Riverside, California Speed Traps

The Traffic and Engineering Survey for Speed Zoning on file for this roadway lists the calculated 85th percentile speed as 43 MPH. Per the California Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, the document that provides the guidelines for the setting of speed limits, the speed limit should be set to 45 MPH (43 rounded to the closest 5 MPH increment), unless there is something about the area not readily apparent to the motorist. In this case, the Traffic Engineer who set the speed limit in 2011 rounded down to 40 MPH, citing pedestrian and bicyclists activity, as well as roadway grade. Since the survey was conducted the roadway has been re-striped and the bicycle path widened and a safety buffer zone added. There are also sidewalks bordering both side of the roadway. As such, both the bicycle path and the sidewalks are readily apparent to any motorists. Section 627 of the California Vehicle Code says an engineer may reduce the speed limit for “(M) Roadway with heavily used bike routes that are not afforded with bike lanes” or for “(B)(2) Pedestrian and bicyclists safety.” In this case, there are both protected bicycle paths and sidewalk, meaning both are already safe without the need for reduced speed.

Motorcycle officer sits behind Wells Fargo Bank with radar gun catching drivers coming from the 91 on their way to work, before the stores open. He is there around 7 AM, never in the afternoon.

Patrol car trying to hide behind the bushes.

The legally surveyed speed limit for Van Buren between Victoria and the southern city limit is 55 MPH. However, the city’s Traffic Engineer (retired) posted the speed limit as 50 MPH for southbound traffic and 45 MPH for northbound traffic. This is a Speed Trap as defined under the California Vehicle Code. Police and CHP cannot work RADAR or LIDAR on this stretch.

Before the exit, the road slightly slopes downhill. CHP unit likes to hide right after the Pedley Rd exit overcrossing on the downhill to hide.