What is the Appropriate Speed Limit to set for Frank Reeder Road in Beulah from Bridlewood to Beulah Road?

A thorough, scientific, best practice and fact-based analysis that comports with state standards  was utilized in looking to answer this question:  What is the Appropriate Speed limit to set for Frank Reeder Road in Beulah from Bridelwood to Beulah Road?

After a number of residents asked about speeders on Frank Reeder Road recently and requested information about the current speed limit there, I said I would have professional engineering staff go out and evaluate that road on the area of concern, from Bridlewood to Beulah Road.  Yesterday afternoon, staff completed the analysis of the data collected, and provided the below analysis, discussion, and recommendation based upon State Law, best practices, and scientific facts gleaned from the associated field study they conducted.  It was a very thorough, yet succinct explanation, which I am posting, below:

"Commissioner,

 As requested, we commissioned a speed study in the 45 mph portion of Frank Reeder from Bridlewood to Beulah Road to see what speed vehicles were going. 

It is important to remember that driver behavior is influenced by road conditions and environment more than speed limit signs.  Drivers tend to pay less attention to speed limit signs, which they consider unreasonable unless there is an inordinate degree of enforcement. On the other hand, unreasonably low posted speed limits are commonly violated by drivers making enforcement difficult and operating speeds higher than what would exist with proper realistic posted speed limits.  This is why appropriate speed zoning methodology is needed (and required in Florida) to set speed limits to realistic, enforceable regulations.

Data was collected on Jan 25^th and 26^th over the course of 24 hours in both the east bound and west bound directions near 6626 Frank Reeder Road which is 1,000 feet east of Bridlewood.

We found the following:

               85^th% Speed       Avg Speed          15^th % Speed   10 mph pace      # over 50mph    Total Vehicles

Day 1

EB           45.6 mph             39 mph                31.6 mph       35-44 mph          8 vehicles            437 vehicles

WB         47.8 mph             41 mph                35.7 mph       35-44 mph          33 vehicles          417 vehicles

 

Day 2

EB           44 mph                38.9 mph             31.8 mph       35-44 mph          10 vehicles          423 vehicles

WB         48 mph                41.8 mph             35.4 mph       35-44 mph          38 vehicles          402 vehicles

 

Rationale for a speed zoning determination from the FDOT Speed Zoning Manual indicates the following:  The 85th percentile speed is defined as the speed at or below which 85 percent of the