Home › Forums › Open Discussion › Admiral Way Hill: Why Speed Limit Only 30 MPH?!
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September 21, 2009 at 4:31 pm #592395
andasaiParticipantThe posted speed limit of 30 mph on Admiral Way hill seems way too slow for such an unpopulated area. Driving down, I have to brake hard the whole way and even going up, seems too slow. I think it used to be 35 mph. What gives? Also, why are there landscape workers there clearing out all the plant growth? Just curious.
September 21, 2009 at 4:37 pm #677648
KBearParticipant“Why Speed Limit Only 30 MPH?”
It gives you more time to peruse the wide selection of used automobiles parked along the east curb.
“why are there landscape workers there clearing out all the plant growth? “
The cars sell better when the landscape is well-tended.
September 21, 2009 at 4:39 pm #677649
cjboffoliParticipantWhat is it about double lane roads that makes people just naturally want to go fast? 35th is like that. The (old) Fauntleroy was like that. And this area has a fairly steep grade which also tends to make people speed.
There are intersecting streets all the way down Admiral Way towards the bridge. Are people allowed to turn in and out of those streets? Does keeping the speed limit at 30 make those intersections safer?
I’ve driven down that hill many times and yes, you do have to use the brakes. But not “hard.” I know it can be galling for a lot of people behind the wheel in our fair city but you actually do have to use your vehicle’s brakes from time to time.
If you consider how little time it takes to get down that hill (2 minutes? 90 seconds?), I doubt there would even be a discernible difference in time saved from your trip if you were to go down the hill at 55 mph.
September 21, 2009 at 5:04 pm #677650
swimcatMemberI have to agree with the OP on this – the speed limit on that stretch of Admiral really needs to be re-evaluated. It is a straight stretch, smoothly paved, with few residences. Meanwhile, Fauntleroy was (and still is) 35MPH through turns, potholes, terrible pavement, apartments, condos, houses and side streets galore. I have a bit of a lead foot at times, but I drive b/t 30 and 34 MPH on Fauntleroy. because it’s so unsafe.
September 21, 2009 at 5:06 pm #677651
sam-cParticipantI drive safely. I drive 20mph on my street, and in other residential areas of Seattle. sometimes drives people crazy, I’ve been flicked off, passed with horn accompaniment, everything.
however, 35 mph on that stretch of Admiral would still be safe. going up or down, whenever I’m there, I spend more time looking at my speedometer than the road. 30 feels so slow to me.
I’m not saying it’s hard, and I manage to do it all the time. sometimes, though, I feel like- O! crap -gotta look at the road, not the speedometer.
September 21, 2009 at 5:21 pm #677652
KBearParticipantThe entire stretch is less than a mile. Bumping the speed limit up to 35 would shave a whole TWELVE SECONDS off your trip. Are you really that impatient?
September 21, 2009 at 5:31 pm #677653
swimcatMemberIt’s a very unreasonable speed limit. When you have pokey drivers complaining about it, you know it’s too slow! As sam-c states, drivers are too busy looking at speedometers and not the road- which is not safe driving.
I have to drive in 3rd gear down that hill, which puts strain on the engine. Or I can put it in 4th and then wear out the brakes. I’m just glad I don’t live in Admiral and rarely have to suffer driving up or down that hill.
September 21, 2009 at 5:42 pm #677654
KimberleyParticipantDriving in third gear shouldn’t but strain on your engine at all.
As someone who lives off of Admiral, on one of those side streets and has almost been hit by speeding drivers going up Admiral on numerous occasions (I believe 30 going up and down that hill is a safe speed limit). I often see drivers speeding past those going the speed limit on the left, only to cut over to the right and almost hit those safely turning onto Admiral. Perhaps if people driving up/down Admiral paid more attention to their surroundings, the speed limit wouldn’t be an issue.
September 21, 2009 at 6:01 pm #677655
KBearParticipantKimberley, it’s too bad you think you need safe access to your street. Your safety is not worth 12 seconds of other peoples’ time. Perhaps you should move someplace more convenient for others.
September 21, 2009 at 6:07 pm #677656
sam-cParticipantK-Bear if you are talking to me, you didn’t read my post. I’m not impatient and I’m not in a hurry and I’m not trying to save 12 seconds. I DO go 30 mph.
I was saying that 35 feels like more natural, and would be easier to maintain without constantly checking my speedometer.
September 21, 2009 at 6:27 pm #677657
villagegreenMemberI don’t know why I’m posting this again, since this topic comes up repeatedly (about every 6 months or so), but here we go.
For the last time, people who complain about the speed limit being 30 instead of a reasonable 35 are not worried in the slightest about the 12 seconds that they’re losing, they’re complaining that they have to spend more time looking at their speedometers than the road, and there are frequent speed traps on that road so that if you don’t spend half your time looking at the speedometer you may likely receive a hefty fine from the poorly deployed cops.
Once again, we are not worried about the 12 seconds. We just don’t want to be criminalized for driving the “natural” speed limit. Got it?
