Speed limits in the United States vary depending on jurisdiction. Rural

freeway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms ...

speed limits of are common in the

Western United States The Western United States (also called the American West, the Far West, and the West) is the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. As American settlement in the U.S. expanded westward, the meaning of the term ''the Wes ...

, while such highways are typically posted at in the

Eastern United States The Eastern United States, commonly referred to as the American East, Eastern America, or simply the East, is the region of the United States to the east of the Mississippi River. In some cases the term may refer to a smaller area or the East C ...

. States may also set separate speed limits for trucks and night travel along with minimum speed limits. The highest speed limit in the country is , which is posted on a single stretch of tollway in exurban areas outside

Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...

. The lowest maximum speed limit in the country is in

American Samoa American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the International ...

Alabama

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

, it is illegal to drive at a speed that is not "reasonable and prudent" for the current conditions and hazards. Drivers must also not drive so slowly that they impede the flow of traffic. If the speed limit is not otherwise posted, it is: * in urban areas * on unpaved roads * on rural paved county roads * on other two-lane roads * on four-lane roads * on

Interstate Highways The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. Th ...

Trucks carrying

hazardous materials Dangerous goods, abbreviated DG, are substances that when transported are a risk to health, safety, property or the environment. Certain dangerous goods that pose risks even when not being transported are known as hazardous materials ( syllabi ...

are not to exceed .

Alaska

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

, many of the major highways carry a speed limit, including: *A majority of the

Parks Highway The George Parks Highway (numbered Interstate A-4 and signed Alaska Route 3), usually called simply the Parks Highway, runs 323 miles (520 km) from the Glenn Highway 35 miles (56 km) north of Anchorage to Fairbanks in the Alaska Interi ...

between

Fairbanks Fairbanks is a home rule city and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska and the second largest in the state. The 2020 Census put the po ...

and

Willow Willows, also called sallows and osiers, from the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 400 speciesMabberley, D.J. 1997. The Plant Book, Cambridge University Press #2: Cambridge. of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist s ...

(excepting slower zones through Nenana,

Denali Park Denali National Park and Preserve, formerly known as Mount McKinley National Park, is an American national park and preserve located in Interior Alaska, centered on Denali, the highest mountain in North America. The park and contiguous preserve ...

, Cantwell, and Healy) *Most of the

Richardson Highway The Richardson Highway is a highway in the U.S. state of Alaska, running 368 miles (562 km) and connecting Valdez to Fairbanks. It is marked as Alaska Route 4 from Valdez to Delta Junction and as Alaska Route 2 from there to Fairbanks. It ...

between Valdez and

North Pole The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distinguish from the Mag ...

*On the

Glenn Highway The Glenn Highway (part of Alaska Route 1) is a highway in the U.S. state of Alaska, extending from Anchorage near Merrill Field to Glennallen on the Richardson Highway. The Tok Cut-Off is often considered part of the Glenn Highway, for a tota ...

, the freeway between

Wasilla Wasilla ( Dena'ina: ''Benteh'') is a city in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, United States and the fourth-largest city in Alaska. It is located on the northern point of Cook Inlet in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley of the southcentral part of the st ...

and

Anchorage Anchorage () is the largest city in the U.S. state of Alaska by population. With a population of 291,247 in 2020, it contains nearly 40% of the state's population. The Anchorage metropolitan area, which includes Anchorage and the neighboring Ma ...

, and most of the west of Glennallen *The

Seward Highway The Seward Highway is a highway in the U.S. state of Alaska that extends from Seward to Anchorage. It was completed in 1951 and runs through the scenic Kenai Peninsula, Chugach National Forest, Turnagain Arm, and Kenai Mountains. The Seward H ...

in Anchorage between 36th Avenue and Rabbit Creek Road, and other non-freeway parts of the

south of Bird Point *Most of the

Alaska Highway In Utah, there is a minimum speed limit of on

Interstate Highway The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. Th ...

s when conditions permit. The maximum speed limit on Interstates is normally in cities and, on most highways, elsewhere. UDOT has now implemented HB83, raising the speed limit to 80 mph on an additional of rural interstate, including I-80 from Nevada to mile marker 99, I-84 from Idaho to I-15, and I-15 between St. George, Utah and Mona, Utah. * Although 80 mph is posted on most interstates, some stretches of Interstate 80 in Utah, I-80 and Interstate 84 (west), I-84 are posted at 70 mph east of Salt Lake City. I-80 is briefly posted 65 mph/truck speed: 55 between U.S. Route 40 in Utah, US 40 and Wanship, Utah, Wanship. Speeds between Salt Lake City and Park City, Utah, Park City on I-80 are variable based on road conditions. * The speed limit from Ogden, Utah, Ogden to Spanish Fork, Utah, Spanish Fork on Interstate 15, I-15 is 70 mph. From Mona south until Cedar City, Utah, Cedar City, excluding curvy sections and mountain passes, the speed limit is 80 miles per hour. Excluding a rural break in Iron County, Utah, Iron and Washington County, Utah, Washington counties, the speed limit on I-15 in the urban areas of Washington, Utah, Washington and St. George is 70 miles per hour until the southern border of

