BILL AS INTRODUCED H.542
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1 H.542
2 Introduced by Representatives Nugent of South Burlington, Anthony of Barre
3 City, Beck of St. Johnsbury, Branagan of Georgia, Buss of
4 Woodstock, Dodge of Essex, Farlice-Rubio of Barnet, Headrick
5 of Burlington, Hyman of South Burlington, Krasnow of South
6 Burlington, Lalley of Shelburne, LaLonde of South Burlington,
7 Masland of Thetford, Minier of South Burlington, Mrowicki of
8 Putney, Mulvaney-Stanak of Burlington, Ode of Burlington,
9 Pouech of Hinesburg, Priestley of Bradford, Templeman of
10 Brownington, Torre of Moretown, and Williams of Barre City
11 Referred to Committee on
12 Date:
13 Subject: Transportation; speed limits; growth centers; designated centers;
14 municipalities
15 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to allow
16 municipalities to have posted speed limits of less than 25 miles per hour in
17 State-designated centers.
18 An act relating to speed limits in State-designated centers VT LEG #372197 v.2
 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.542
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1 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
2 Sec. 1. 23 V.S.A. § 1007 is amended to read:
3 § 1007. LOCAL SPEED LIMITS
4 (a)(1) The legislative body of a municipality may establish, on the basis of
5 an engineering and traffic investigation, a speed limit on all or a part of any
6 city, town, or village highway within its jurisdiction, which that is not:
7 (A) is not more than 50 miles per hour; however, after considering
8 neighborhood character, abutting land use, bicycle and pedestrian use, and
9 physical characteristics of the highways, the legislative body of a municipality
10 may vote to set the maximum speed limit, without an engineering and traffic
11 investigation, at not more than 50 miles per hour nor less than 35 miles per
12 hour, on all or a portion of unpaved town highways within its boundaries,
13 unless otherwise posted in accordance with the provisions of this section; or
14 (B) is not less than 25 miles per hour.
15 (2) Notwithstanding subdivision (1) of this subsection, the legislative
16 body of a municipality may, after considering neighborhood character, abutting
17 land use, bicycle and pedestrian use, and physical characteristics of the
18 highways, vote to set the maximum speed limit without an engineering and
19 traffic investigation at not more than 50 miles per hour or less than 35 miles
20 per hour on all or a portion of unpaved town highways within its boundaries,
21 unless otherwise posted in accordance with the provisions of this section.
VT LEG #372197 v.2
 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.542
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1 (3) If the legislative body of a municipality votes to set the speed limit
2 on all unpaved town highways in its boundaries at no not more than 50 miles
3 per hour nor or less than 35 miles per hour as provided for in subdivision (a)(1)
4 of this section subsection, signs shall be located at points of change from one
5 speed limit to another.
6 ***
7 (g) Notwithstanding any requirements of section 1025 of this title,
8 downtown development districts designated all State-designated centers under
9 24 V.S.A. chapter 76A may have posted speed limits of less than 25 miles per
10 hour.
11 Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE
12 This act shall take effect on July 1, 2024.
VT LEG #372197 v.2


Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 23-1007