SENATE BILL No. 720

 

 

September 23, 2003, Introduced by Senators JOHNSON, PATTERSON, TOY, THOMAS, HARDIMAN, STAMAS, VAN WOERKOM, JELINEK, GOSCHKA, CASSIS, CROPSEY, BROWN, KUIPERS, PRUSI, BARCIA, CHERRY, McMANUS, BIRKHOLZ, SANBORN, HAMMERSTROM, SIKKEMA, GEORGE, GILBERT, BISHOP, SWITALSKI, JACOBS, GARCIA, OLSHOVE, SCHAUER, BRATER and EMERSON and referred to the Committee on Transportation.

 

 

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1949 PA 300, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Michigan vehicle code,"                                                    

                                                                                

    by amending section 627 (MCL 257.627), as amended by 1990 PA 165,           

                                                                                

    and by adding section 79d.                                                  

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 79d.  "Work zone" means an area of a street or highway                 

                                                                                

2   in which construction, maintenance, or utility work activities              

                                                                                

3   are being conducted.  A work zone includes the area between the             

                                                                                

4   first sign indicating a work area or traffic control device and             

                                                                                

5   an "end road work" sign.                                                    

                                                                                

6       Sec. 627.  (1) A person driving a vehicle on a highway shall                

                                                                                

7   drive at a careful and prudent speed not greater than nor less              

                                                                                

8   than is reasonable and proper, having due regard to the traffic,            

                                                                                

9   surface, and width of the highway and of any other condition then           

                                                                                

10  existing.  A person shall not drive a vehicle upon a highway at a           

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   speed greater than that which will permit a stop within the                 

                                                                                

2   assured, clear distance ahead.                                              

                                                                                

3       (2) Subject to subsection (1) and except in those instances                 

                                                                                

4   where a lower speed is specified in this chapter, it is prima               

                                                                                

5   facie lawful for the driver of a vehicle to drive at a speed not            

                                                                                

6   exceeding the following, except when this speed would be unsafe:            

                                                                                

7       (a) 25 miles an hour on all highways in a business or                       

                                                                                

8   residence district as defined in this act.                                  

                                                                                

9       (b) 25 miles an hour in public parks unless a different speed               

                                                                                

10  is fixed and duly posted.                                                   

                                                                                

11      (3) It is prima facie unlawful for a person to exceed the                   

                                                                                

12  speed limits prescribed in subsection (2), except as provided in            

                                                                                

13  section 629.                                                                

                                                                                

14      (4) The driver of a vehicle in a mobile home park as defined                

                                                                                

15  in section 2 of the mobile home commission act,  Act No. 96 of              

                                                                                

16  the Public Acts of 1987, being section 125.2302 of the Michigan             

                                                                                

17  Compiled Laws  1987 PA 96, MCL 125.2302, shall drive at a careful           

                                                                                

18  and prudent speed, not greater than a speed which is reasonable             

                                                                                

19  and proper, having due regard for the traffic, surface, width of            

                                                                                

20  the roadway, and all other conditions existing, and not greater             

                                                                                

21  than a speed which will permit a stop within the assured clear              

                                                                                

22  distance ahead.  It is prima facie unlawful for the driver of a             

                                                                                

23  vehicle to drive at a speed exceeding 15 miles an hour in a                 

                                                                                

24  mobile home park as defined in section 2 of  Act No. 96 of the              

                                                                                

25  Public Acts of 1987  the mobile home commission act, 1987 PA 96,            

                                                                                

26  MCL 125.2302.                                                               

                                                                                

27      (5) A person driving a passenger vehicle drawing another                    


                                                                                

1   vehicle or trailer shall not exceed a speed of 55 miles per hour,           

                                                                                

2   unless the vehicle or trailer has 2 wheels or less and does not             

                                                                                

3   exceed the combined weight of 750 pounds for the vehicle or                 

                                                                                

4   trailer and load, or a trailer coach of not more than 26 feet in            

                                                                                

5   length with brakes on each wheel and attached to the passenger              

                                                                                

6   vehicle with an equalizing or stabilizing coupling unit.                    

                                                                                

7       (6) A truck with a gross weight of 10,000 pounds or more, a                 

                                                                                

8   truck-tractor with a trailer, or a combination of these vehicles            

                                                                                

9   shall not exceed a speed of 55 miles per hour on highways,                  

                                                                                

10  streets, or freeways  ,  and shall not exceed a speed of 35 miles           

                                                                                

11  per hour during the period when reduced loadings are being                  

                                                                                

12  enforced in accordance with this chapter.                                   

                                                                                

13      (7) A person driving a school bus shall not exceed the speed                

                                                                                

14  of 50 miles per hour.                                                       

                                                                                

15      (8) The maximum rates of speeds allowed pursuant to this                    

                                                                                

16  section are subject to the maximum rate established pursuant to             

                                                                                

17  section 629b.                                                               

                                                                                

18      (9) A person operating a vehicle on a highway, when entering                

                                                                                

19  and passing through a designated work  area where a normal lane             

                                                                                

20  or part of the lane of traffic has been closed due to highway               

                                                                                

21  construction, maintenance, or surveying activities  zone, shall             

                                                                                

22  not exceed a speed of 45 miles per hour unless otherwise                    

                                                                                

23  determined and posted by the state transportation department, a             

                                                                                

24  county road commission, or a local authority.  The state                    

                                                                                

25  transportation department, a county road commission, or a local             

                                                                                

26  authority shall identify on streets and highways under its                  

                                                                                

27  jurisdiction a designated work  area  zone with traffic control             


                                                                                

1   devices which are in conformance with the Michigan manual of                

                                                                                

2   uniform traffic control devices.  A person shall not exceed a               

                                                                                

3   speed limit established under this section or a speed limit                 

                                                                                

4   established pursuant to section 628 or 629.                                 

                                                                                

5       (10) A person who violates this section is responsible for a                

                                                                                

6   civil infraction.