SENATE, No. 2294
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
INTRODUCED DECEMBER 1, 1997
By Senator SINGER
An Act concerning municipal streets and amending R.S.39:4-8.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. R.S.39:4-8 is amended to read as follows:
39:4-8.a. Except as otherwise provided in this section, no ordinance or resolution concerning, regulating or governing traffic or traffic conditions, adopted or enacted by any board or body having jurisdiction over highways, shall be of any force or effect unless the same is approved by the Commissioner of Transportation, according to law. The commissioner shall not be required to approve any such ordinance, resolution or regulation, unless, after investigation by him, the same shall appear to be in the interest of safety and the expedition of traffic on the public highways.
b. In the case of totally self-contained streets under municipal jurisdiction which have no direct connection with any street in any other municipality, or in the case of totally self-contained streets under county jurisdiction which have no direct connection with any street in any other county, the municipality or county may, by ordinance or resolution, as appropriate, without the approval of the Commissioner of Transportation, designate [reasonable and safe speed limits,] parking restrictions, no passing zones, mid-block crosswalks and crosswalks at intersections, except that in the case of any streets under municipal jurisdiction, the municipality may, by ordinance, designate reasonable and safe speed limits and in the case of totally self-contained streets under county jurisdiction which have no direct connection with any street in any other county, the county may, by ordinance or resolution, as appropriate, designate reasonable and safe speed limits, and erect appropriate signs, designate any intersection as a stop or yield intersection and erect appropriate signs and place longitudinal pavement markings delineating the separation of traffic flows and the edge of the pavement, provided that the municipal or county engineer shall, under his seal as a licensed professional engineer, certify to the municipal or county governing body, as appropriate, that any designation or erection of signs or placement of markings: (1) has been approved by him after investigation by him of the circumstances, (2) appears to him to be in the interest of safety and the expedition of traffic on the public highways and (3) conforms to the current standards prescribed by the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, as adopted by the Commissioner of Transportation.
A certified copy of the adopted ordinance or resolution, as appropriate, shall be transmitted by the clerk of the municipality or county, as appropriate, to the commissioner within 30 days of adoption, together with a copy of the engineer's certification; a statement of the reasons for the engineer's decision; detailed information as to the location of streets, intersections and signs affected by any designation or erection of signs or placement of markings; and traffic count, accident and speed sampling data, when appropriate. The commissioner, at his discretion, may invalidate the provisions of the ordinance or resolution within 90 days of receipt of the certified copy if he reviews it and finds that the provisions of the ordinance or resolution are inconsistent with the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets or Highways; are inconsistent with accepted engineering standards; are not based on the results of an accurate traffic and engineering survey; or place an undue traffic burden or impact on streets in an adjoining municipality or negatively affect the flow of traffic on the State highway system.
Nothing in this subsection shall allow municipalities to designate any intersection with any highway under State or county jurisdiction as a stop or yield intersection or counties to designate any intersection with any highway under State or municipal jurisdiction as a stop or yield intersection.
c. Subject to the provisions of R.S.39:4-138, in the case of any street under municipal or county jurisdiction, a municipality or county may, without the approval of the Commissioner of Transportation, do the following:
By ordinance or resolution:
(1) prohibit or restrict general parking;
(2) designate restricted parking under section 1 of P.L.1977, c.309 (C.39:4-197.6);
(3) designate time limit parking;
(4) install parking meters.
By ordinance, resolution or regulation:
(1) designate loading and unloading zones and taxi stands;
(2) approve street closings for periods up to 48 continuous hours; and
(3) designate restricted parking under section 1 of P.L.1977, c.202 (C.39:4-197.5).
Nothing in this subsection shall allow municipalities or counties to establish angle parking or to reinstate or add parking on any street, or approve the closure of streets for more than 48 continuous hours, without the approval of the Commissioner of Transportation.
(cf: P.L.1996, c.113, s.6)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would permit municipalities, by ordinance, to designate reasonable and safe speed limits on all municipal streets under their jurisdiction without the approval of the Commissioner of Transportation, provided that certain statutory conditions are met. Under current law, municipalities may only exercise this option regarding streets under their jurisdiction that are self-contained (i.e. are not connected at municipal borders with other roads).
Permits certain municipal speed limit designations.