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Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Requires department of transportation to defer to town board requests for speed limit, signage and signal changes where safety is at issue
In Assembly Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Steven McLaughlin
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S278
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to giving local town boards the discretion to change speed limits for safety
Purpose
This bill gives to town boards the authority to set reasonable speed limits and post traffic signage on state roads when such town can show to the Department of Transportation (DOT) a nexus between public safety concerns and the need for a change in speed limits.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Amends Vehicle & Traffic Law section 1620 so that DOT must defer to a town's request for speed limit change on state roads within such town when there is a nexus between the current designated special limits and the presence of adverse safety conditions or traffic patterns that can cause the creation of an unsafe roadway condition on such state highway.
Section 2: Amends Vehicle & Traffic Law section 1621 so that DOT must defer to a town's request for a new speed limit change, as specified above, on state highways if there is a dangerous condition that necessitates that the state highway speed limit should be reduced.
Section 3: Amends Vehicle & Traffic Law section 1622 to provide for the same authority to towns as stated above for county roads or town roads that have had speed limited designations established by DOT.
Existing law
Currently, cities and villages have the authority to establish speed limits on state roads located within such cities or villages, however, town governments do not have the same authority.
Justification
Under current law, this State's cities and villages may set the speed limit and placement of traffic signage on state highways in their jurisdictions. However, town governments do not have such authority and are therefore dependent on the judgment of DOT to set the rules of the road on state highways within their jurisdiction This is true even if town police have jurisdiction over all public safety issues pertaining to such state highways. This bill gives parity to town governments that wish to establish speed limits and traffic signage on state highways just as cities and villages are able to do now.
Sometimes, the pace at which town requests to DOT jar approval of suggested roadway speed reductions can take over one year. However, during this same period of time, the dangerous road conditions can continue to persist which heightens the danger of automobile accidents, personal injury and even death This bill will give towns more flexibility to control speed limits within their jurisdictions and help to reduce motor vehicle accidents and person injury.
Legislative history
S.906 of 2007/2008 Referred to Transportation S.1151 of 2009/2010 Referred to Transportation S.1507 of 2011/2012 Passed Senate
Fiscal implications
None.
Local fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
Immediate.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.