When the energy crisis began in 1973, the Federal government proposed lowering the speed limit to 50 MPH for cars and 55 MPH for trucks and interstate buses in order to conserve fuel. The higher speed for trucks and buses would have placed them in the left lanes of controlled access highways, potentially creating hazards for other motorists. Of course, states would have to implement the speed laws through legislation, or by emergency proclamation by the governors.

New York State was one of the first states to adopt the lower speed limits, and by late November 1973, the state enacted a maximum 50 MPH limit on all highways for cars, trucks and buses. New York City followed suit, lowering the routes with a 55 MPH limit to 50 MPH. On high speed controlled-access routes, linear speed limits were gradually lowered about one mile from their signal-controlled termini.

On January 1, 1974, President Richard Nixon signed the National Maximum Speed Limit (NMSL) into law. This legislation established the 55 MPH national speed limit, and penalized any state that allowed speeds above 55 MPH. In early 1974, New York State raised the state maximum from 50 MPH to 55 MPH, but New York City did not restore the 55 MPH limits on routes previously posted.

If you have additional information or corrections, please forward this information to me at ande264@erols.com.

Babylon-Northport Expressway

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: Montauk Highway (NY 27A) junction to Hunter Avenue

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: Hunter Avenue to Deer Park Avenue-CR 34 (northern terminus)

Bethpage State Parkway

NORTHBOUND: EXIT B1 (Southern State Parkway) to EXIT B4 (Central Avenue)
SOUTHBOUND: EXIT B5 (Bethpage State Park-northern terminus) to EXIT B1 (Southern State Parkway)

NORTHBOUND ONLY: EXIT B4 (Central Avenue) to EXIT B5 (Bethpage State Park-northern terminus)

Heckscher State Parkway

EASTBOUND: EXIT 41A (Sagtikos State Parkway) to EXIT 46 (Timber Point Road)
WESTBOUND: Heckscher State Park (eastern terminus) to EXIT 41A (Sagtikos State Parkway)

EASTBOUND ONLY: EXIT 46 (Timber Point Road) to Heckscher State Park (eastern terminus)

Long Island Expressway

EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND: New York City-Nassau County border to Nassau County-Suffolk County border

EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND: Nassau County-Suffolk County border to EXIT 73 (CR 58-Old Country Road, eastern terminus)

Meadowbrook State Parkway

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: Northern State Parkway junction to EXIT M10 (Loop Parkway)

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: EXIT M10 (Loop Parkway) to Jones Beach State Park (southern terminus)

Northern State Parkway

EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND: New York City-Nassau County border to Veterans Memorial Highway-NY 454 junction (eastern terminus)

Ocean Parkway

EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND: Jones Beach State Park (western terminus) to Wantagh State Parkway junction

EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND: Wantagh State Parkway junction to Robert Moses Causeway junction

EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND: Robert Moses Causeway to Captree State Park (eastern terminus)

Robert Moses Causeway

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: Southern State Parkway junction to Ocean Parkway junction

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: Ocean Parkway junction to Robert Moses State Park (southern terminus)

Sagtikos State Parkway

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: EXITS S4 E-W (Southern State Parkway) to EXIT SM 1 E-W (Northern State Parkway)

Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: EXITS 1 E-W (CR 27A-Merrick Road) to EXITS 14 E-W (NY 25-Jericho Turnpike)

Southern State Parkway

EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND: New York City-Nassau County border to EXIT 41A (Sagtikos State Parkway)

Sunken Meadow State Parkway

NORTHBOUND: EXITS SM1 E-W (Northern State Parkway) to EXITS SM5 E-W (NY 25A)
SOUTHBOUND: Sunken Meadow State Park (northern terminus) to EXITS SM1 W-E (Northern State Parkway)

NORTHBOUND ONLY: EXITS SM5 E-W (NY 25A) to Sunken Meadow State Park (northern terminus)

Sunrise Highway

EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND: Applied to completed controlled-access section from EXIT 37 (NY 109) to EXIT 44 (Brentwood Road)

EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND: Applied to completed controlled-access section from EXIT 54 (Hospital Road) to Shinnecock Hills (eastern terminus)

Wantagh State Parkway

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: Northern State Parkway junction to Jones Beach Causeway

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: Jones Beach Causeway to Jones Beach State Park (southern terminus)

NYSDOT Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices:

• Setting the Limit (Rules governing speed limits in New York State)

• The Roads of Metro New York


• The Crossings of Metro New York


• The Exits of Metro New York


• The History Index

Speed limit information provided by Ralph Herman and Douglas Andrew Willinger. Route shields and speed limit signs provided by Ralph Herman.