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Several factors are considered within engineering studies when determining the posted speed limit, including the 85th percentile speed, which is based on the driving behavior of most drivers (85 percent). The 85th percentile speed is believed to represent a safe speed that would minimize crashes.

The TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program's NCHRP Research Report 966: Posted Speed Limit Setting Procedure and Tool: User Guide provides and explains a speed limit setting procedure (SLS-Procedure) that considers factors beyond the 85th percentile speed, including both driver speed choice and safety associated with the roadway. This report also provides instructions for using an automated version of the SLS-Procedure via a spreadsheet-based Speed Limit Setting Tool (SLS-Tool). Two versions of the SLS-Tool are available:

• N17-76 SLS-Tool (with macros) and

• N17-76 SLS-Tool (without macros).

The “without macros” version is made available for users who are not able to use macro codes on their computers. Please see the User Guide for more detailed information on using both versions of the SLS-Tool.

The report is also accompanied by NCHRP Web-Only Document 291: Development of a Posted Speed Limit Setting Procedure and Tool, which documents the research efforts of NCHRP Project 17-76 - Guidance for the Setting of Speed Limits and a Presentation that offers an overview of the project.

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Suggested Citation

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Posted Speed Limit Setting Procedure and Tool: User Guide. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/26216.

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Publication Info

68 pages |  8.5 x 11 |  DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/26216
Chapters skim
Front Matter i-x
Summary 1-2
Section 1 - Introduction 3-4
Section 2 - Speed Limit Relationships and Practices 5-9
Section 3 - Procedure to Calculate the Suggested Speed Limit 10-10
Section 4 - Decision-Making Steps Within the Suggested Speed Limit Procedure 11-20
Section 5 - Variables for Decision-Making Procedure 21-32
Section 6 - Speed Limit Setting Tool 33-37
Section 7 - SLS-Tool Case Study Examples 38-43
Section 8 - Other Considerations When Setting Posted Speed Limits 44-50
Section 9 - Related Reference Materials 51-54
Acronyms and Abbreviations 55-55
References 56-60

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