I sent the following to the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) of the Arizona Department of Transportation (AZDOT):
Hi. I have a few questions:
I looked through this to try to figure out why a speed limit sign might be yellow. I could not find the answer there. Can you tell me why a speed limit sign might be yellow?
Is there a name for a road that connects two freeways ( e.g., the 101 and 202)?
I live near Power and the 202 North. When I drive home on the 202 North, the speed limit eventually decreases from 65 to 55 and then to 45 [there is a white 45 mph sign and then a yellow 45 mph sign (at the start of an underpass)]. As far as I can tell, I am the only driver who decreases my speed on this stretch of road. I am often at a loss to figure out why speed limits are set as they are and this is an especially puzzling instance of seemingly arbitrary speed limit posting. Do you know why the speed limit decreases? I often feel that I’m in danger of getting pushed off the road by drivers that continue to go nearly 75 mph. I often wonder if I should go a bit faster to prevent my becoming the victim of road rage. Do you have any thoughts on any of this?
Thank you,
CliftonP.S. If I did not send this to the proper department, could you please direct me to the proper department?
P.P.S. Attached, you should find a photograph of me as I look while driving.
A person at the MVD of the AZDOT sent the following to me and a person named Larry Ellis:
Larry, do you think this speed limit sign is yellow because is it actually dangerous to reduce one’s speed to the posted speed if you are the only does who does so or ??? Thank you. drp
PS – Check out the photo. Clifton is a very handsome fella!
Larry Ellis followed up with the following:
No, I don’t think so. My take after talking with a few people is that—since there is no change in speed from the white one to the yellow one—is that it is a cautionary warning to drivers to go cautiously (in this case through the underpass) at the posted speed.
Traffic Engineering send out people who drive the roads and then compare their results to design specs to determine appropriate speeds.
One man’s opinion—-