46.2-870 - Maximum speed limits generally.

§ 46.2-870. Maximum speed limits generally.

Except as otherwise provided in this article, the maximum speed limit shallbe 55 miles per hour on interstate highways or other limited access highwayswith divided roadways, nonlimited access highways having four or more lanes,and all state primary highways.

The maximum speed limit on all other highways shall be 55 miles per hour ifthe vehicle is a passenger motor vehicle, bus, pickup or panel truck, or amotorcycle, but 45 miles per hour on such highways if the vehicle is a truck,tractor truck, or combination of vehicles designed to transport property, oris a motor vehicle being used to tow a vehicle designed for self-propulsion,or a house trailer.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, the maximum speedlimit shall be 70 miles per hour where indicated by lawfully placed signs,erected subsequent to a traffic engineering study and analysis of availableand appropriate accident and law-enforcement data, on: (i) interstatehighways, (ii) multilane, divided, limited access highways, and (iii)high-occupancy vehicle lanes if such lanes are physically separated fromregular travel lanes. The maximum speed limit shall be 60 miles per hourwhere indicated by lawfully placed signs, erected subsequent to a trafficengineering study and analysis of available and appropriate accident andlaw-enforcement data, on U.S. Route 29, U.S. Route 58, U.S. Route 360, U.S.Route 460, and on U.S. Route 17 between the town of Port Royal and Saludawhere they are nonlimited access, multilane, divided highways.

(Code 1950, § 46-212; 1950, p. 881; 1952, c. 666; 1954, c. 244; 1956, c. 364;1958, c. 541, §§ 46.1-193, 46.1-401; 1960, c. 153; 1962, c. 307; 1964, cc.118, 408; 1966, c. 85; 1968, c. 641; 1972, cc. 89, 546, 553, 608; 1974, c.528; 1975, c. 533; 1977, c. 577; 1978, c. 605; 1980, c. 347; 1986, c. 639;1988, cc. 662, 897; 1989, cc. 276, 526, 727; 1992, c. 598; 1994, c. 423;1996, c. 1; 1998, cc. 546, 560; 1999, c. 142; 2001, c. 298; 2002, c. 872;2003, c. 838; 2004, c. 696; 2005, cc. 266, 267, 268; 2006, c. 213; 2007, cc.222, 544; 2010, cc. 26, 56.)