Is the city cranking up the Spur 527 revenue stream?
As Spur 527 was slowly re-opened, the speed limits were set at 35 mph on the road. Back at the end of May, project engineer Quincy Allen told the Chronicle's Rad Sallee that speed limits would be raised in short order:
Lee Hudman and Ed Truitt wondered about the 35-mph speed limits posted on the new Spur 527. Hudman said they are too low, and Truitt said the bus he was riding in had to "undertake some quick lane-changing to avoid a rear-end collision" when a driver ahead apparently saw the speed sign and slowed down.
The 35-mph limit was just for the construction period and new signs should be posted this week, said Quincy Allen, TxDOT engineer on the project. The initial plan was to set a 45-mph limit where the spur lanes exit onto Brazos and Bagby and a 55-mph limit elsewhere, Allen said, but that will be lowered to 50 mph for safety.
As far as I can tell (and I take the Spur almost every day), all of the old 35 mph speed limit signs are still in place, over two months later.
That's relevant, because immediately upon exiting the Spur onto Louisiana a little after 4 pm today, I encountered an HPD officer with a radar gun. I was going well under 50 mph at that point, but was probably somewhat over 35 mph. He didn't seem concerned, but he motioned the next car over. I thought about going back to take some photos, and then decided to leave well enough alone.
I've emailed Rad Sallee, who is very good about getting answers to these sorts of questions, and asked him if he can find out what HPD considers the speed limit there: the posted 35 mph limit, or the 50+ mph limit that the Chronicle publicized. Obviously, it's a confusing situation. I'll post any information that Sallee passes along.
In the meantime, if you travel that stretch of road, be aware that HPD is now watching speeds.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/25/06 04:53 PM | Print |
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