In the January 28th LN&C, I proposed discounts on the Illinois Tollway for those who both use I-PASS and travel between toll plazas at or below the speed limit. In my February 18th LN&C, I said that the Tollway Authority Board loved the idea. I also proposed that speed limits should be increased to more realistic but still safe levels. Now, I've come up with a realistic way to get that accomplished: electronic speed limit signs.
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The reason posted speed limits are unrealistically low is that one posted limit needs to cover all kinds of driving conditions, from varying weather to varying traffic density. Since it is not practical to change the limit on numerous fixed metal signs several times each day, one limit is selected to cover all conditions.
With modern electronics, that can and should change.
There are several tollways in the Chicagoland area. On the Tri-State Tollway (Interstate 294 in Cook County, I-94 in Lake County), most traffic usually travels at 70 to 75 mph in Cook County and 75 to 80 mph in Lake County. On the Northwest Tollway (I-90), most traffic travels between 70 and 80 in northwestern Cook County (between Woodfield and Elgin) and between 80 and 85 in Kane and McHenry Counties. On the North-South Tollway (I-355) in DuPage County, most traffic travels quite safely at between 70 and 75.
The 55 mph signs on those roads (65 mph west of Elgin) are simply ignored, since they are so unrealistically low. Many motorists go even faster because they feel that, as long as they are going to ignore the signs, anyway, they might as well go however fast they want to. It is these high rollers who are the real danger on the highway, not the other motorists who, like me, are all going at about the same, safe speed, even though that safe speed exceeds the posted limit.
Limited use of electronic signs on the open road would give speed limits flexibility. When conditions are good, the weather is clear and the road isn't jammed with traffic, the limit could be upped to a maximum speed that is higher than 55 but at which it is deemed safe to travel during good conditions. When conditions deteriorate, such as rain, snow, fog, highway construction, extra-heavy traffic, an accident or even at night on unlit highways, the posted limit could be electronically and instantly reduced. As a back-up safety measure, a fixed metal sign could be adjacent to each electronic sign. The metal sign could say something like: "You Are Required To Drive Slower When Safety Makes It Necessary." That may seem like a long sign, but since such a fixed sign would be repeated at each electronic sign, there would be ample opportunity to read the whole message within a few miles of travel. Public education would also get that message out.
Certain areas would retain fixed, metal signs. Areas such as approaching toll plazas or approaching some major interchanges always require reduced speeds.
The Illinois State Police constantly patrols the Tollways. They could be authorized to lower the speed limits in electronic sign areas when safety requires it. The controls for changing the speed limits could be right in the state police area headquarters, perhaps in the dispatcher's station. Then, when highway conditions return to normal, they could send a signal to return the speed limits to the higher safe levels, whether that level be 65, 70 or 75.
These signs would make the Tollways more convenient and safer, too. The Tollways would become more convenient because motorists who currently drive safely at speeds over 55 could become legal, since there would be the ability to electronically post higher speeds as the legal limit during those times when the higher speed is safe.
The Tollways would also become safer, in three ways. First, it would cause many high rollers to slow down. They would slow down because they would could still drive faster than 55, but they would have a more reasonable, higher limit at which they could remain legal. Second, highway construction or maintenance crews could arrange to have the posted speed reduced on what would be the regular electronic signs. Motorists may be more likely to see and slow down for regular signs than for small, make-shift signs that are used on a temporary basis during highway construction or maintenance such as roadway cleaning, pothole patching or street light bulb changing. Third, the posted legal limit could immediately be reduced to 45, 35 or even less during hazardous weather. Don't you hate it when there's an ice storm, blizzard or severe thunderstorm and some idiot flies by at 55 because some sign says it's OK?
I will propose at the March, 2001, meeting of the Illinois Tollway Board that the Tollway install electronic speed limit signs.
If Rob Sherman speed limit signs work on the Illinois Tollway, their use could be expanded nationwide and around the world.
I'll let you know, next month after the meeting, what the Tollway Board thinks of my latest idea.
Rob Sherman P. O. Box
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A post office box is used
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Telephone: (847) 870-0700
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