HBA-MPA H.B. 2349 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2349
By: Burnam
Transportation
4/26/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, to install traffic control devises for pedestrian crosswalks,
municipal traffic engineers are required to meet certain traffic "warrants"
or guidelines set out in the state's Manual for Uniform Traffic Control
Devices (MUTCD).  Unfortunately, these warrants are based on high-speed,
highvolume roadways, making their numbers virtually impossible to meet in
many settings actually used by pedestrians.  For example, to install a
traffic signal at a crosswalk based on pedestrian volumes, the MUTCD
warrants require a count of 190 pedestrians per hour or four consecutive
hours of 100 pedestrians each.  This amount of pedestrian traffic exceeds
normal foot traffic in an average residential area; yet that is where many
municipalities need crosswalks to protect residents and children on the way
to and from neighborhood parks, schools, and stores.   

H.B. 2349 allows municipalities to install protected crosswalks and other
control devices as deemed necessary, permitting local traffic planners to
make safe, efficient decisions for neighborhood streets. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 544.001, Transportation Code, by adding
Subsection (b), to prohibit the uniform traffic-control devices manual
issued by the Texas Transportation Commission from prohibiting a
municipality from installing traffic-control devices or pedestrian
crosswalks other than at intersections of streets to slow traffic and
permit pedestrian and bicycle crossing, as determined by the municipality. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.