- Jan 7, 2002
- 12,755
- 3
- 0
The Michigan State Police are spotting drivers 5 to 15 m.p.h. -- but only where they say it's OK. Everywhere else, it'll still cost you.
Studying speed
The method widely used by police nationwide to set limits, called the 85th percentile, aims to reduce those variations. Police measure speeds on a given road and set the top limit as close as possible to the speed at or below which 85% of traffic moves. The goal is to ensure a greater amount of speed-limit compliance by the largest possible number of drivers, creating safer traffic flow.
"Driving at a speed where drivers feel comfortable and safe is the ideal place to set a speed," said Spec. Lt. Gary Megge, who is in charge of the traffic crash reconstruction unit and supervises some of the traffic-control processes for the State Police.
State Police have stepped up efforts to make sure speeds on major roads and expressways are reasonable. The result: In the last few months, two sections of metro Detroit freeways have had speed limits raised:
# About 1 1/2 miles of the I-75/Telegraph connector in Taylor, going from 55 to 65 m.p.h.
# About 7 miles of M-5 in the Novi and Farmington Hills area. It goes from 65 to 70 m.p.h. between I-96 and Grand River, and from 50 to 55 m.p.h. from 13 Mile north.
In Flint, I-69 near downtown and the interchange with I-75 was raised from 55 to 70 m.p.h. in August. Meanwhile, the 15-mile freeway portion of M-59 between Pontiac and Utica is being studied and could have its speed limit raised from 65 to 70 m.p.h. perhaps early next year.
I-696 and other freeways in metro Detroit with speed limits lower than 70 m.p.h. could undergo similar changes when a new round of traffic studies begins in the spring. Under particular consideration are stretches of I-75 and I-94 now set at 55 or 65 m.p.h., and I-696, which primarily is a 65 m.p.h. freeway.
The method that State Police, in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Transportation, are using to set rates takes into account actual, measured speeds on roadways to determine the speed at which most drivers feel safe and comfortable behind the wheel.
Lower speeds aren't always safe
State Police said the changes are necessary because many stretches of freeways and major roads have what police call unrealistically low speed limits.
"Common sense tells you slower is safer, but when you look at traffic safety and traffic flow, that's not always the case," said 1st Lt. Thad Peterson, commander of the State Police traffic services section in East Lansing, which serves as an information clearinghouse and resource center for police agencies statewide.
Although many traffic experts equate higher speed limits with more crashes and fatalities, studies -- including a new University of Michigan analysis of statewide crash data released Wednesday -- have found that crashes and deaths on Michigan's roads continued a long-term decline in 2004.
There were 1,055 fatal crashes in 2004, a drop of 117 from the year before and down 24% since 1995, according to researcher Lidia Kostyniuk of U-M's Transportation Research Institute. At the same time, the overall number of police-reported crashes statewide was down nearly 5%, from more than 391,000 in 2003 to 373,000 last year. Kostyniuk attributes the drop to increased use of seat belts and more awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving.
Peterson said State Police and road agencies frequently see local opposition from residents and others concerned that higher speeds are dangerous. But he said their fears are based on misconceptions. For one, lowering a speed limit -- especially to a level drivers feel is unrealistic -- does not ensure slower traffic.
"It's counterintuitive to think that raising the speed limit on a stressful road wouldn't make matters worse," Peterson said. Part of the resistance is residual concern spawned by the campaign in the 1970s oil crisis to reduce demand for gasoline with the national 55 m.p.h. speed limit and related government pronouncements that speed kills, Peterson said.
Police said what's more dangerous are the wide variations of speeds on roads where speed limits aren't set realistically, because those variations encourage tailgating, lane changing and other risky situations on the roads.
Studying speed
The method widely used by police nationwide to set limits, called the 85th percentile, aims to reduce those variations. Police measure speeds on a given road and set the top limit as close as possible to the speed at or below which 85% of traffic moves. The goal is to ensure a greater amount of speed-limit compliance by the largest possible number of drivers, creating safer traffic flow.
"Driving at a speed where drivers feel comfortable and safe is the ideal place to set a speed," said Spec. Lt. Gary Megge, who is in charge of the traffic crash reconstruction unit and supervises some of the traffic-control processes for the State Police.
State Police have stepped up efforts to make sure speeds on major roads and expressways are reasonable. The result: In the last few months, two sections of metro Detroit freeways have had speed limits raised:
# About 1 1/2 miles of the I-75/Telegraph connector in Taylor, going from 55 to 65 m.p.h.
# About 7 miles of M-5 in the Novi and Farmington Hills area. It goes from 65 to 70 m.p.h. between I-96 and Grand River, and from 50 to 55 m.p.h. from 13 Mile north.
In Flint, I-69 near downtown and the interchange with I-75 was raised from 55 to 70 m.p.h. in August. Meanwhile, the 15-mile freeway portion of M-59 between Pontiac and Utica is being studied and could have its speed limit raised from 65 to 70 m.p.h. perhaps early next year.
I-696 and other freeways in metro Detroit with speed limits lower than 70 m.p.h. could undergo similar changes when a new round of traffic studies begins in the spring. Under particular consideration are stretches of I-75 and I-94 now set at 55 or 65 m.p.h., and I-696, which primarily is a 65 m.p.h. freeway.
The method that State Police, in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Transportation, are using to set rates takes into account actual, measured speeds on roadways to determine the speed at which most drivers feel safe and comfortable behind the wheel.
Lower speeds aren't always safe
State Police said the changes are necessary because many stretches of freeways and major roads have what police call unrealistically low speed limits.
"Common sense tells you slower is safer, but when you look at traffic safety and traffic flow, that's not always the case," said 1st Lt. Thad Peterson, commander of the State Police traffic services section in East Lansing, which serves as an information clearinghouse and resource center for police agencies statewide.
Although many traffic experts equate higher speed limits with more crashes and fatalities, studies -- including a new University of Michigan analysis of statewide crash data released Wednesday -- have found that crashes and deaths on Michigan's roads continued a long-term decline in 2004.
There were 1,055 fatal crashes in 2004, a drop of 117 from the year before and down 24% since 1995, according to researcher Lidia Kostyniuk of U-M's Transportation Research Institute. At the same time, the overall number of police-reported crashes statewide was down nearly 5%, from more than 391,000 in 2003 to 373,000 last year. Kostyniuk attributes the drop to increased use of seat belts and more awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving.
Peterson said State Police and road agencies frequently see local opposition from residents and others concerned that higher speeds are dangerous. But he said their fears are based on misconceptions. For one, lowering a speed limit -- especially to a level drivers feel is unrealistic -- does not ensure slower traffic.
"It's counterintuitive to think that raising the speed limit on a stressful road wouldn't make matters worse," Peterson said. Part of the resistance is residual concern spawned by the campaign in the 1970s oil crisis to reduce demand for gasoline with the national 55 m.p.h. speed limit and related government pronouncements that speed kills, Peterson said.
Police said what's more dangerous are the wide variations of speeds on roads where speed limits aren't set realistically, because those variations encourage tailgating, lane changing and other risky situations on the roads.
Facebook
Twitter