The Breakdown:
- A Wisconsin recycling center has posted a speed limit with a decimal point.
- It’s designed to grab a driver’s attention and remind them to drive safely.
- Other communities and developments have posted odd speed limits, including ones with fractions.
A new speed limit sign on one Wisconsin road aims to make driving safer. Outagamie County Recycling and Solid Waste has posted a new speed limit outside its facility—and for some reason, it has a decimal point.
The recycling center posted an odd speed limit of 17.3 miles per hour to make drivers pay attention. In a Facebook post, the Outagamie County Recycling and Solid Waste said, "It makes you look twice. And most importantly, it breaks that 'autopilot' feeling we can all fall into when driving familiar routes."
According to the company, the center is a busy place, with contractors, haulers, and residents using the facility every day. "With so much activity, staying alert is key to keeping everyone safe," the post continued. "We want every single person to have a safe visit and make it home at the end of the day."
The idea of using odd speed limits to grab drivers’ attention isn’t new. In 2013, a report said Trenton, Tennessee, had a 31-mph speed limit dating back to the 1960s, all because city officials couldn’t agree on a limit. Thirty-one mph was the compromise.
In some shopping centers and private developments in Colorado, property owners have resorted to speed limits with fractions to control traffic, which makes a decimal point seem reasonable by comparison.
Motor1’s Take: The odd-looking speed limit is a creative way to grab attention. The last thing a facility like Outagamie County Recycling and Solid Waste would want is for drivers to zone out amid so much unusual traffic.
