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S1075.....................................................by TRANSPORTATION
SPEED LIMITS - Amends existing law to authorize the Idaho Transportation
Board to set a maximum speed limit of seventy miles per hour on interstate
highways; to decrease the maximum speed limit on interstate highways to
seventy miles per hour; and to delete the maximum speed limit of sixty-five
miles per hour on interstate highways for vehicles with five or more axles
operating at a gross weight of more than twenty-six thousand pounds.
02/02 Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/05 Rpt prt - to Transp
]]]] LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ]]]]
Fifty-ninth Legislature First Regular Session - 2007
IN THE SENATE
SENATE BILL NO. 1075
BY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
1 AN ACT
2 RELATING TO BASIC RULE AND MAXIMUM SPEED LIMITS; AMENDING SECTION 49-201,
3 IDAHO CODE, TO AUTHORIZE THE IDAHO TRANSPORTATION BOARD TO SET A MAXIMUM
4 SPEED LIMIT OF SEVENTY MILES PER HOUR ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS; AND AMENDING
5 SECTION 49-654, IDAHO CODE, TO DECREASE THE MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT ON INTER-
6 STATE HIGHWAYS TO SEVENTY MILES PER HOUR AND TO DELETE THE MAXIMUM SPEED
7 LIMIT OF SIXTY-FIVE MILES PER HOUR ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS FOR VEHICLES
8 WITH FIVE OR MORE AXLES OPERATING AT A GROSS WEIGHT OF MORE THAN TWENTY-
9 SIX THOUSAND POUNDS.
10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
11 SECTION 1. That Section 49-201, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
12 amended to read as follows:
13 49-201. DUTIES OF BOARD. (1) With the exception of requirements for sec-
14 tions 49-217 and 49-218 and chapters 6 and 9, title 49, Idaho Code, which
15 shall be the responsibility of the director of the Idaho state police, and
16 section 49-447, Idaho Code, which shall be the responsibility of the director
17 of the department of parks and recreation, the board shall adopt and enforce
18 administrative rules and may designate agencies or enter into agreements with
19 private companies or public entities as may be necessary to carry out the pro-
20 visions of this title. It shall also provide suitable forms for applications,
21 registration cards, vehicle licenses, and all other forms requisite for the
22 purpose of the provisions of this title, and shall prepay all transportation
23 charges.
24 (2) The board may enter into agreements, compacts or arrangements with
25 other jurisdictions on behalf of Idaho for the purpose of conforming proce-
26 dures for proportional registration of commercial vehicles and other types of
27 reciprocal agreements. Copies of agreements, compacts or arrangements shall be
28 placed on file in the department and the board shall, as to all filings and
29 adoption, conform with the provisions of chapter 52, title 67, Idaho Code. The
30 board may approve, on a case by case basis, exemption from operating fees for
31 private nonprofit entities who are bringing public interest programs into the
32 state. These entities may not be in competition with companies who transport
33 goods and services for hire.
34 (3) The board shall adopt a manual and specifications for a uniform sys-
35 tem of traffic-control devices consistent with the provisions of this title
36 for use upon highways within the state. The uniform system shall correlate
37 with, and so far as possible, conform to the system set forth in the most
38 recent edition of the manual on uniform traffic control devices for streets
39 and highways and other standards issued or endorsed by the federal highway
40 administrator.
41 (4) Whenever the board shall determine upon the basis of an engineering
42 and traffic investigation that any maximum speed is greater or less than is
43 reasonable or safe under the conditions found to exist at any intersection or
2
1 other place or upon any part of the state highway or interstate highway sys-
2 tem, the board may determine and declare a reasonable and safe maximum limit,
3 thereat, not exceeding a maximum limit of seventy-five (750) miles per hour on
4 interstate highways and sixty-five (65) miles per hour on state highways,
5 which shall be effective when appropriate signs giving notice are erected. The
6 speed limit may be declared to be effective at all times or at the times as
7 indicated upon the signs. Differing limits may be established for different
8 times of day, different types of vehicles, varying weather conditions, and
9 other factors bearing on safe speeds, which shall be effective when posted
10 upon appropriate fixed or variable signs. The authority of the board to estab-
11 lish speed limits on state highways pursuant to this section does not restrict
12 the authority of the duly elected officials of an incorporated city acting in
13 the capacity of a local authority to establish lower speed limits for portions
14 of state highways, excluding controlled access and interstate highways, that
15 pass through residential, urban or business districts within the jurisdiction
16 of the incorporated city, for the purpose of enhancing motorist and pedestrian
17 safety.
18 (5) The board shall adopt and enforce rules as may be consistent with and
19 necessary to determine the classification of and the basis on which fees shall
20 be computed.
21 SECTION 2. That Section 49-654, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
22 amended to read as follows:
23 49-654. BASIC RULE AND MAXIMUM SPEED LIMITS. (1) No person shall drive a
24 vehicle at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions
25 and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing. Consis-
26 tent with the foregoing, every person shall drive at a safe and appropriate
27 speed when approaching and crossing an intersection or railroad grade cross-
28 ing, when approaching and going around a curve, when approaching a hillcrest,
29 when traveling upon any narrow or winding highway, and when special hazards
30 exist with respect to pedestrians or other traffic or by reason of weather or
31 highway conditions.
32 (2) Where no special hazard or condition exists that requires lower speed
33 for compliance with subsection (1) of this section the limits as hereinafter
34 authorized shall be maximum lawful speeds, and no person shall drive a vehicle
35 at a speed in excess of the maximum limits:
36 (a) Thirty-five (35) miles per hour or a lesser maximum speed adopted
37 pursuant to section 49-207(2)(a), Idaho Code, in any residential, business
38 or urban district;
39 (b) Thirty-five (35) miles per hour in any urban district;
40 (c) Seventy-five (750) miles per hour on interstate highways;
41 (d) Sixty-five (65) miles per hour on state highways;
42 (e) Fifty-five (55) miles per hour in other locations unless otherwise
43 posted up to a maximum of sixty-five (65) miles per hour.
44 (3) The maximum lawful speed limit on interstate highways shall not
45 exceed sixty-five (65) miles per hour for vehicles with five (5) or more axles
46 operating at a gross weight of more than twenty-six thousand (26,000) pounds.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
RS 16568
Eliminating the differential speeds on rural interstates will
result in safer highways. This legislation will reduce the
number of truck/auto interactions by changing the speed limit for
all vehicles on rural interstates to 70 MPH. A national study
conducted by the University of Arkansas has concluded positive
changes for driver compliance to speed laws as an added benefit.
FISCAL IMPACT
Analysis by the Idaho Department of Transportation has determined
the cost to replace driver manuals at $17,500.00 and speed limit
signs at $50,000.00. The total impact to the General Fund would
be $67,500.00. The offsetting positive impact is undetermined.
Contact
Name: Senator Tim Corder
Phone: 332-1336
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE S 1075