What types of speed limits are on Prima Facie Speed Limits SPEED LIMITS county roads? Prima facie is Latin for “on the face of it” and is the There are four types of speed limits on roadways speed limit under most conditions. Prima facie 25- under the jurisdiction of the Livingston County Road mph limits are intended for residential and business Commission (LCRC). districts and are established by the legislature. These limits apply throughout the state and are not ♦ Statutory (55 mph) Maximum Speed Limits required to be posted. ♦ Absolute (30 mph to 50 mph) Speed Limits The Livingston County Road Commission will only ♦ Prima Facie (25 mph) Speed Limits consider posting prima facie speed limits on the ♦ School Zone Speed Limits following streets and roads.
Local Subdivision Street - A county street, not Statutory Maximum Speed Limits intended to serve through traffic, located The statutory maximum limit on a county road is 55 entirely within the limits of a subdivision plat or mph. Statutory maximum limits will only be posted site condominium. This type of street on paved county roads where a zone changes from automatically qualifies for consideration of a a prima facie limit or absolute limit to a statutory posted 25-mph limit. However, speed limit maximum limit. signs will generally be posted only at each entrance to the subdivision or site condominium. Absolute Speed Limits Absolute speed limits are often referred to as Local Dead End Street – A county street that modified speed limits and are utilized on roadways does not serve through traffic and is less than requiring speed limits between the 25-mph prima one-half mile in length. facie and the statutory 55-mph maximum limits. Local Access Road - A county local road Absolute speed limits on a county road are intended to serve limited through traffic. established only by a joint administrative action Portions of local access roads may be within between the Livingston County Road Commission subdivision plats or site condominiums. and the Michigan State Police, based on a traffic Consideration of posting 25-mph prima facie engineering study. If you would like more limits will only be given toward sections of information about the factors considered in this paved roads that are at least one-half mile in study, please ask us for the booklet Establishing length and gravel roads at least one-quarter mile in length if the following criteria are met: Realistic Speed Limits. The Livingston County Road Commission will only Qualifying Criteria:
consider requests to determine the need for an 9 A written request is received from the local absolute speed limit on a roadway if all of the unit of government or appropriate law following criteria are met. enforcement agency, and Qualifying Criteria: 9 The roadway is located entirely within the limits of a subdivision plat or site Policies and procedures for setting and 9 A written request is received from the local unit condominium, or the density of residential of government or appropriate law enforcement dwellings adjacent to the roadway equals agency, and posting speed limits on county roadways in or exceeds 16 in one-quarter mile, or the 9 The roadway must be classified as a local physical features of the roadway road, collector road, or arterial highway, Livingston County, Michigan (curvature, width, surface, etc.) do not, intended to serve through traffic, and under ideal conditions, allow for speeds 9 The roadway is paved, and much higher than 25 mph. 9 The roadway is at least one-half mile in length.
School Zone Speed Limits Speed Limits – Myths and
School zone speed limits are intended for the protection of students (eighth grade or below) Realities walking to and from school. The need for such zones are determined from a study involving the Myth #1: Speed limits significantly effect traffic
LCRC, the Michigan State Police and the speeds. appropriate school district. If you would like Reality: Traffic speeds do not significantly change additional information on the factors considered in following the posting of new or revised speed limits. this study, please ask us for a copy of School Most drivers travel at speeds that they consider
Zone Speed Limits safe, regardless of the speed limit.
The Livingston County Road Commission will receive requests for school speed zone studies Myth #2: Most drivers travel too fast for road conditions. only from the school district’s Superintendent. If established, school zone speed limits are only in Reality: The majority of drivers travel at Offices: 3535 Grand Oaks Drive Howell, Michigan 48843 effect for 30-minute periods when children are prudent speeds and are capable of walking to and from school. The limit that may be Phone: (517) 546-4250 posted varies depending on roadway factors, but is recognizing driving conditions that require Fax: (517) 546-9628 never less than 25 mph. greater driving caution. E-mail: [email protected] Myth #3: Lower speed limits result in safer Web site: www.livingstonroads.org What is the policy on gravel roads? roads. (Coming soon) The Livingston County Road Commission will only consider posting a speed limit on a gravel road if it Reality: The more uniform the speeds of meets the criteria specified for Prima Facie Speed vehicles in a traffic stream, the less chance Limits. Gravel roads are not considered for there is for conflict and crashes. Speed limits LCRC Facts absolute speed limits due to the continuously that reflect the normal actions of the changing conditions of these roadways, which reasonable majority, therefore, usually provide The Livingston County Road Commission results in continuously changing speed patterns. the most uniform speeds. In fact, (LCRC) maintains and provides the following However, any gravel road that is upgraded to a unrealistically low speed limits may actually as part of the county road system: paved road is subject to consideration of an lead to crashes by producing two distinct absolute speed limit, including those previously groups of drivers – those attempting to ♦ Maintains 1,300 total miles of roadway posted with a prima facie limit. observe the speed limit and those driving at ♦ Maintains nearly 700 miles of gravel roads Motorists on Michigan roads, including unposted what they feel is reasonable and prudent. gravel roads, are required to drive in a manner ♦ Accepts approximately 10 miles of new consistent with statutory laws including the Basic These differences in speeds may result in roads into the county road system each Speed Law. The Basic Speed Law, as set forth in increased crashes due to tailgating, improper year passing, reckless driving and weaving from the Michigan Vehicle Code, reads: ♦ Maintains more than 13,500 traffic signs lane to lane. “A person driving a vehicle on a highway shall ♦ Issues approximately 1,000 residential drive at a careful and prudent speed not greater Myth #4: Lower speed limits allow for effective driveway approach permits each year than nor less than is reasonable and proper, enforcement. Also, the Livingston County Road Commission: having due regard to the traffic, surface, and width of the highway and any other condition Reality: Unrealistically low speed limits ♦ Is funded directly by state gas tax and vehicle then existing. A person shall not drive a vehicle cannot be enforced with reasonable registration fees – not by property taxes upon a highway at a speed greater than that ♦ Is located in a state with a gas tax below the enforcement. In addition, they make the national average and ranks in the bottom nine which will permit a stop within the assured, clear behavior of the majority unlawful and create distance ahead.” [MCL 257.627] states in per capita road funding public antagonism toward the police. ♦ Receives no direct revenue from growth and However, realistic speed limits (i.e., those that development reflect the normal actions of the reasonable ♦ Is not part of the Livingston County general majority) allow police to target their government enforcement efforts to those drivers clearly out of line with the normal flow of traffic.