Speed Limits in New York City (Pre-1974)

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
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Belt Parkway

EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND: Gowanus Expressway (I-278) junction to EXIT 25A (Southern State Parkway)

Bronx River Parkway

SOUTHBOUND ONLY: EXIT 4 (I-95 / Cross Bronx Expressway) to EXIT 1 (Story Avenue)

NORTHBOUND: Story Avenue (EXIT 1) to New York City-Westchester County border
SOUTHBOUND: New York City-Westchester County border to EXIT 4 (I-95 / Cross Bronx Expressway)

Brooklyn-Queens Expressway

EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND: EXIT 24 (NY 27 / Prospect Expressway) to EXIT 41 (Astoria Boulevard)

Bruckner Expressway

EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND, I-278 SECTION: EXIT 44 (I-87 / Major Deegan Expressway) to Bruckner interchange (I-95 junction)

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND, I-95 SECTION: Bruckner interchange (I-278 junction) to EXITS 8 B-C (Pelham Parkway)

Clearview Expressway

SOUTHBOUND ONLY: EXIT 2 (Union Turnpike) to Hillside Avenue (southern terminus)

NORTHBOUND: Hillside Avenue (southern terminus) to Throgs Neck Bridge
SOUTHBOUND: Throgs Neck Bridge to EXIT 2 (Union Turnpike)

Cross Bronx Expressway

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: Alexander Hamilton Bridge to Throgs Neck Bridge

Cross Island Parkway

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: EXIT 25A (Southern State Parkway) to EXITS 36 N-S (I-678 / Whitestone Expressway)

Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. (Willowbrook) Expressway

SOUTHBOUND ONLY: EXITS 11 E-W (I-278 / Staten Island Expressway) to EXIT 10 (Victory Boulevard-southern terminus)

NORTHBOUND: EXIT 10 (Victory Boulevard-southern terminus) to Bayonne Bridge
SOUTHBOUND: Bayonne Bridge to EXITS 11 E-W (I-278 / Staten Island Expressway)

Franklin D. Roosevelt (East River) Drive

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: Battery Park to EXIT 17 (I-278 / Triborough Bridge approach)

Gowanus Expressway

EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND: Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to EXIT 24 (NY 27 / Prospect Expressway)

Grand Central Parkway

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

Harlem River Drive

NORTHBOUND: EXIT 17 (Triborough Bridge approach to EXIT 24 (I-95 / George Washington Bridge approach)
SOUTHBOUND: Dyckman Street (northern terminus) to EXIT 17 (I-278 / Triborough Bridge approach)

NORTHBOUND ONLY: EXIT 24 (I-95 / George Washington Bridge approach) to Dyckman Street (northern terminus)

Henry Hudson Parkway

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: EXIT 9 (West 72nd Street) to Henry Hudson Bridge

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: Henry Hudson Bridge to New York City-Westchester County border)

Hutchinson River Parkway

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: Bronx-Whitestone Bridge to New York City-Westchester County border

Jackie Robinson (Interboro) Parkway

WESTBOUND ONLY: EXIT 1 (Bushwick Avenue) to Brooklyn-Broadway Junction (western terminus)

EASTBOUND: Brooklyn-Broadway Junction (western terminus) to EXIT 8 (Grand Central Parkway)
WESTBOUND: EXIT 8 (Grand Central Parkway) to EXIT 1 (Bushwick Avenue)

Korean War Veterans (Richmond) Parkway

NORTHBOUND: Outerbridge Crossing to EXIT 5 (Arden Avenue)
SOUTHBOUND: EXIT 6 (Richmond Avenue-eastern terminus) to Outerbridge Crossing

NORTHBOUND ONLY: EXIT 5 (Arden Avenue) to EXIT 6 (Richmond Avenue-eastern terminus)

Long Island Expressway

EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND: Queens-Midtown Tunnel to EXITS 17 W-E (I-278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway)

EASTBOUND: EXITS 17 W-E (I-278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (I-278) to EXIT 22B (I-678 / Van Wyck Expressway)
WESTBOUND: EXIT 23 (Main Street) to EXIT 17 (I-278 /  Brooklyn-Queens Expressway)

EASTBOUND: EXIT 22B (I-678 / Van Wyck Expressway) to New York City-Nassau County border
WESTBOUND: New York City-Nassau County border to EXIT 23 (Main Street)

Major Deegan Expressway

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: Bruckner Expressway (I-278) junction to New York City-Westchester County border

Nassau Expressway

EASTBOUND ONLY: Applied to completed section (Belt Parkway to I-678 / Van Wyck Expressway)

New England Thruway

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: EXITS 8 B-C (Pelham Parkway) to New York City-Westchester County border

Prospect Expressway

EASTBOUND: Gowanus Expressway (I-278) junction to EXIT 5 (Park Circle-Prospect Park)
WESTBOUND: Ocean Parkway-Church Avenue (eastern terminus) to Gowanus Expressway (I-278) junction

EASTBOUND ONLY: EXIT 5 (Park Circle-Prospect Park) to Ocean Parkway-Church Avenue (eastern terminus)

Sheridan Expressway

NORTHBOUND: Bruckner Expressway (I-278) junction to Westchester Avenue
SOUTHBOUND: East 177th Street to Bruckner Expressway (I-278) junction

NORTHBOUND: Westchester Avenue to East 177th Street (northern terminus)

Staten Island Expressway

EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND: Goethals Bridge to Verrazano-Narrows Bridge

Throgs Neck Expressway

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: Throgs Neck Bridge approach (I-295) to Bruckner Expressway (I-95) junction

Trans-Manhattan Expressway

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: George Washington Bridge to Alexander Hamilton Bridge

Van Wyck Expressway

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: Speed limit within confines of Kennedy Airport

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: Kennedy Airport to EXIT 13 (NY 25A-Northern Boulevard)

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: Applied to immediate area of EXIT 13 (NY 25A-Northern Boulevard and Grand Central Parkway)

West Shore Expressway

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: Applied to completed sections

West Side Highway

NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND: Applied to elevated section (Battery Park to West 72nd Street); closed after December 17, 1973.

Whitestone Expressway

NORTHBOUND: EXIT 13 (NY 25A-Northern Boulevard) to EXIT 16 (Cross Island Parkway)
SOUTHBOUND: Bronx-Whitestone Bridge to EXIT 13 (NY 25A-Northern Boulevard and Grand Central Parkway)

NORTHBOUND ONLY: EXIT 16 (Cross Island Parkway) to Bronx-Whitestone Bridge

NYSDOT Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices:

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

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