National Motorists Association
Massachusetts Page
It is illegal to lower a speed limit because someone thinks people drive too fast!
Here is a popular misconception:
"A speed limit is a speed that government bureaucrats want us to drive at."
THE TRUTH:
As defined by federal and state laws, a speed limit sign is to advise a motorist what speed 85% of the other drivers would naturally keep under.
As an example, Adam Hurtubise, a turnpike spokesman, quoted in the Boston Globe on 9/20/09:
"The initial speed was set based on driving tests to measure comfort and safety. If the authority used federal standards to set a new limit, based on how fast people drive outside of rush hour, it might be higher than 45 miles per hour."
Nowhere is it written speed limits will be based on authorities driving a road for our "comfort and safety." What the law does say is speed limits will be based on federal standards, or else Massachusetts will lose highway funding. Instead of flaunting "our speed limits are illegal," the Pike authority should be worried about not being in compliance with the law.