MIMS, Fla. — A study is ongoing to see how putting the speed limit directly onto the roadway surface affects driver’s speed.

What You Need To Know

  • FDOT heat blasted thermoplastic speed shields onto the State Road 46 asphalt

  • Goal is to reduce speeds between Mims and Geneva

  • Study shows a reduction in speed since the speed shields were added to roadway

  • More speed shields may be added to the asphalt elsewhere

The study is on State Road 46, a rural two-lane highway connecting Seminole County, Brevard County and a small section of Volusia County.

State Road 46 is prone to speeding and crashes.

The Florida Department of Transportation blasted thermoplastic speed shields onto the asphalt in three different one-mile segments between Interstate 95 in Mims and County Road 426 in Geneva.

“I think it’s a good idea to remind the people what the speed limit is,” said Ruvin Yukhimchuk, who lives off SR-46 with his family in the Mims area.

Meant to replicate and supplement the posted speed limit signs, since the spring of last year, FDOT has noticed a drop in speeds, especially among drivers going really fast.

It’s enough of a decline that now the department wants to apply the speed limit shields onto other rural roadways, like State Road 60, west of Yeehaw Junction in Osceola County.

FDOT has put the speed limit sign on the surface of State Road 414 in Maitland as well, where the tolled portion ends.

In that case, the goal was to alert drivers to a change in the speed limit.