SPEED LIMITS ON DIRT & GRAVEL ROADS

Senate Bill 117

Sponsor:  Sen. Nancy Cassis

House Committee:  Transportation

Senate Committee:  Transportation

Complete to 6-27-07

A SUMMARY OF SENATE BILL 117 AS PASSED BY THE SENATE 6-6-07

The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to address speed limits on certain dirt and gravel roads in a county with a population of more than 900,000 but fewer than 1.5 million individuals (i.e., Oakland County).

Under the bill, beginning on the bill's effective date, a speed limit that had been posted as of November 9, 2006, in a residence district on a dirt or gravel road located in a city, village, or township in the specified county would be effective unless the speed limit was re-established following procedures provided in the Vehicle Code.

A "residence district" would be territory contiguous to a highway not constituting a business district when the frontage on that highway for a distance of 300 feet or more is mainly occupied by dwellings, or by dwellings and buildings in use for business.

[November 9, 2006, was the effective date of Public Act 85 of 2006, which established a uniform statewide method for determining speed limits based in part on the number of access points or driveways on a segment of highway.  This bill, then, would provide an exception to the 2006 act for certain dirt and gravel roads, allowing the prior speed limits to remain in place.]

The bill would not apply after December 1, 2012, or upon completion of a traffic and engineering study of all the dirt and gravel roads addressed under the bill, whichever occurred first. The Department of State Police would have to notify the Legal Division of the Legislative Service Bureau when all the traffic and engineering studies were completed.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The bill has no apparent fiscal impact.

                                                                                        Legislative Analyst:  Chris Couch

                                                                                               Fiscal Analyst:  William E. Hamilton

■ 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.