Why Does Appleton, WI Have a Speed Limit of 17.3?

You've never seen a speed limit sign that didn't end in a "0" or a "5." Until today. This is baffling.

A new incredibly specific speed limit has been posted in Wisconsin, specifically in the town of Appleton. The sign is located at the Outagamie County Recycling and Solid Waste facility, and instructs drivers' speeds not to exceed 17.3 mph. Does your car's speedometer track your mileage to the 10th of a percent?

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While it's unclear how long this sign has been up, the Outagamie County Recycling and Solid Waste social media team took to Facebook to explain why the limit is set at an oddly specific, unprecedented figure. They claim seeing the sign causes a driver to pause, look twice, and snap out of whatever "autopilot" mode that comes with driving on familiar roads.

This makes sense to some degree. The waste center sees so many haulers, contractors, and general vehicle traffic enter and exit the site every day. At first blush, I'm sure those who work at the facility and/or frequent it have long become desensitized to a sign that looks like it would appear in a Onion article. But the intention here is a great one:

We want every single person to have a safe visit and make it home at the end of the day. Thanks for doing your part to keep our site safe! - per the Outagamie County Recycling and Solid Waste's Facebook post

Supposedly, another wacky speed limit sign exists in Colorado Springs, CO. The posted speed limit at a local shopping center is 8.2 mph. It's baffled people online for years. The powers that be that run said shopping center have never come out and explained why the speed limit is what it is.

That being said, other traffic occurrences such as speed bumps, roundabouts, or even Yield signs I'd argue do a better job at keeping us alert of the road. Read more about this quirky Wisconsin speed limit on WGN's website.