Bill > S03882

This bill modifies existing New York state vehicle and traffic law to provide more flexibility for local governments in setting area speed limits. Specifically, the bill removes a previous requirement that speed limit changes must be certified by a licensed professional traffic engineer and must strictly adhere to engineering considerations outlined in the state's traffic control devices manual. The legislation applies to both cities/villages and towns, allowing them to establish speed limits lower than the standard 55 miles per hour maximum, with some restrictions: speed limits cannot generally be set below 25 miles per hour, though there are specific exceptions for certain communities like Long Beach, Buffalo, Rochester, and some areas in the town of Hempstead. The bill also expands the ability of town boards to set speed limits, including allowing towns with fewer than 50,000 residents to set speed limits if they adopt a local law authorizing such action. School zones can still set lower speed limits (as low as 15 miles per hour) for short distances near school entrances. The changes essentially give local governments more autonomy in determining appropriate speed limits for their specific local conditions without requiring complex engineering certification.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3882