After an engineering study has been made in accordance with established traffic engineering practices, a Speed Limit sign shall display the limit established by law, ordinance, regulation, or as adopted by the authorized angency. The speed limits shown shall be in multiples of 5 MPH.
Support
Speed limit signs inform motorists of speed restrictions established by law or regulation. There are three types of speed limits:
Linear Speed Limit-A linear speed limit is one which applies along a particular highway, or along a portion of particular highway.
Area Speed Limit-An area speed limit is one which applies to all highways within a specified area, except those specifically excluded. The area may be an entire municipality, or only a portion thereof. The defined area may also be the grounds of a school, hospital, or other institution.
Statewide Speed Limit-The statewide speed limit is established by the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law, and is applicable on all highways were other speed limits have not been established.
Standard
The R2-1 sign shall be used for posting linear speed limits.
Except as noted elsewhere in this subsection, the NYR2-2 sign shall be used for posting the statewide speed limit.
The NYR2-3 sign shall be used for posting an area speed limit which involves only a portion of a municipality.
The NYR2-4, NYR2-5, and NYR2-6 signs shall be used for posting area speed limits which are essentially city-wide, village-wide, and town-wide, respectively. These signs should be used even where there are specific highways or small areas (for example, a village within a town) where different speed limits apply.
Where a linear speed limit within an area speed limit has the same numerical value as the area speed limit (a situation which can exist because of legal requirements), the appropriate area speed limit sign (NYR2-3 through NYR2-6) shall be substituted for the R2-1 sign in posting the linear limit.
Guidance
Where United States or New York numbered touring routes are on highways subject to area speed limits, such highways should be posted on a lienar basis with the appropriate area speed limit sign (NYR2-3 through NYR2-6). However, these signs may be omitted within heavily developed urban areas (for example, the central business district of a city).
Option
R2-1 signs may be used instead of NYR2-2 signs to post the statewide speed limit on a section of highway in a work zone where a speed limit in excess of the statewide limit has been temporarily reduced to the statewide limit.
The word "AREA" in the NYR2-3 sign may be replaced by other generic legend (for example, "CAMPUS", "PLAZA, "MALL", "PARK", etc.) where it would more clearly and appropriately identify a physically defined area.
