CHP Q&A

At the bottom of 189 off Lake Gregory, the posted limit is 35. At the top of the hill portion leading into Twin Peaks, the sign says end of 35 zone. Which is it? This is definitely confusing.

What I meant on the second part is leading down the hill from Twin Peaks it says end of 35.

We have the same thing on the 173 by the marina. Someone explained it to me that the speed limit reverts back to normal highway speed which is 55 MPH. That seems excessive for both your area and mine. I'm curious to see if this explanation is correct.

its the same coming out of top town crestline down the 138 "end of 35mph"
Yes that means that it reverts back to the basic spped law which is drive at the speed that is safe not to exceede 55mph.

The 35mph is the speed limit going through a town, sometimes it is 25mph like downtown Crestline.

This was hard for me to grasp at first as well.

Prima Facia Speed - Engineers/County have determined what the 80% average speed is. Does not always mean that is the safe speed all of the time.

Maximum Speed - 55, 65, 70 mph do not require engineering and traffic surveys. Like Prima facia, does not always mean that is the safe speed all of the time.

Bottom line, when the 35 mph zone ends, it DOES revert to the California maximum for a two lane roadway, 55 mph.

If there is not a posted speed limit, its PROBABLY 55 mph up here. The exceptions are school zones, construction zones, and residential zones. Typically they are still 25 mph and don't need the engineer's survey.

Ref: Section 40802 of the California Vehicle Code

To add to Joey's info--the traffic surveys only need to be done for radar/laser enforcement; there are many other reasons that lower speed limits are established. If an officer did a radar/laser cite in that 35 mph zone, he or his agency would have to provide the court with evidence that it's been surveyed within 5 years and the speed limit was established by the survey. If it was a bumper-clock, the speed-trap limitations don't apply, but the officer would still have to prove why the cited speed was unsafe (curved roads, reduced roadway widths, huge cliffs on the side of the road, fog, etc.--the court will take almost anything).