Laserfiche WebLink
Speed Limits <br />Traffic Control Devices <br />Purpose <br />Speed limits are determined by the Minnesota <br />Department of Transportation (consistent with <br />State Statutes) basedon an analysis of the actual <br />speed profile of the road. The basic premise of <br />Minnesota’s law is that the majority of motorists <br />will pick a safe and reasonable speed given the <br />horizontal and vertical design of the street, <br />locations of driveways, sidewalks, obstructions, and the use of <br />the street by pedestrians. Lowering the speed limit to address <br />speeding in a neighborhood has never proven to be even <br />moderately effective without also including very high levels of <br />enforcement. <br />Effects <br />Volumes <br />Little or no effect. <br />Speed <br />Drivers generally ignore posted speed limits and travel at speeds which the <br />drivers consider reasonable. <br />Traffic Noise and Air <br />Little or no effect. <br />Traffic Safety <br />Effects of speed limit changes on traffic safety on local residential streets <br />have not been reported. Research suggests that crash frequencies on <br />urban roadways are unrelated to vehicle speeds. <br />Advantages <br />• Research indicates that when speed limits are set at or near the 85 <br />th <br />percentile speed, roadway crash frequencies are ata minimum. <br />Disadvantages <br />• Speed limits on urban roadways are either set by Statute or by MnDOT. <br />indicates <br />• Research that crash frequencies on urban roadways are <br />unrelated to vehicle speeds. <br />Problems Targeted <br />• High speeds through residential neighborhood <br />Design <br /> <br />