Posted on 02/01/2017 9:18:05 AM PST by MichCapCon
Gov. Rick Snyder signed a package of bills that will require specified engineering standards in setting speed limits in Michigan, helping to put an end to what some motorists claim are speed traps. The changes went into effect when the governor signed them into law on Jan. 4.
“This might be the best New Year’s present Michigan’s motorists and our visitors could have wished for,” said James Walker of the National Motorists Association, which supported the bills.
The bills will increase speed limits, with the limit on rural interstates going up to 75 mph. They also require that limits on roads be based on “speed studies,” in which traffic engineers observe how fast motorists drive on a given road. (The law makes exceptions for specific classes of roads such as neighborhood streets and roads in mobile home parks.)
The new law says that a speed limit can be no lower than the 50th percentile, or the speed exceeded by 50 percent of drivers. Speed limits can also be set based on a formula spelled out in the law, which is based on “access points,” or entrances on a given stretch of road. The formula is based on historic speed studies.
Traffic engineers use the 85th percentile to determine the safest speed, which can be done by eliminating speed variation among drivers. When a limit is set too low, the thinking goes, it encourages drivers to pick a variety of speeds, which could lead to tailgating, cutting-in and other conflicts that can cause crashes.
A number of groups, including those representing pedestrians, bicyclists and auto insurance companies, opposed making a speed standard part of state law, let alone setting it at the 85th percentile.
The Michigan Municipal League, which represents cities that set local speed limits, was pleased with the compromise.
“We believe it is important to be able to consider all users of the roadway when setting speed limits, and including the use of an engineering and safety study and having the flexibility to reduce speeds to the 50th percentile was a key factor in offering our support,” said John LaMacchia. He is the assistant director of state and federal affairs for the League.
While the National Motorist Association supported using the 85th percentile, Walker said the 50th percentile requirement should raise the limit in a number of places. He recently recorded the speeds of 1,193 drivers in Grand Rapids and found 97 percent of them exceeding the posted limit.
The law lets municipalities set lower limits, but only if the county road commission agrees. If there is no county road commission, the county board must agree.
Yooper or Troll?
Right on. I lived off of M-59 and M-53 in Sterling Heights. When we moved from there in 2007 the potholes on Van Dyke were so bad you couldn’t drive more than 20 MPH or you’d bend a rim. Once you got past M-59 heading North to Romeo it wasn’t too bad.
M-59 was always a parking lot from Adams Rd. East. Wonder if it’s improved from everyone vacating the State.
I drive I-94 to Ann Arbor daily for work. Average speed is 80 or more. In passing line I am pushed to do 85 before I can get over. It’s crazy
And you were driving 55 in the left lane, right?
All of my family lives along that stretch of M59 from Pontiac out to Utica. It’s still a snarled mess there during the week.
I'm hardcore Michigan, man. Up by Mackinaw. Family's been there over 150 years.
I see how Arizona shapes up but I am here to tell you that the signs are treated as a Minimum.
I was driving my wife’s Accord on I-40 near Winslow headed home to the Phoenix valley after a vacation to see all the grandkids that took us over 7500 miles. Cop stopped me and apologized but he said doing 92 was a little excessive.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.