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1996 SESSION

961948749
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 7
Offered January 10, 1996
Prefiled December 21, 1995
Requesting the Secretary of Transportation to establish a special task force to study highway speed limits.
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Patron-- Waddell
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Referred to the Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, the U.S. Congress enacted and the President signed into Law on November 28, 1995, federal legislation abolishing federally mandated maximum highway speed limits; and

WHEREAS, this action returns to the Commonwealth of Virginia the authority to establish appropriate maximum highway speed limits for the various classifications of highways and vehicles types within the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, the rapid, safe, efficient, and effective flow of traffic on the Commonwealth's highways should be based on sound, rational, and objective criteria; and

WHEREAS, it is highly desirable that the development and implementation of sound, rational, and objective criteria for setting maximum highway speed limits on the various classifications of highways and vehicle types within the Commonwealth so as to promote the rapid, safe, efficient and effective flow of traffic involve the participation not only of those state agencies responsible for highway safety, but also other public and private sector transportation safety-related groups; and

WHEREAS, highways in the Commonwealth built and maintained to federal interstate highway safety and design standards have design speeds in excess of 65 mph and also incorporate a number of other safety features to facilitate the rapid, safe, efficient, and effective movement of traffic; and

WHEREAS, the ultimate responsibility for establishing maximum highway speed limits on the Commonwealth's highways rests with the General Assembly of Virginia; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the Secretary of Transportation be hereby requested to convene a special task force on safe maximum highway speed limits to conduct a study for the purpose of recommending appropriate maximum highway speed limits for the various classifications of highways and types of vehicles within the Commonwealth, based on the development of sound, rational, and objective criteria designed to facilitate the rapid, safe, efficient, and effective movement of traffic on the Commonwealth's highways; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the membership of this special task force include, but not be limited to, representatives of, the Commonwealth Transportation Board, the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Virginia Transportation Safety Board, the Virginia State Police, the Crash Investigation Team of the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Virginia Highway Research Council, the Virginia Association of Counties, the Virginia Municipal League, the Virginia Association of Sheriffs, the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, the American Automobile Association, and such other organizations as may be designated by the Secretary of Transportation; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the task force consider no maximum highway speed limits in excess of 55 miles per hour be considered (i) for any highway system or segment within the Commonwealth of Virginia other than for those located in rural areas and built and maintained substantially to federal interstate highway safety and design standards existing as of November 28, 1995, and (ii) until the Virginia General Assembly receives the report of the Secretary's special task force and enacts revised maximum highway speed limits; and, be it

RESOLVED FINALLY, That the special task force shall complete its work in time to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 1997 Session of the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for processing legislative documents.