| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
| |
|
|
relating to the establishment of a variable speed limit pilot |
|
|
program by the Texas Transportation Commission. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
|
|
(1) "Commission" means the Texas Transportation |
|
|
Commission. |
|
|
(2) "Department" means the Texas Department of |
|
|
Transportation. |
|
|
SECTION 2. VARIABLE SPEED LIMIT PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The |
|
|
commission by rule shall establish and the department shall |
|
|
implement a variable speed limit pilot program to study the |
|
|
effectiveness of temporarily lowering prima facie speed limits to |
|
|
address inclement weather, congestion, road construction, or any |
|
|
other condition that affects the safe and orderly movement of |
|
|
traffic on a roadway. Notice of a speed limit established under the |
|
|
pilot program may be displayed using a stationary or portable |
|
|
changeable message sign, as defined by Section 544.013, |
|
|
Transportation Code. |
|
|
(b) The commission shall select up to 10 locations to test |
|
|
the pilot program. |
|
|
(c) The commission shall inform the Department of Public |
|
|
Safety and any affected local law enforcement agency about the |
|
|
pilot program and the locations that are being used to test the |
|
|
pilot program. |
|
|
(d) A speed limit that is established under the pilot |
|
|
program: |
|
|
(1) must be based on an engineering and traffic |
|
|
investigation; |
|
|
(2) may be effective for all or a designated portion of |
|
|
the highway and may be effective for any period of the day or night, |
|
|
as the department determines necessary; and |
|
|
(3) is effective only when the speed limit is posted |
|
|
and only if a sign notifying motorists of the change in speed limit |
|
|
is posted not less than 500 feet but not more than 1,000 feet before |
|
|
the point at which the speed limit begins. |
|
|
SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than December 31, 2016, the |
|
|
commission shall submit a report to the legislature that includes |
|
|
information about the pilot program, the results of the pilot |
|
|
program, and any recommendations for statutory changes based on the |
|
|
results of the pilot program. |
|
|
SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires February 1, 2017. |
|
|
SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
|
|
immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
|
|
elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
|
|
Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
|
|
immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
|
|
|
|
|
* * * * * |