The 2001-2002 session of the Massachusetts legislature is in session. Most of the action is in the next few months. This is an important session for us because the anti-motorists forces are out in strength.
The Public Safety Committee is considering several bills to lower speed limits. On their face some of them only seek to remove the requirement that the Highway Department approve all posted speed limits. In reality, cities are pushing for this bill because the department does not approve unreasonably low limits. Once the bill passes cities will post 25 MPH or lower speed limits anywhere they can fit a sign.
In the last session the Public Safety committee blocked speed limit reduction bills, but this time committee co-chairs Senator James Jajuga and Representative Timothy Toomey have thrown their support behind a bill that would allow cities and towns to post 25 MPH speed limits. If this or any of the several other speed limit bills passes you can expect 25 MPH or lower speed limits almost everywhere in Massachusetts. (Ever drive in Rhode Island? That is what the future looks like here.)
House Bill 3476, filed by Representative Kay Khan on behalf of NMA Activist John Carr, would strengthen standards for traffic control devices.
The Metropolitian District Commission (MDC) and Massachusetts Turnpike have admitted that they post speed limits without engineering studies. The MDC even claimed that they didn't have to obey the federal law that requires such studies. H3476 explicitly requires all state agencies to follow the Manual On Uniform Traffic Control Devices. This means the political appointees sitting in their offices in Boston would have to stop inventing numbers and let engineers post speed limits that have some relevance to road conditions. The MDC would also have to fix its 'red means go' signals. These are the cause of many close calls as drivers stop for a red light that doesn't really mean stop -- a dim green arrow pointing ahead says you can go straight without stopping.
H3476 would also reduce the use of stop signs for traffic obstruction by requiring an engineering study before four way stops or speed control stop signs could be installed. To make sure that signs reflect current conditions, four way stop signs, traffic signals, and speed limits would have to be reviewed from time to time to see whether change is needed.
Bill 3592, filed by Rep. Lida Harkins for State Chapter Coordinator Ivan Sever would direct the state to replace the political 55/65 MPH speed limits with speed limits determined on the basis of engineering studies.
H3408 would improve the procedure for traffic violations: The RMV could not suspend a driver's license without a hearing for a noncriminal traffic violation, as they often do today. Drivers could reschedule a hearing for a traffic ticket. Drivers could obtain a detailed description of the alleged violation from the police, and would be found not responsible (not guilty) if the police did not respond to requests for information.
Motorists are the silent majority. It is important that you make your opinion known now. Once you get a photo radar ticket for driving 26 MPH on a street that is safe at 40 it will be too late.
We need you to call or write your state senator and representative and register your opinion. (Don't know who they are? We can find out, or you can call the State House to ask.) Attending a committee hearing would also help -- the more people who show up for the NMA, the more credible we are. Contact us if you want to go to a hearing.
NMA's top priority for this spring is the defeat of the various speed limit reduction and ``local control'' bills. These have strong policital support. Key points to use when writing:
NMA's next priority is H3476, improved standards for traffic control devices. We have a chance to pass this bill because the Federal Highway Administration has threatened to cut off federal highway funds to the MDC unless it agrees to comply with the law, and money talks louder than just about anything else.
For more information about these bills, or other bills of interest to
NMA members, check out the bill status page on the NMA Massachusetts
web site
http://www.motorists.org/ma/bills.html
or contact:
John Carr
jfc@motorists.org
Ivan Sever
ma@motorists.org