "during restricted hours".  Flashing lights are added if and when the school district can afford it.

[ethanman62187]

What if any school is next to a freeway?

[1995hoo]

What if any school is next to a freeway?

If you're referring to my comment about a 55-mph road, Madison High School in Madison, VA, is on US-29, although it's not truly a "freeway." Traffic does tend to move at around 65 mph, though.

I can think of a freeway that cuts through a school's property (US-15/501 cuts through land owned by Duke University), but I wouldn't count that since I doubt it's unusual and since universities don't count as "schools" in the same sense of needing special treatment.

Why I'm responding to you is a better question. 

[Ian]

All of the school speed limits around Philly are set at around 15 m.p.h. on most if not all roads.

[Brandon]

It's usually 20mph here in Illinois.  Having them for elementary schools is fine, but for high schools, seriously!?!  Some of those young adults/adolescents drive (they're not children - never thought of myself that way when I was that age) for pete's sake.

[vdeane]

In NY it's usually 15-20mph during "school days" (guess you have to figure out when school's in session yourself).

[ftballfan]

It's usually 20mph here in Illinois.  Having them for elementary schools is fine, but for high schools, seriously!?!  Some of those young adults/adolescents drive (they're not children - never thought of myself that way when I was that age) for pete's sake.

Especially when newer high schools are usually built far enough away from the road so students can't walk to McDonalds for lunch. In Michigan, it depends on the road. One road I know of has a school speed limit of 40 only when flashing (regular is 55).

[pianocello]

It's usually 20mph here in Illinois.  Having them for elementary schools is fine, but for high schools, seriously!?!  Some of those young adults/adolescents drive (they're not children - never thought of myself that way when I was that age) for pete's sake.

My thoughts exactly. They were put in a few weeks ago in front of my high school, but there hasn't been a problem in the past about it.

[Zmapper]

I have seen a school zone in Kansas with a speed reduction to... 45mph from 55mph. What the hell did they just accomplish by signing that? It is a rural area with probably everyone taking the bus or having their parents drive them. What is the point there exactly?

[Jordanah1]

southern door highschool (and i believe middle school) is on the old WIS 57 (now frontage road to new WIS 57 expressway) has a 40 or 45mph school zone in the 55mph zone

[WillWeaverRVA]

I have seen a school zone in Kansas with a speed reduction to... 45mph from 55mph. What the hell did they just accomplish by signing that? It is a rural area with probably everyone taking the bus or having their parents drive them. What is the point there exactly?

This condition existed on US 33 near Richmond, VA, in front of Glen Allen High School during the 2010-11 school year. The school zone speed limit was reduced to 35mph for no apparent reason for the 2011-12 school year.

Of course, this has created conditions that are more dangerous than they were before, because people will be cruising at 55 or 60 (the speed limit is 55mph). Then they hit the school zone and come to a nearly dead stop. I nearly rear-ended someone the other day going through this school zone. Didn't help that Henrico County was aggressively enforcing this particular school zone, as I saw no less than four motorcycle cops patrolling this zone, including one that had just pulled someone over. This is a pretty busy commuting corridor, and those lights are flashing as late as 4:30pm...

[thenetwork]

When I lived in NE Ohio, a lot of the municipalities really overdid the school safety issues.  Many intersections still post "NO TURN ON RED -- x:xx AM-x:xx PM SCHOOL DAYS" signs, despite being well outside of school zones, and despite their being pedestrian-activated crosswalk buttons and WALK/DON'T WALK signs at the intersection, and despite there being crossing guards on duty at many of the closest intersections near the school when kids are actually crossing the intersection.   

What sucks about those signs is that 90% of the school day kids will be nowhere near the intersection and you'll have those idiot drivers who will sit there in the middle of summer, at night, or on a major holiday (Christmas/Thanksgiving) refusing to turn right on red fearing that school might be in session, or not reading the entire sign.

Another beef I had with the Ohio zones at the time (at least in the NE Ohio area) is that many of those zones were not wired with brains -- that is they were wired to turn on & off on with an old timer mechanism.  What this meant is that many municipalities would have them turn on and off every Monday-Friday during the school year, yet would not override the system on holidays or extended non-summer vacations so as to not have the zones on when school was not.  And again, you'd have the idiot drivers who would drive the 20 through every school zone on Thanksgiving.  Even worse were the school zones that would have power outages, and it would take them a few days (if not a few weeks) to reset the timers to mesh with the actual school hours.

I love the districts & municipalities that spend the extra $$$ on smart timers that only turn on the flashers when school is really in session and only at the proper times!!!

[roadfro]

What if any school is next to a freeway?

A freeway has full control of access. The school has no access to the freeway, therefore no school zone. 

[ethanman62187]

What if any school is next to a freeway?

A freeway has full control of access. The school has no access to the freeway, therefore no
school zone. 

What about the speed limit?

[Scott5114]

What if any school is next to a freeway?

A freeway has full control of access. The school has no access to the freeway, therefore no
school zone. 

What about the speed limit?

What about it? Pedestrians probably aren't going to be on the ROW anyway (indeed many freeways outright prohibit pedestrians), so why would it need to be lowered?

[ethanman62187]

What if any school is next to a freeway?

A freeway has full control of access. The school has no access to the freeway, therefore no
school zone. 

What about the speed limit?

What about it? Pedestrians probably aren't going to be on the ROW anyway (indeed many
freeways outright prohibit pedestrians), so why would it need to be lowered?

Because kids don't learn anything when drivers on the freeway are too fast.

[Scott5114]

What if any school is next to a freeway?

A freeway has full control of access. The school has no access to the freeway, therefore no
school zone. 

What about the speed limit?

What about it? Pedestrians probably aren't going to be on the ROW anyway (indeed many
freeways outright prohibit pedestrians), so why would it need to be lowered?

Because kids don't learn anything when drivers on the freeway are too fast.

Do they not put fences between the freeway and adjoining property in Virginia?

[roadfro]

Because kids don't learn anything when drivers on the freeway are too fast.

Do you realize you're not making any sense?

[Indyroads]

School zones in the Boise Metro area are very clearly marked with flashing lights that are set at either end of the school zone. This clearly marks the beginning and ending of the school zone, and the times when the special speed limit (and the higher fine) applies. The speed limit is typically 20 MPH even on busy arterials such as Broadway Ave, Cole Road and  Fairview Ave. Here in Indianoplace (jk) it is anyones guess when school speeds apply or where the school zones end.

[mapman1071]

Arizona school zones (K-8 Only) with Rollaway Signs on all roads is 15mph No passing Zone and Double Fines.
There are some exceptions that are permanently signed with flashing lights on Major Streets marked 35mph or 25mph.
Hours for all is 7am to 4pm School Days 

School Zones do not apply for high schools

[wh15395]

School zones in the Boise Metro area are very clearly marked with flashing lights that are set at either end of the school zone. This clearly marks the beginning and ending of the school zone, and the times when the special speed limit (and the higher fine) applies. The speed limit is typically 20 MPH even on busy arterials such as Broadway Ave, Cole Road and  Fairview Ave. Here in Indianoplace (jk) it is anyones guess when school speeds apply or where the school zones end.

I hate school zones around Indianapolis. Most of them are all day school zones from 7-430. Worst of all is Carmel where they go from 7-7. I didn't know the schools had 12 hour days....