The NY Times recently reported that the State Transportation Commission (STC) in Texas approved raising the speed limit along a stretch of State Highway 130 (between Austin and San Antonio) to 85 mph. The STC justified its decision by explaining that the roadway is designed and tested for high-speed travel.
The only other state with a speed limit close to 85 mph is Utah’s 80 mph on stretches of I-15.
In contrast, New York City’s maximum speed limit is 50 mph (not 55 mph as many motorists assume). On a bridge, it is usually 40 mph and in tunnels 25 mph. If no speed limit sign is posted (other than on a highway), then the speed limit on a city street is 30 mph.
Below are areas of strict speed enforcement in New York City. Police in New York City use radar, laser, pacing techniques and/or visual estimates in determining whether to stop a motorist for speeding.
Manhattan
* Outside the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, heading toward the FDR Drive underpass.
* Riverside Drive at 135th Street side (the posted speed limit is only 30 mph).
* FDR Drive: The police wait just south of the Brooklyn Bridge on the southbound side.
* First Avenue Tunnel/Underpass from 41st Street to 49th Street: At the end of the tunnel, police with laser and radar guns in hand enforcing the 30 mile per hour limit.
* FDR Service Road at 23rd Street: Northbound on the service road just before 23rd Street, the police actively conduct speed enforcement of the 40 mile per hour limit.
* FDR North between the Battery Park Underpass and the Brooklyn Bridge, police watch for motorists exceeding the 40 mile per hour speed limit.
* FDR Drive North of 96th Street.
* West Side Highway, North of the Lincoln Tunnel.
* Henry Hudson Parkway (50 mph speed limit drops to 35 mph)
Bronx
* New England Thruway in Baychester, where it intersects with the Hutchinson River Parkway.
* Throgs Neck Bridge Expressway
* Hutchinson River Parkway in North Pelham, near the Westchester border (either direction).
* Major Deegan Highway near the George Washington Bridge (either direction)
Brooklyn
* Belt Parkway in Bay Ridge, westbound between 92nd and 65th streets.
* Fountain Avenue in East New York (where drag racers attract cops.)
* Southern end of Flatbush Avenue, from Avenue U to the Marine Parkway Bridge.
* Prospect Expressway and northern end of Ocean Parkway where it intersects Church Avenue.
* Neptune Avenue westbound between West 12th Street and Stillwell Avenue.
* Laurel Hill Blvd between 48th and 58th street. Police sit in the cemetary with a radar gun.
Queens
* Grand Central Parkway, between the Long Island Expressway and Little Neck Parkway.
* Long Island Expressway just past Little Neck Parkway (Westbound)
* Rockaway Boulevard near 150th Street, North of JFK Airport (known drag racing area).
* Francis Lewis Boulevard (known drag racing area)
* Clearview Expressway (anywhere, anytime)
* Jackie Robinson Parkway (anywhere)
* Triboro Bridge: On the Queens-bound side, police sit around the curve and at the very end of the bridge waiting for vehicles exceeding the 40 mph limit.
* 164th Street and Underhill Avenue in Fresh Meadows catching Northbound motorists coming out of the bend
* Whitestone Expressway Service Road (southbound) between 20th Ave. and Linden Place
* Westbound North Conduit Avenue, 3/10 of a mile west of Brookville Blvd (East of 225th Street)
Staten Island
* Hyland Boulevard in Tottenville.
* Entire length of the Staten Island Expressway.
* Stretches of Victory Boulevard.