What's happening
This bill allows the Malta town board to set lower speed limits on local roads without state approval, following engineering standards.
Why it matters
Empowers local decision-making. By allowing the Malta town board to set lower speed limits, the bill shifts authority from state to local government, enabling more responsive and tailored traffic safety measures for the community.
Requires professional oversight. Any new speed limits must be based on engineering studies and certified by a licensed traffic engineer, ensuring that decisions are grounded in safety standards and best practices rather than arbitrary choices.
Focuses on local and school road safety. The bill targets local roads and school zones, potentially making neighborhoods and areas around schools safer by permitting speed limits as low as 15 mph in school zones and 25 mph on local roads.
Maintains state oversight for unaddressed roads. The Department of Transportation retains authority to set speed limits where the town board has not acted, ensuring that there are no regulatory gaps and that broader state interests are still protected.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Malta Board Sets Speed Limits
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Substituted by A7503
- Ordered to third reading cal.1834
- Referred to rules
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 Malta Set Speed Limits
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Carrie Woerner
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6679
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
June 12, 2017
Introduced by Sen. TEDISCO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT relating to giving the Malta town board 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. 1. 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 board of the town of Malta in the county of Saratoga, 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:
(a) Establish maximum speed limits at which vehicles may proceed on or along designated town highways lower than the fifty-five miles per hour statutory maximum speed limit. No such limit shall be established at less than twenty-five miles per hour, except that school speed limits may be established at not less than fifteen miles per hour, for a distance not to exceed one thousand three hundred twenty feet, on a highway passing a school building, entrance or exit of a school abutting on the highway.
(b) Establish maximum speed limits at which vehicles may proceed on or along all such town highways lying within such towns or within designated areas of such towns lower than the fifty-five miles per hour statutory maximum speed limit. No such speed limit applicable throughout such towns or within designated areas of such towns shall be established at less than thirty miles per hour.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07062-01-7
S. 6679 2
2. No such speed limits shall be established except in accordance with the engineering considerations and factors for speed limits set forth in the New York state manual and specifications for a uniform system of traffic control devices as such manual and specifications may be amended from time to time, certified by a licensed professional engineer who specializes in traffic operations.
3. For the purposes of this section, the term "New York state manual and specifications for a uniform system of traffic control devices" shall mean the national manual of uniform traffic control devices promulgated by the federal highway administration pursuant to subpart (f) of part 655 of title 23 of the code of federal regulations and the New York state supplement adopted by the commissioner of transportation pursuant to section sixteen hundred eighty of the vehicle and traffic law, and the term "town highways" shall have the same meaning as such term is defined by subdivision five of section three of the highway law.
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 board of the town of Malta in the county of Saratoga, 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.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediately, the department of transportation is authorized and directed to promulgate such rules and regulations as are necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act relating to giving the Malta town board the discretion to change speed limits
Purpose
This bill would allow the Malta town board to alter the speed limits of roads within the town limits, provided that they have been classified as local roads by the department of transportation.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Grants the Malta town board the discretion to establish maximum speed limits on designated town highways lower than the fifty-five miles per hour statutory speed limit, provided that no limits are placed at less than twenty-five miles per hour, except that school speed limits may be placed no lower than fifteen miles per hour. Further allows the Malta town board to establish maximum speed limits on designated town highways within such towns or designated areas at less than the fifty-five miles per hour statutory speed limit, except that such speed limits may be placed below thirty miles per hour. Provides that no such speed limits will be placed outside of the accordance of regulations provided by engineers and licensed safety experts. Further provides that this legislation shall not alter the authority of the Department of Transportation to establish maximum speed limits at the request of the Malta town board
Section 2: Establishes the effective date of this legislation.
Justification
The town of Malta has experienced an excessive number of automobile accidents in recent years on local roadways with speed limits that do not necessarily accommodate the town's geography. This legislation would allow the Malta town board the discretion to adjust speed limits to help reduce car accidents based upon the specific features of the roadways in question.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
This bill will become effective on the one hundred eightieth day after it becomes law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.