Provides for the establishment of school speed limits of not less than fifteen miles per hour by the legislative body of any county or, if so delegated, by the legislative body of any locality within said county on a portion of a state highway passing a school building.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A1483
SPONSOR: Blankenbush TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to school speed
limits
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Provides for establishment of school speed limits by county legislative
body
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
This bill would amend subdivision (a) of section 1620 of the Vehicle and
Traffic Law, as amended by chapter 563 of the laws of 2002 to read: The
department of transportation with respect to state highways maintained
by the state outside of cities having a population in excess of one
million, and highways on Indian reservations, may be order, rule or
regulation establish higher or lower maximum speed limits at which vehi-
cles may proceed on or along such highways than the 55 miles per hour
statutory maximum speed limit. No such maximum speed limit shall be
established at less than 25 miles per hour, except that school speed
limits may be established at not less than 15 miles per hour by the
department of transportation or by the legislative body of any county
or, if so delegated by such county legislative body, by the legislative
body of any municipality or school district located within said county,
for a distance not to exceed 1, 300 feet, on a highway passing a school
building, entrance or exit of a school abutting on the highway.
JUSTIFICATION:
Many area schools' speed limits are established for local roads by local
governments, but the state reserves the right to and does in fact ignore
requests from school districts and local governments for such school
zones on state roads. This legislation would provide more local authori-
ty in the interests and safety of school children.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeeding the
date on which it shall have become a law.
