WORK ZONE DEFINITION - H.B. 5089

(S-2): FLOOR ANALYSISHouse Bill 5089 (Substitute S-2 as reported)

Sponsor: Representative Daniel Acciavatti

House Committee: Transportation

Senate Committee: Transportation


CONTENT


The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to define the term “work zone” and replace various references to “construction zone” and “work area” with that term. The bill would take effect 90 days after it was enacted.


“Work zone” would mean a portion of a street or highway that met any of the following:

 

--    Was between a “work zone begins” sign and an “end road work” sign.

--    For construction, maintenance, or utility work activities conducted by a work crew and more than one moving vehicle, was between a “begin work convoy” sign and an “end work convoy” sign.

--    For construction, maintenance, or utility work activities conducted by a work crew and one moving or stationary vehicle exhibiting a rotating beacon or strobe light, was between the following: a) a point that was 150 feet behind the rear of the vehicle or that was the point from which the beacon or strobe light was first visible on the street or highway behind the vehicle, whichever was closer to the vehicle; and b) a point that was 150 feet in front of the front of the vehicle or that was the point from which the beacon or strobe light was first visible on the street or highway in front of the vehicle, whichever was closer to the vehicle.


The bill also would delete a provision setting a 45-mile-per-hour speed limit in a designated work area where a lane or part of a lane has been closed, unless the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), a county road commission, or a local authority determines and posts a different speed limit. Under the bill, the speed limit would be 45 miles per hour in a work zone that was between a “work zone begins” sign and an “end road work” sign, unless MDOT, a county road commission, or a local authority determined a different speed limit for that work zone.


Currently, MDOT, a county road commission, or a local authority must identify on streets and highways under its jurisdiction a designated work area with traffic control devices in conformance with the Michigan Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Under the bill, those entities instead would have to post in each work zone speed limit signs that indicated the speed limit in that work zone, and identified the work zone with any other traffic control devices necessary to conform to the manual.


MCL 257.320 et al. - Legislative Analyst: Julie Koval


FISCAL IMPACT


The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.


Date Completed: 12-4-03 - Fiscal Analyst: Bethany Wicksall

 - Bill BowermanFloor\hb5089 - Bill Analysis @ www.senate.michigan.gov/sfa

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.