There was a good story on KATU explaining the onramp at NE 60th. We have written about this one before, we have always maintained that you should keep it at 25 MPH until the concrete barrier. KATU explains that the onramp begins at the solid line. We agree that this is a tricky place, but please remember that you’re on a residential street. We have noted before that at the beginning of that street there is a photo enforcement sign. The operator of the van doesn’t need to put out any additional signage to be in compliance.
Thanks KATU for letting everyone know the legalities of this onramp.
What do you think? Let us know by commenting below.
The Willow Street on ramp speed limit has changed to 30 mph. I challenged my ticket in court and got as close to winning my ticket as possible. The judge discharged my ticket. I don’t think he wanted to give me a total win, because I argued that the speed limit was illegal. I did prove it, but the judge interpreted “through traffic” differently than traffic engineers and since “through traffic” isn’t defined in statutes, I couldn’t refute what the judge was saying. BUT like I said I did enough that he discharged the ticket ($0 fine). I think the judges concern was that if the signs were proven to be illegal, then thousands of tickets were illegal.
After Joe Rose’s article in the Oregonian, I made a ton of calls to ODOT and Portland Bureau of Transportation doing research and I think I made some people nervous when I pointed out the MUTCD rules, the 85th % speeds, and Oregon Revised Statutes. I was even researching if ODOT/PBoT was breaking federal law under MUTCD. In any case, they changed the limit. The 85th % speed on this street is 35-41 mph according to PBoT records. As long as the radar van keeps the margin of error at 10mph over, then people driving in the 85th % speed should be ok going forward. It is a tricky street.