• ♦Manual Notice 2015-1
• ►1. Introduction
  • ►1. Overview
    • ♦Purpose of Manual
    • ♦Users of Manual
    • ♦Responsibilities
  • ►2. Background
    • ♦Basic Speed Law
    • ♦Prima Facie Concept
    • ♦Authority to Set Speed Zones
    • ♦Higher Maximum Speed Limit
    • ♦Local Authority and TxDOT
    • ♦Value of Speed Zoning
    • ♦Guidelines for Selecting Speed Limits
  • ►3. Factors Affecting Safe Speed
    • ♦Introduction
    • ♦Design and Physical Factors of the Roadway
    • ♦The Vehicle
    • ♦The Driver
    • ♦Traffic
    • ♦Weather and Visibility
    • ♦Accident Reconstruction Speed Limits
• ►2. Regulatory and Advisory Speeds
  • ►1. Application of Regulatory and Advisory Speeds
    • ♦Introduction
    • ♦Regulatory Speeds
    • ♦Advisory Speeds
    • ♦Advisory Speed Sections in Regulatory Zones
    • ♦Regulatory Versus Advisory Speeds
  • ►2. Regulatory Speed Zones
    • ♦Introduction
    • ♦Within Incorporated Cities or Towns
    • ♦Highway Approaches to Incorporated Municipalities
    • ♦Minimum Speed Limits
    • ♦Regulatory Speed Signs (R2 Series)
    • ♦Signs Within Cities and Towns
  • ►3. Construction Regulatory and Advisory Speeds
    • ♦Introduction
    • ♦Advisory Construction Speeds
    • ♦Regulatory Construction Speed Zones
    • ♦Request for Regulatory Construction Speed Zones
    • ♦Advisory Speed Construction Warning Plates (CW13-1)
    • ♦Regulatory Construction Speed Limit Signs
    • ♦Covering or Removing Temporarily Unnecessary Reduced Speed Signs
    • ♦Signs Installed by the Contractor
  • ►4. School Speed Zones
    • ♦Introduction
    • ♦Planning
    • ♦Prompt Installation Important
    • ♦Signs
    • ♦Intervals of Operation
    • ♦More Information
  • ►5. Private Road Speed Zones
    • ♦Introduction
    • ♦Eligibility Requirements
    • ♦Process Initiation
    • ♦Procedure
• ►3. Speed Zone Studies
  • ►1. Overview
    • ♦Engineering and Traffic Investigation
    • ♦Interim Speed Limits for New or Reconstructed Highways
    • ♦Scope of Study
  • ►2. Determining the 85th Percentile Speed
    • ♦General Concepts
    • ♦Theory
    • ♦Statistical Rationale
    • ♦Speed Checks for Existing Highways
    • ♦Speed Checks for New or Reconstructed Highways
    • ♦Operation of Speed Check Stations
    • ♦Location of Speed Check Stations
    • ♦Measuring Speeds
    • ♦Recording Measured Speeds
    • ♦Calculating 85th Percentile Speed
    • ♦Recording the Information
    • ♦Incomplete Data
  • ►3. Developing Strip Maps
    • ♦Strip Map Blanks
    • ♦Scale for Strip Map
    • ♦Field Entry Data
    • ♦City Limits
    • ♦Schools
    • ♦Showing Crashes on Strip Maps
  • ►4. Speed Zone Design
    • ♦Zone Length
    • ♦Transitions
    • ♦Urban Areas
    • ♦Directional Differences
    • ♦Variation from 85th Percentile
    • ♦Blanket Lowering of Maximum Speed Limits
    • ♦Trial Runs
    • ♦Location of Regulatory Speed Limit Signs
  • ►5. Rechecks of Speed Zones
    • ♦Introduction
    • ♦Frequency of Rechecks
    • ♦Procedure
  • ►6. Environmental Speed Limits
    • ♦Introduction
    • ♦Existing Environmental Speed Limits
    • ♦New Environmental Speed Limits Prohibited
• ►4. Speed Zone Approval
  • ►1. Overview
    • ♦Introduction
    • ♦Regional Mobility Authorities and Regional Tollway Authorities
  • ►2. Approval Process
    • ♦Outside an Incorporated City
    • ♦Within an Incorporated City
    • ♦Adjacent Portions Within and Outside an Incorporated City
    • ♦Speed Zones Unacceptable to a City
    • ♦Filing of Strip Maps
    • ♦Transportation Commission Minute Order
• ►5. Application of Advisory Speeds
  • ►1. Overview
    • ♦Introduction
    • ♦Advisory Speed Sign Posting
  • ►2. Curves and Turns
    • ♦Introduction
    • ♦Objective
    • ♦Methods to Establish Curve Warning Advisory Speeds
    • ♦Direct Method
    • ♦GPS Method
    • ♦Design Method
    • ♦Ball-Bank Method
    • ♦Calculated Speed
    • ♦Selection of Car and Mounting of Bank Indicator
    • ♦Before Conducting Test Runs
    • ♦Calibrating Speedometer
    • ♦Zeroing the Bank Indicator
    • ♦Conducting Bank Indicator Test Runs
    • ♦Alternate Ball-Bank Indicator Test Run Method
    • ♦Selecting Speed for Posting
  • ►3. Intersections
    • ♦Introduction
    • ♦View Obstructions
  • ►4. Narrow and One-Lane Bridges
    • ♦Introduction
    • ♦Placement of Signs
  • ►5. Descending Grades of Six Percent or Greater
    • ♦Introduction
    • ♦Determining Minimum Sight Distances
    • ♦Calculation
    • ♦If a Curve is Involved
  • ►6. Dips, Bumps, and Exit Ramps
    • ♦Dips and Bumps
    • ♦Exit Ramps
• ►A. Forms
• ♦B. Glossary

Procedures for Establishing Speed Zones

August 2015

Copyright © 2015 by Texas Department of Transportation
All rights reserved.

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