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

. The speed limit on I-15 in Cedar City is 75 miles per hour. * The Legacy Parkway, running between North Salt Lake, Utah, North Salt Lake and Farmington, Utah, Farmington, originally had a speed limit of along its entire length due to environmental concerns at the time of its construction. In January 2020, upon expiration of the law requiring the 55 mph limit, it was raised to .

80 mph speed limit

On April 3, 2013, Utah Department of Transportation spokesman John Gleason said "We’d only do it in a situation that would make sense: flat, straight roadways. The Utah Department of Transportation is looking at expanding zones where it can increase the speed limit from 75 to 80 miles per hour. The Utah State Legislature recently approved a bill allowing for a series of zones to become permanent, as well as expanding them in other places around the state. UDOT began a study on Monday (April 1, 2013) to place more zones on rural parts of I-15, I-80 and I-84. The areas under consideration, UDOT spokesman said, are on I-80 from Grantsville (exit 99) to Wendover, on the Utah-Nevada border; I-84 from Tremonton to the Utah-Idaho border; I-15 from Brigham City (North interchange) to the Utah-Idaho border; and I-15 from Santaquin to North Leeds." The speed limit on these sections has been increased from 80 mph as of September 17, 2013. On February 13, 2014, UDOT voted to increase the speed limit on Interstate 80, I-80 from Salt Lake City across the Bonneville Salt Flats to the Nevada border to . The change went into effect on July 1, 2014. By July 1, 2014, the state raised the speed limit on all rural interstates in Utah to 80 mph except I-80 from the Wyoming border to Salt Lake City, on I-84 from its junction with I-80 to Ogden, Utah, Ogden and on twisty sections of Interstate 70 from its I-15 junction to the

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...

border (the speed limit on I-70 still varies between 60 mph and 80 mph depending on the topography of the section of freeway.). The speed limit on every other highway is 55 mph unless otherwise posted, although several two-lane, undivided roads have 65 mph speed limits, with divided sections of U.S. Route 40 and U.S. Route 189 posted at 65 mph as well. By the end of 2016, UDOT raised speed limits to 80 mph on additional sections of Interstate 15, I-15 and Interstate 70, I-70.

Vermont

The standard speed limit in Vermont stands at . This is applied to rural two-lane roads. On urban freeways, divided at-grade expressways, and rural Two-lane expressway, two-lane limited access roads, the speed limit is , such as on I-189 and Interstate 89 in Burlington, and US Route 7 and Vermont State Route 279 outside of Bennington. Rural freeways are posted at . Furthermore, the speed limit drops from 65 mph on rural highways to at the approach to the Canada–US border on Interstates 89 and 91, at Highgate and Derby Line, respectively. In school zones, the speed limit can range from to , depending on local authority. The minimum speed is defined at only on Interstate highways. That includes where the limit is posted at 55 and 65 mph. However, as old signs are being replaced, the "40 MINIMUM" is being phased out, keeping only "SPEED LIMIT 65".

