State Speed Zoning Procedures

This is a list of links to state Department of Transportation pages explaining their speed zoning policies. Some of them are written for public consumption (17 states), others for engineers (9 states). The ITE has developed a "majority rule" pamphlet like the one used by Arizona, Kansas, and Missouri.

Many states have rational guidelines for setting speed limits. However, these guidelines are seldom followed, because of political and revenue generating objectives. The police officers in each state are not responsible for setting these policies, but they are obligated and pressured to enforce them.

Institue of Transportation Engineers
Speed Zoning Information - A Case of "Majority Rule" (proposed standard)

Alaska
Speed Zoning Policy and Procedure

Arizona
Establishing Speed Limits - A Case of "Majority Rule"

California
MUTCD 2003 California Supplement Page 2B-51

Colorado
Establishing Realistic Speed Limits

Connecticut
State Traffic Commission Speed Limit Information

Kansas
Establishing Speed Limits

Louisiana
LaDOTD FAQ - Speed Limits

Maine
Speed Limits - How Are They Set?

Maryland
Speed Limits

Massachusetts
Procedures For Speed Zoning On State And Municipal Roadways (unofficial site)

Michigan
Establishing Realistic Speed Limits

Minnesota
Speed Limit? Here's Your Answer

Ohio
Procedures for Speed Zones

Texas
Procedures for Establishing Speed Zones

Virginia
VDOT Travel Center FAQ - Speed Limits

Washington
WSDOT Traffic Services - Speed Limits

West Virginia
WV DOT - Speed Limits

Go Back To Speed Limits Home Page

You deserve every speeding ticket you get. You can complain all you want after the fact, but it's true. Find out why.

It's one of the "great" American past times: complaining about unfair speeding tickets. There are two types of people when it comes to complaining about this particular type of traffic ticket. Which group are you in?

NMA Position on Speed Limits

Speed limits should be based on sound traffic-engineering principles that consider responsible motorists' actual travel speeds.

Typically, this should result in speed limits set at the 85th percentile speed of free-flowing traffic (the speed under which 85 percent of traffic is traveling).