What's happening
This bill allows the town board of Riverhead, Suffolk County, to set speed limits on certain local roads, similar to specific Westchester towns.
Why it matters
Empowers local decision-making. By allowing the Riverhead town board to set speed limits on certain local roads, the bill shifts some authority away from the state Department of Transportation, giving local officials more direct control over road safety measures that reflect community needs.
Targets specific road types. The discretion to set speed limits only applies to town highways that are officially classified as local roads and are outside of cities and villages, ensuring the new authority is focused and does not impact state or county roads, or roads in incorporated areas.
Creates parity with select Westchester towns. The amendment puts Riverhead on equal footing with several Westchester towns that already have this power, signaling a move toward more consistency in how local governments can manage traffic and safety on their own roads.
Preserves state oversight in some cases. The Department of Transportation retains the ability to set speed limits at the town board’s request for roads not covered by the new local authority, as long as the town hasn't already set its own limits, maintaining an avenue for state involvement where needed.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Let Riverhead Set Speed Limits
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
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.
Let Riverhead Set Speed Limits
In Assembly Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Kenneth P. LaValle
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6184
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 27, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. PALUMBO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend chapter 399 of the laws of 2008 relating to giving certain Westchester county town boards the discretion to change speed limits, in relation to giving the town board of the town of Riverhead, county of Suffolk, the discretion to change speed limits
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The opening paragraph of subdivision 1 of section 1 of chapter 399 of the laws of 2008 relating to giving certain Westchester county town boards the discretion to change speed limits, is amended to read as follows:
Notwithstanding the provisions of section sixteen hundred twenty-two of the vehicle and traffic law, in lieu of making a request of the department of transportation pursuant to such section, the town boards of the towns of Bedford, Lewisboro, North Castle and Pound Ridge in the county of Westchester, and the town board of the town of Riverhead in the county of Suffolk, with respect to town highways which have been functionally classified by the department of transportation as local roads on official functional classification maps approved by the federal highway administration pursuant to part 470.105 of title 23 of the code of federal regulations, as amended from time to time, and which are outside of cities and villages, may by local law, ordinance, order, rule or regulation:
§ 2. Subdivision 4 of section 1 of chapter 399 of the laws of 2008 relating to giving certain Westchester county town boards the discretion to change speed limits, is amended to read as follows:
4. Nothing contained in this act shall be deemed to alter the authority of the department of transportation to establish maximum speed limits at the request of the town boards of the towns of Bedford, Lewisboro, North Castle and Pound Ridge in the county of Westchester, and the town
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08081-01-7
A. 6184 2
board of the town of Riverhead in the county of Suffolk, with respect to all town highways within such towns outside of cities and villages pursuant to subdivision one of this section, provided that no maximum speed limits have been established by such town boards pursuant to this act on any town highway functionally classified as a local road within such towns.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.