The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) is pleased to present this 2024 City Speed Limit Evaluation Report to the Legislature. As required by 2024 Laws of Minnesota, Chapter 104, Article 1, Section 106, the report summarizes a 2024 evaluation project to help determine the impact of 2019 legislation that allowed cities who met certain criteria to change speed limits within their jurisdiction without a MnDOT speed study or MnDOT approval.
Transportation safety remains both a challenge and a high priority for the state. Speeding is a significant contributing factor to fatalities and serious injury crashes, and transportation officials at all levels of government continue to look for strategies that help reduce crash numbers. This report helps identify the cities that implemented speed limit changes since 2019 and presents the results of a before-and-after comparison of speeds and crashes in cities that were included in the study. Summaries of other local, national, and international studies offer additional perspective.
This report presents the results of a review of long held contentions regarding driver choice of speed and reaction to speed limits. Areas of concern that were studied included influence of the roadway environment, reaction to school speed zones and reaction to warning flashers. Results of the review show that drivers do vary their speed under differing conditions, they do not react as desired to lowered speed limits or to passive signing. They do lower speeds when they see a warning flasher in conjunction with limit signs, but not as much as is requested. There was evidence too that in some zones a lower limit may result In a more hazardous situation.
This report is an analysis of the changes implemented within Minnesota Statutes, Section 171.12, Subdivision 61.
The report is required by the language in 2012 Laws of Minnesota, Chapter 287, Article 4, Section 492.
Section 49. Legislative Report On Speed Violations On Driving Record.
By January 15, 2015, the commissioners of transportation and public safety shall jointly submit a report on recording speed limit violations on a person's driver record to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over transportation policy and finance. The report must include analysis based on empirical data of impacts on public safety, frequency of speeding, crash rates, travel time efficiency, travel time reliability, and data privacy that are directly or reasonably attributable to the change to Minnesota Statutes, section 171.12, subdivision 6, made by this act.
At the direction of the Commissioners of the Departments of Public Safety and Transportation, a task force has studied the ramifications of raising the maximum speed limits on Minnesota highways as well as related safety issues. Based on the research conducted and the testimony taken, the task force has made several recommendations to the commissioners. These recommendations are summarized in the following paragraphs.
Maximum speed limits should be increased to 70 mph on rural Interstate freeways, 65 mph on urban freeways and 65 mph on multilane divided highways. The speed limit on rural two-lane, two-way highways should remain at 55 mph. The Dimler Amendment should be repealed.
Safety recommendations include amending the seat belt law to make it a primary offense, continuing the Commissioner of Transportation's authority to raise or lower speed limits where appropriate, investigating the mandatory use of headlights during the daytime, an annual report to the legislature on the impacts of changed maximum speed limits (if implemented), enhancing traffic safety education, and researching the merits of implementing graduated drivers licensing.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) raised speed limits on selected highways in September of 2005. In conjunction with increased speed limits was an increased presence of enforcement. The overall objective of this market research project was to conduct a pre and post evaluation of drivers' reactions to these increases. The initial phase of this two-phase approach was conducted to establish a benchmark of selected measures. The second phase was conducted in August of 2006 after it was determined that the speed limits had been increased and driving conditions had stabilized.
The increased speed and increased enforcement affects segments of 14 different roads throughout the state. There are 10 corridors that have an increased speed limit of 5 miles per hour (from 55 miles per hour to 60 miles per hour). They are referred to in this report as "Speed corridors." There are 30 corridors that have an increased enforcement presence and are referred to as "Enforcement corridors." In some cases a test corridor may be both Speed and Enforcement.
The study demonstrated once again that arbitrarily low speed limits, cannot be effectively enforced. Average speeds through the study area stayed essentially the same with or without increased radar enforcement and were not affected by raising the speed limit 5 mph from a value 10 mph below the 85th percentile to a value 5 mph below the 85th percentile.
The present posting of 45 mph speed limits equates with the average speeds. Essentially 50% of the traffic is yet violating the posted speed. Consistent with established principals of speed zoning, the correct speed limit for this area is 50 mph. Accordingly the study recommendation is that the speed limit be raised to 50 mph and additional speed checks be made to measure the effect
if any.
The purpose of this document is to provide a uniform guideline for the proper application of speed limits in street and highway work zones. This booklet outlines the guidelines, proper layouts and procedures for implementing work zone speed limits primarily for use by Mn/DOT personnel. Although it is usually desirable to provide all traffic controls as shown in the layouts, situations arise where this becomes impractical. Engineering judgment may dictate modifications to the typical layouts. When modifications are made, factors such as traffic volume, speed, sight distance, type of work, etc. must be considered.
Safety in street and highway work zones is an area of emphasis for Mn/DOT (Minnesota Department of Transportation). Therefore, many improvements in work zone safety are being implemented. One of these improvements is the increased use of speed limits and speed limit enforcement to reduce vehicle speeds through street and highway work zones. Proper and uniform application of these speed limits should improve the safety of the highway worker and the travelling public.
Safety through street and highway work zones is an emphasis area for Mn/DOT (Minnesota Department of Transportation). Therefore, many improvements in work zone safety are being implemented. One of these improvements is the increased use of speed limits and speed limit enforcement to reduce vehicle speeds through street and highway work zones. Proper uniform application of these speed limits should improve the safety of the highway worker and the travelling public.
