Typically, TxDOT conducts the necessary speed studies and advises the city on appropriate speed limit zoning, even for zones set by city ordinance. Cities with their own traffic engineering staff may also conduct speed studies on state-maintained highways and propose speed zoning changes. However, this process requires TxDOT to review and approve the city's recommendations. Within incorporated cities or towns, the Texas Transportation Commission has the power to adjust speed limits on highways within city limits or override speed limits established by city ordinances for those highways. TxDOT is responsible for conducting studies and providing recommendations to the city, which can then adopt the suggested speed zones through a city ordinance. Key Takeaways: This procedure—which is not required for city-owned streets—requires data collection and case-by-case analysis. It is based on 85 th percentile operating speed, which may result in higher speed limits than other methods. Texas Transportation Code Section 545 Texas Transportation Code Section 545.352 sets prima facie speed limits based on the roadway context, unless a special hazard exists that requires a lower speed limit. The standard prima facie speed limits are:
• 30 miles per hour in an urban district on a street other than an alley
15 miles per hour in an alley
•
• 70 miles per hour on a highway numbered by the state or the United States outside an urban district, including farm-to-market or ranch-to-market roads • 60 miles per hour on a highway outside an urban district that is not numbered by the state or the United States • 60 miles per hour for school buses that have passed a commercial motor vehicle inspection and are on a highway numbered by the state or the United States, including farm-to-market roads • 50 miles per hour for school buses that have not passed a commercial motor vehicle inspection or are traveling on a highway not numbered by the state or the United States
15 miles per hour on a beach
•
• 15 miles per hour on a county road adjacent to a public beach, if declared by the commissioners court of the county
4
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online