A relatively small number of elevators travel very fast, bringing visitors to the building up 100 stories or more in around a minute. In North America, as of 2017, the fastest elevators are located at One World Trade Center in New York City. They travel at 23 miles per hour, about as fast as a car moves along a residential street. An Elevator Company in Washington DC normally installs, maintains and repairs equipment that moves much slower.
Normal Elevator Speeds
Most elevators travel only about 1 or 2 miles per hour, but that’s because they are located in buildings of 10 floors or fewer. There is no need for them to travel faster than this. An elevator that only needs to travel 10 floors feels speedy enough if it gets visitors up there within 30 to 60 seconds. Nobody expects to move at city traffic speed for that limited number of floors.
No Need for Extra Speed
Extra speed would cost the building owner a great deal more for that type of equipment, and that top end of speed would never be reached in this size of a building. It takes a few seconds for the elevator to reach maximum speed, even on a slower device. Otherwise, people would be knocked off their feet. The elevator also must slow down for a few seconds before it comes to a stop.
Numerous Stops
Consider also that even in a building of 20 or 30 stories, elevators generally make many stops on other levels. An elevator that is intended to primarily function as a way to bring visitors to the top of a skyscraper for viewing purposes or to dine in a restaurant has different mechanical needs than one that routinely services all the other floors.
Safety and Comfort Are Most Important
The comfort of the riders also must be considered by the Elevator Company in Washington DC as well as the building owner. People expect a smooth start and end to the ride, with no unexpected bumps while traveling. They want to know they’ll reach their destination without any problems. That is vastly more important than dramatic bursts of speed. Visit to learn more about one particular elevator installation company.
