Why don’t speed limits match the speed roads were designed to handle?

While design speeds are set by engineers, speed limits are set by governments

As I understand it, roads are designed for certain speeds. So why isn’t the speed limit always the same as the design speed? How is the speed limit decided? – Dave, Edmonton

When roads are designed, engineers choose a maximum safe speed – the design speed ­– based on whether they’re designing a highway or quiet neighbourhood street, whether the terrain is level, hilly or mountainous, and whether the road is curved or straight. Still, the design speed isn’t meant to be the speed for everyday drivers, El-Basyouny said. “While the design speed does set a maximum safe speed under ideal conditions, it does not account for all possible factors, such as poor weather, heavy traffic or road surface conditions,” El-Basyouny said in an email. “The design speed usually includes a safety margin, meaning the road could accommodate slightly higher speeds in an emergency.

We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

globebusiness /  🏆 31. in CA

Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Shawn Mendes' fireside folk number, and 4 more songs you need to hear this weekShawn mendes' 'Why Why Why' is a song you need to hear this week.
Read more »

Why analysts are so often wrong in their economic estimates, and why that’s OKIn March, forecasters expected 25,000 new jobs in Canada. Instead, we lost 2,200
Read more »

Daughter Speaks Out After Brutal 4-Sentence Obituary For Her Mom Goes ViralChristina Novak also revealed why her mother's scathing obit was so short.
Read more »

Using some ingenuity with a flash, an AP photographer gets to the red, white and blue of a portraitWhy this photo?
Read more »

Receiverships, bankruptcies put more distressed properties on the market and the Home of the Week: Canadian real estate news for August 30Plus, why developers see the postsecondary student housing market as an opportunity
Read more »

Antisemitism Exhibit Scrapped at Seattle Museum After Employees Walked Out to Protest IsraelThe walkout proves why the museum needs to show the exhibit!
Read more »