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San Mateo Bridge (California) speed limit

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Timothy J. Lee

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Jun 9, 2003, 7:02:02 PM6/9/03
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The entire San Mateo Bridge (California) has a speed limit of 55mph.
However it seems that the newly expanded low-rise section, with wide
lanes, shoulders, and good sight lines, has fewer hazards than the high-
rise section, with narrow lanes, no shoulders for breakdown vehicles
to stop in, the curve restricting the sight line, and the hill top
restricting the sight line. So why is the speed limit the same on both
the low-rise section and the high-rise section?

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BeachBumInDa650

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Jun 9, 2003, 7:15:53 PM6/9/03
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<<<The entire San Mateo Bridge (California) has a speed limit of 55mph.
However it seems that the newly expanded low-rise section, with wide
lanes, shoulders, and good sight lines, has fewer hazards than the high-
rise section, with narrow lanes, no shoulders for breakdown vehicles
to stop in, the curve restricting the sight line, and the hill top
restricting the sight line. So why is the speed limit the same on both
the low-rise section and the high-rise section?>>>

WELL....

Before the reconstruction of the low-rise section, the entire bridge had a
speed limit of 55 M.P.H., including the high-rise section. The newly widened
low-rise section, while having breakdown shoulders, has narrower lanes than
those on the high-rise. Plus, the entire bridge is prone to wind gusts.
Drivers traveling at a high rate of speed could be thrown-off guard if a sudden
rush of wind were to slam at the sides of his/her car. You would think that
CalTrans would set the speed limit on the high rise section to 50 M.P.H., but
NOBODY travels at that low of a speed, except for truckers. CalTrans, in
general, seems to limit speeds on all bridges to 55 M.P.H. or less (but I
remember for a while that the Dumbarton Bridge, or Highway 84, had a speed
limit of 65 M.P.H. until late 2000 or early 2001.)

None the less, I travel at 65 - 75 M.P.H. on the San Mateo Bridge : - )

-Brent

Timothy J. Lee

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Jun 10, 2003, 2:18:15 PM6/10/03
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In article <20030609191553...@mb-m16.aol.com>,

BeachBumInDa650 <beachbu...@aol.com> wrote:
> You would think that
>CalTrans would set the speed limit on the high rise section to 50 M.P.H., but
>NOBODY travels at that low of a speed, except for truckers.

Regardless of the absolute level of the speed limits, wouldn't having
different speed limits for the low rise and high rise sections of the
bridge at least alert drivers to the different levels of risk (due to
lack of shoulders and restricted sight lines on the high rise section)?
E.g. 65 and 55, or 60 and 55, or 55 and 50, or whatever.

>CalTrans, in
>general, seems to limit speeds on all bridges to 55 M.P.H. or less (but I
>remember for a while that the Dumbarton Bridge, or Highway 84, had a speed
>limit of 65 M.P.H. until late 2000 or early 2001.)

The Bay Bridge has a 50mph speed limit. The Dumbarton Bridge was 55mph
during the 55mph maximum (except rural freeways) time; when the maximum
was changed to 65mph, the sign on the eastbound section that said "End
50 Speed Limit" was changed to "Speed Limit 55", but there were no speed
limit signs going westbound (leaving drivers to assume the default 65mph
speed limit). Months (years?) later, "Speed Limit 55" signs appeared
westbound.

Tony Lima

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Jun 13, 2003, 5:48:52 PM6/13/03
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On 09 Jun 2003 23:15:53 GMT, beachbu...@aol.com
(BeachBumInDa650) wrote:

> The newly widened
>low-rise section, while having breakdown shoulders, has narrower lanes than
>those on the high-rise.

Are you sure about this? I commute this bridge several
times a week. My impression is that the lanes on the flat
section are at least as wide as those on the high-rise.

But if you're driving 55 on this bridge most days, you
better stay in the far right lane. You'll watch traffic zip
by at speeds ranging from 65 to 80. - Tony
--
Tony Lima /"\ ASCII ribbon campaign
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NoCal

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Jun 13, 2003, 11:33:09 PM6/13/03
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are there any bridges that don't have road construction after 10pm?

Tony Lima

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Jun 14, 2003, 11:59:04 AM6/14/03
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On 14 Jun 2003 03:33:09 GMT, fa29...@aol.comUSA (NoCal )
wrote:

>are there any bridges that don't have road construction after 10pm?

No.

USA

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Jun 15, 2003, 1:04:19 PM6/15/03
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>Subject: San Mateo Bridge (California) speed limit
>From: remo...@sonic.net (Timothy J. Lee)
>Date: 6/9/03 4:02 PM Pacific Daylight Time
>Message-id: <bc33l9$fs9$1...@bolt.sonic.net>

>
>The entire San Mateo Bridge (California) has a speed limit of 55mph.
>However it seems that the newly expanded low-rise section, with wide
>lanes, shoulders, and good sight lines, has fewer hazards than the high-
>rise section, with narrow lanes, no shoulders for breakdown vehicles
>to stop in, the curve restricting the sight line, and the hill top
>restricting the sight line. So why is the speed limit the same on both
>the low-rise section and the high-rise section?
>

No one does the speed limit anyway. Well except out of staters who don't know
better.

John David Galt

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Jun 17, 2003, 8:58:08 PM6/17/03
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NoCal wrote:
> are there any bridges that don't have road construction after 10pm?

The Antioch bridge doesn't have any going on.

NoCal

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Jun 22, 2003, 10:12:27 AM6/22/03
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>Subject: Re: San Mateo Bridge (California) speed limit
>From: John David Galt j...@diogenes.sacramento.ca.us
>Date: 6/17/03 5:58 PM Pacific Daylight Time
>Message-id: <3EEFB920...@diogenes.sacramento.ca.us>

>
>NoCal wrote:
>> are there any bridges that don't have road construction after 10pm?
>
>The Antioch bridge doesn't have any going on.
>
>

Sorry, I meant in the immediate SFBA.

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