TOWNSHIP TRAFFIC SPEED RESTRICTIONS
House Bill 4224
Sponsor: Rep. Ruth Ann Jamnick
Committee: Transportation
Complete to 2-18-03
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4224 AS INTRODUCED 2-13-03
House Bill 4224 would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to allow a county road commission, the township board, and the director of the Department of State Police to determine safe speeds on county highways by a majority vote. The officials would be required to base any speed limit on an engineering and traffic study. Under the bill, if a township board wanted to be part of the speed-limit setting process, it would be required to notify the county road commission (or the county board of commissioners where there is no separate county road commission) in writing. Likewise, written notification would be required when a township did not want to continue as part of the process. Under the bill, "eligible township" means a township in Kent, Lapeer, Leelanau, Marquette, Washtenaw, or Wayne County.
More specifically, the bill states that if the county road commission, the township board, and the director of the Department of State Police jointly determined upon the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that the speed of vehicular traffic on a county highway was greater or less than was reasonable or safe under the conditions found to exist, then the officials acting by a majority vote could establish a reasonable and safe maximum or minimum speed limit that would be effective at the times determined, when appropriate signs giving notice of the speed limit were erected at the intersection or other part of the highway.
In addition, the bill specifies that the maximum speed limit on all freeways would be 70 miles per hour, except that the Department of Transportation could designate not more than 170 miles of freeway in the state on which the speed limit could be less than 70 miles per hour. Currently under the law, the maximum speed limit is 65 miles per hour, and the department can designate 170 miles of freeway on which the limit is less than 65 miles per hour. Further, the bill would delete a reference to a study, undertaken in 1996 to pilot a speed limit increase on freeway miles within five test zones. This provision states that if the study indicates that certain miles of freeway are eligible for an increased speed limit, those miles of freeway may be increased to 70 miles per hour.
MCL 257.628
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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.