TWT S.B. 1704 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS TRANSPORTATION S.B. 1704 By: Ogden (Delisi) 5-9-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Currently, the law sets speed limits on farm-to-market and ranch-to-market roads at 70 miles per hour in the daytime and 65 miles per hour at nighttime. There are many two-lane farm-to-market and ranch-to-market roads in this state that do not have paved shoulders and are dangerous to travel at the 70-mile-per-hour speed limit. This bill provides that a lawful speed is 70 miles per hour in the daytime and 65 miles per hour on a farm-to-market road if that road has a pavement width greater than 20 feet; and 60 miles per hour in the daytime and 55 miles per hour at night on a highway that is outside and urban district and on a farm-to-market or ranch-to-market road having a pavement width of 20 feet or less. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 1704 provides that a lawful speed is 70 miles per hour in the daytime and 65 miles per hour on a farm-to-market road if that road has a pavement width greater than 20 feet; and 60 miles per hour in the daytime and 55 miles per hour at night on a highway that is outside and urban district and on a farm-to-market or ranch-to-market road having a pavement width of 20 feet or less. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 545.352(b), Transportation Code, to provide that a lawful speed is 70 miles per hour in daytime and 65 miles per hour in nighttime on a farm-to-market road if that road has a pavement width greater than 20 feet; and 60 miles per hour in daytime and 55 miles per hour at night on a highway that is outside an urban district and on a farm-to-market or ranch-to-market road having a pavement width 20 feet or less. SECTION 2. Amends Section 545.353, Transportation Code, by adding Subsection (h), to authorize the prima facie speed limit under Section 545.352(b)(3), to be increased if the Texas Transportation Commission determines from the results of an engineering and traffic investigation that a higher prima facie speed limit is reasonable and safe. SECTION 3. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.