Virginia

A Virginia statute provides that the default speed limit "shall be 55 mph on interstate highways or other limited access highways with divided roadways, nonlimited access highways having four or more lanes, and all state primary highways."Va. Code § 46.2-870, "Maximum speed limits generally"
Leg1.state.va.us. "The maximum speed limit on all other highways shall be 55 miles per hour if the vehicle is a passenger motor vehicle, bus, pickup or panel truck, or a motorcycle, but 45 mph on such highways if the vehicle is a truck, tractor truck, or combination of vehicles designed to transport property, or is a motor vehicle being used to tow a vehicle designed for self-propulsion, or a house trailer."''Id.''
Leg1.state.va.us. The same statute contains a number of exceptions, however, allowing higher speed limits "where indicated by lawfully placed signs, erected subsequent to a traffic engineering study and analysis of available and appropriate accident and law-enforcement data". This provision allows speed limits of up to on Interstate highways; multilane, divided, limited-access highways; and express or high-occupancy vehicle lanes if said lanes are physically separated from the regular travel lanes. (As of August 2015, Virginia has three such barrier-separated facilities: high-occupancy vehicle lanes on Interstate 64 in Virginia, I-64 in the Tidewater area; as well as Virginia HOT lanes, high-occupancy/toll "Express Lanes" on Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway), I-495 and Interstate 95 in Virginia, I-95, and HOT/HOV lanes on Interstate 395 (Virginia), I-395, all in Northern Virginia.) The statute also allows speed limits on a number of specified non-limited access, multilane, divided highways. The 70-mph provision was added to Section 46.2-870 via an amendment effective on July 1, 2010. The previous version of the statute had authorized a 70-mph speed limit only on Interstate 85 in Virginia, I-85; the maximum limit permitted elsewhere was 65 mph. Notably, the revised statute does not ''require'' a 70-mph speed limit on any road nor make such limit automatic, due to the requirement for traffic and engineering studies. The Virginia Department of Transportation began studying Interstate highways with 65-mph speed limits during April 2010 to determine which roads should receive the 70-mph limit and announced that the studies would be conducted in three phases over a period of several months, with the initial phase focusing on 323 miles of highway with "no significant levels of crashes and congestion". As of July 1, 2010, VDOT increased the speed limit to 70 mph on a portion of one highway (Interstate 295 (Virginia), I-295 south of Interstate 64 in Virginia, I-64). On October 20, 2010, Governor Bob McDonnell announced that by the end of 2010, VDOT would post 70-mph speed limits on 680 miles of Virginia Interstates located outside of urban areas, representing 61 percent of Virginia's total 1,119 miles of Interstate highways. While the statute allows for speed limits up to 70 mph on urban Interstates, as of March 2015 VDOT has declined to post a limit higher than 65 mph on any urban highway other than I-295 in Richmond. The statute also allows 70-mph speed limits on routes other than Interstates. Initially VDOT declined to consider any such routes for the higher limit, but in early 2012 VDOT posted a 70-mph limit on a portion of US-29 near Lynchburg, Virginia, Lynchburg. Other Virginia statutes prescribe exceptions to the general rules set forth above. The notable aspect of Virginia's current speed limit laws is that the Department of Transportation has no authority to raise speed limits above the statutory limits unless the General Assembly passes a statute permitting the change. Since the

National Maximum Speed Law The National Maximum Speed Limit (NMSL) was a provision of the federal government of the United States 1974 Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act that effectively prohibited speed limits higher than . It was drafted in response to oil price ...

was repealed in 1995, such statutory exceptions were largely confined to a highway-by-highway basis, as evidenced by the list of 60-mph exceptions in Va. Code § 46.2-870. Notably, Virginia's reckless driving statute provides that driving 20 mph over the speed limit, or in excess of regardless of the posted speed limit, is grounds for a reckless driving ticket. Thus, in a 70-mph zone traveling 16 mph (since July 2020) over the speed limit is prosecutable as a misdemeanor with penalties of up to a $2,500 fine and/or 1-year imprisonment. Virginia law does not prescribe a fixed minimum speed limit, although a statute does authorize the posting of such limits where traffic and engineering studies indicate that they would be appropriate. Virginia is the only state, along with the District of Columbia, that prohibits the use of radar detectors.

Wake Island

The speed limit on Wake Island is .

Washington

The Revised Code of Washington permits speed limits of in sections deemed appropriate by an engineering study. As of February 2016, the typical speed limit on a Washington (state), Washington freeway is rural, urban (the speed limits on these types of freeways only vary in the Tri-Cities, Washington, Tri Cities), with a truck speed limit no higher than 60 mph. The posted truck speed limit does not apply to any auto stage towing a trailer or trucks less than 10,000 pounds gross weight. Limits were raised to current speeds following the elimination of the federal 55 mph speed limit, to more closely reflect the common speeds of traffic at that time. There are a wide range of speed limits statewide, due to legislated flexibility for WSDOT in balancing the desire for transportation speed against safety considerations for any particular stretch of highway. The default speed limit on a rural 2-lane highway in Washington is ; however, the limit on undivided highways varies. In mountainous country like the Cascades and Olympic Mountains, certain twisty roads are limited to , whereas some flat, straight highways in eastern Washington have a limit of 65. The speed limit for motorhomes and autos with trailers is 60 mph, the same limit as trucks. Roads with traffic lights are limited to 55 mph. The school zone speed limit is but is in effect during certain hours or if children are present. Divided highways in Washington are rare, however, U.S. Route 395 between Pasco and Ritzville is a high-speed divided highway with a maximum speed limit of . Some areas within Washington State use variable speed limits such as on portions of Interstate 90 in Washington, I-90 between Seattle and Issaquah and over Snoqualmie Pass.

