Signed by Governor Butch Otter

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits local authorities from setting maximum speed limits on state highways.

Highlights:

• Repeals the authorization of local elected officials in incorporated cities from establishing maximum speed limits on parts of state highways in residential, urban, or business areas (Sec. 5).

• Repeals an exemption that authorized local governments to place and maintain traffic-control devices on state highways which passed through residential, urban, or business areas in incorporated cities when speed limits were lower than the Department of Transportation’s limit (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that local authorities may determine a maximum speed limit which (Sec. 4):
• Decreases the limit within a residential, urban, or business area;
• Increases the limit within a nonresidential area of an urban district, not to exceed 65 miles per hour; or
• Decreases the limit outside an urban area.

• Requires any alteration of maximum speed limits by local authorities to be approved by the department, as a result of a department approved engineering study (Sec. 4).

• Repeals the specific inclusion of elected officials in incorporated cities from determining that a speed limit is greater than necessary, according to engineering or traffic study. (Sec. 4)

• Establishes a speed limit of 35 miles per hour as the standard maximum limit in any residential, business, or urban area, unless otherwise posted (Sec. 6).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits local authorities from setting maximum speed limits on state highways.

Highlights:

• Repeals the authorization of local elected officials in incorporated cities from establishing maximum speed limits on parts of state highways in residential, urban, or business areas (Sec. 5).

• Repeals an exemption that authorized local governments to place and maintain traffic-control devices on state highways which passed through residential, urban, or business areas in incorporated cities when speed limits were lower than the Department of Transportation’s limit (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that local authorities may determine a maximum speed limit which (Sec. 4):
• Decreases the limit within a residential, urban, or business area;
• Increases the limit within a nonresidential area of an urban district, not to exceed 65 miles per hour; or
• Decreases the limit outside an urban area.

• Requires any alteration of maximum speed limits by local authorities to be approved by the department, as a result of a department approved engineering study (Sec. 4).

• Repeals the specific inclusion of elected officials in incorporated cities from determining that a speed limit is greater than necessary, according to engineering or traffic study. (Sec. 4)

• Establishes a speed limit of 35 miles per hour as the standard maximum limit in any residential, business, or urban area, unless otherwise posted (Sec. 6).

Full Bill Text