September 21, 2009 at 6:38 pm #677658
KBearParticipantHmmm… I don’t find it that hard to drive 30 mph up or down Admiral. Do you people find it difficult to go 20 mph in school zones? Should we raise that speed limit, too? Would the kids be safer if you didn’t have to look at your speedometers?
If 35 mph is the “natural” speed, I guess that does explain all those slow drivers in the left lane on I-5.
September 21, 2009 at 6:56 pm #677659
maplesyrupParticipantI look at it this way- if I lived on that hill or on one of the side streets, I’d appreciate the lower speed limit.
That turn at the bottom of the hill (don’t know the street name but it goes past the glass blowing studio/Luna Park) can also be dangerous if people get going too fast. It’s especially true if you’re turning left up the hill.
September 21, 2009 at 7:03 pm #677660
cjboffoliParticipant“Well you see, officer, I know I was going 125 in a 45 zone but it just felt more NATURAL to me.”
:-)
September 21, 2009 at 7:48 pm #677661
LenaParticipantI believe the speed limit was lowered after a number of fatal and serious accidents including one involving a co-worker of mine’s very close friend who was only in his early 20s and was killed. Unfortunately when the speed limit was 35 mph most people would go closer to 50 and that highly increases the chance of serious injury or death in an accident. Now with the 30mph limit and the speed traps people actually do go slower.
I also find it a little troublesome to put on the brakes coming down but if it helps save someone’s life it seems a small price to pay.
September 21, 2009 at 8:06 pm #677662
JustSarahParticipantRe: the “natural” speed limit – now I feel the need to dig up the similar comment made months back on a similar thread. Someone was defending speeding down Admiral hill eastbound because it’s the speed her car wants to go. I’m still boggled by that comment, though it did give me a good giggle. ;-)
Edit: found the quote (the thread is title “SPD on Admiral Way… a trajedy [sic]”): “I go between 35 and 40 because that is the natural speed my car wants to go […]”
And what do you know? It’s the same person bringing up the “natural speed” argument again.
September 21, 2009 at 8:09 pm #677663
sam-cParticipantlol no, it feels natural to go 20 in school zone.
especially when there’s so many things to look out for, cars, pedestrians, buses, cyclists.
like I said i GO 30 on Admiral. this isn’t really worth complaining about, either way. I don’t know why I’m here.
If you want to find something worth complaining about, watch people go 35-40 in a residential area, scraping over ‘speed humps’ cause they’re going too fast, and on a street with no sidewalks.
stay safe
September 21, 2009 at 8:12 pm #677664
KBearParticipant“I don’t know why I’m here.”
sam-c, your pug seems to be expressing exactly that sentiment. :-)
September 21, 2009 at 8:13 pm #677665
sam-cParticipantfunny too, a lot of times when I’m gong up/down Admiral, going 30 mph, I get passed or tailgated.
let me know when you guys so I can be sure to head out then.
September 21, 2009 at 8:16 pm #677666
maplesyrupParticipantNearly every day when I am driving home up the hill, I’ll see some clown go flying by, sometimes agitated at me for driving the speed limit.
Then I pull up right next to them at one of the stoplights.
September 21, 2009 at 9:03 pm #677667
HomerParticipantyes, but honestly, there is only one sidewalk on one side of the street. There is a grass buffer of about 8 feet before it, and there is a parking lane for more buffer…so, walker/biker safety shouldn’t be an issue for raising the speed limit….I agree, very odd it is so slow…not sure why it’s not higher..wish it were. What else is the concern for not raising it?
September 21, 2009 at 9:16 pm #677668
DMcGMemberThis may be a bit out dated as it’s from June 2008 but here is something on the Admiral speed limit from the PI’s Getting There column. I’m sure it won’t change opinions but it is, or at least was, the city’s official stance.
http://www.seattlepi.com/transportation/365418_getthere02.html#2
September 21, 2009 at 9:19 pm #677669
KBearParticipantThere ya go. Now quit yer whining and slow down!
September 21, 2009 at 9:27 pm #677670
CMPParticipantI think the reason for lowing the speed limit to 30 was primarily because of the road grade. I’ve said this before, but it makes no sense to me that Admiral is 30 mph but roads like 35th and Fauntleroy are still 35 mph. I’m surprised the morons at SDOT don’t put some speed bumps in the middle of Admiral just to slow every down. And when people say it’s natural to drive fast down Admiral towards the bridge, I think they’re referring to the pull of gravity making the car accelerate.
September 21, 2009 at 9:34 pm #677671
KBearParticipantYeah, the car just “naturally” wants to go downhill. It usually likes to stay on the road, too, so sometimes I don’t even bother with the steering wheel, especially if I’m texting or eating a bowl of cereal. Natural speed at the top is 35 mph; at the bottom it’s more like 60. Sometimes abnormalities like bikers or pedestrians interrupt my natural descent, but they usually get out of the way if I honk at them.
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