West Virginia

The speed limit on most rural Interstates is . Urban Interstate speed limits generally vary from to . Sections of Interstate 64 in West Virginia, I-64 and Interstate 68 in West Virginia, I-68 have lower truck speed limits because of steep grades; otherwise, West Virginia does not post separate truck speed limits. The West Virginia Turnpike between Chelyan and Mahan, and Interstate 77 in West Virginia, I-77 between Princeton and Bluefield has a 60 mph speed limit because of sharp curves. Speed limits on 4-lane divided highways are normally , although some stretches within cities are posted as low as . Open country highways have a Statute, statutory limit of 55 mph, which includes most rural two-lane highways and even includes some one lane back country roads or any road without a posted speed limit. Cities and towns set their own speed limits, which are usually between and . School zones have a Statute, statutory speed limit of . Speed limits are commonly reduced by 15 mph in work zones. In 2019 the West Virginia Legislature passed a resolution allowing WVDOT to raise speed limits on interstates to 75 mph based on safety and traffic studies.

Wisconsin

The state of Wisconsin's speed limits are set out in statutory law but may often be modified by the maintaining government entity. In addition to a basic speed rule, Wisconsin law specifies certain occasions where reduced speeds are required includingand not limited to the approaches and traverses of level crossing, rail crossings, winding roads, roads where people are present, and the crests of grades. Although there is no numeric minimum speed limit, state law prohibits the impediment of traffic by unreasonably slow speeds. Vehicles that lack rubber tires filled with compressed air and/or carry a Slow moving vehicle, slow moving vehicle orange safety triangle have a hard limit of . The state of Wisconsin has four default speed limits.Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 346 "Rules of the Road", Subchapter IX "Speed Restrictions" §57 subsection 4 (346.57)
(PDF). limits apply in

school zone A school zone refers to an area on a street near a school or near a crosswalk leading to a school that has a likely presence of younger pedestrians. School zones generally have a reduced speed limit during certain hours. Fines Fines for speedin ...

s (on major roads during school arrival and dismissal periods only), near parks with children, and in alleys. default speed limits apply, unless modified by the managing authority, on "service roads" within corporate limits. Within municipal boundaries and in areas of dense urban development a limit is in effect unless another speed limit is indicated. In some rural jurisdictions, such as townships, limit is the default speed limit for residential areas. The entry to such an area is to be marked by speed limit signs. Outside of built-up areas (these include denser business, industrial or residential land uses according to the relevant law) a limit is effective in the absence of other indications. While all 2 lane roads maintained by WisDOT as of 2015 have a maximum, a small portion of Minnesota State Highway 23 that passes through the state south of Superior, Wisconsin, Superior but is maintained by MNDOT has a limit through the state. Along with the aforementioned default speed limits, there are other statutory speed limits that more often require signs to be effective. limits on freeways and limits on Limited-access road, expressways require signs to be effective. The default speed limit on these types of roads is as they do not directly interact with the built-up environment. In the densest urban districts a statutory limit is effective when adequate signage is used, as are limits in areas of light development. The same applies to limits on highways designated as "rustic" roads. However, "an alleged failure to post [such a speed limit sign] is not a defense to a prosecution" in the case of such statutory limits.

Wyoming

Wyoming's highest speed limit is , found on its Interstate highways, and on its four-lane divided highways. The speed limit for school zones is , in urban districts and residential areas, 70 mph for other paved roads, and for unpaved roads. On Interstate 80 in Wyoming, I-80 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Cheyenne, Interstate 25 in Wyoming, I-25 in Cheyenne and Casper, Wyoming, Casper, and Interstate 90 in Wyoming, I-90 in Buffalo, Wyoming, Buffalo, the speed limit is . In February 2014, the state Assembly passed a bill that would raise the speed limit from on certain freeway segments that would meet safety standards. The bill passed the Senate on February 25 and raised the speed limit on certain freeway sections to 80 mph on July 1, 2014. However, an attempt to raise the speed limit to on two-lane highways such as Wyoming 120 and US 14 was turned down that same month, but this same provision became law in February 2015. On February 1, 2016, the speed limit on WY 120 (a two-lane highway) from the Chief Joseph Highway to the Montana border increased to 70 mph. Two other two-lane highway sections, WY 130 from Interstate 80 south to Saratoga and US 85 from east of I-25 to Newcastle, increased to 70 mph.

Notes

References

Law review

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Speed Limits In The United States Road transportation in the United States Speed limits by country, United States United States transportation law __FORCETOC__