Thurston County, Washington

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Scam calls and emails are impersonating county employees and services: Permitting, Courts, Pretrial staff and Sheriff's Office deputies. Court staff don't call jurors, and Sheriff's deputies do not collect fines by phone. Report scams to Thurston County Sheriff's non-emergency line at 360-704-2740 and you can verify your Jury Service by clicking here. Click here for office or department contact info.

The content on the Thurston County website is currently provided in English. We are providing the “Translation” for approximately 10 languages. The goal of the translation is to provide visitors with limited English proficiency to access information on the website in other languages. The translations do not translate all types of documents, and it may not give you an exact translation all the time. The translations are made through an automated process, which may not result in accurate or precise translations, particularly of technical and legal terminology.
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Thurston County Washington

Public Works

Speed Limits

All 50 states base their speed regulations on the Basic Speed Law.  "No person shall drive a vehicle.... at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent...and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property." 
The following speed limits are set by state law or Thurston County code: 

  • 25 mph in residential plats and subdivisions.
  • 20 mph in school zones.
  • 50 mph on other roads, unless otherwise established.
a traffic sign stands against vegetation, reading "speed limit: 25"
  • Speed limits between 20 and 50 mph other than those described above are established based on traffic engineering investigations.
  • The safe and reasonable limit is usually close to the speed at which 85 percent of drivers are traveling. Traffic studies have shown that accidents increase if the speed limit is set far above or below this "85th percentile speed."
  • Another important measurement, the "pace speed," is the 10 mph range in which the majority of cars are traveling. If the posted limit is lower than the 10 mph pace speed or far above the 85th percentile speed, many drivers will ignore the signs and continue to travel at higher speeds. Other drivers will heed the signs and travel near the posted limit. When cars travel at different speeds, problems such as tailgating, illegal passing and congestion arise. The gaps in traffic through which vehicles may safely turn or cross the road are also reduced. Studies show that when speeds are not uniform, accidents generally increase.
  • Most drivers travel at speeds that are comfortable for them and are influenced more by traffic and road conditions than the posted speed limit. "Before and after" studies have shown no significant changes in average vehicle speeds after posting new speed limits. 
  • Call Thurston County Public Works, Traffic Division and staff will record your service request and begin an investigation based on the principles described in this brochure. Please give us as many details as you can about the problems on the road where you are requesting a change. We want to work closely with you to clearly define and address your concerns.
  • When investigating a traffic problem, we consider not only the vehicle speeds and collision history along the road, but all the road features. These features include the grade, alignment, pavement and shoulder conditions, spacing of intersections, and the amount and type of traffic.  Often, we can improve driver and pedestrian safety without changing the speed limit. 

If our investigation determines that the speed limit should be changed, the following actions will be taken: 

•    The Traffic Division will arrange a public meeting to work toward an agreement on the speed limit.
•    Public meeting notices will be posted along the road in the area of the proposed speed change and will be sent to local newspapers.
•    The agreed-upon speed limit will be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners for consideration and adoption.

To request a speed limit revision in your area, you will need to complete a service request. Once the form is submitted, staff will reach out to you for more details. The Board of County Commissioners makes the final decision to change the speed limit. 

  • Speed limits in school zones and residential areas are set by county code and cannot be changed.
  • Speed Limit revisions are presented yearly to the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) for consideration and adoption. Any potential revisions received after March 31 will be held until the next calendar year for presentation to the BoCC.
  • Pursuant to RCW 46.09.455, the Board of County Commissioners passed an ordinance allowing wheeled ATVs to travel on county roads with a maximum speed limit of 35 MPH by licensed drivers over the age of 16.

Thurston County promotes speed-control programs that help bring attention to the posted speed limit.  Contact Public Works for more information about this program or to request enforcement in non-residential areas.