EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0780*
HOUSE BILL 780
R5 5lr2866
HB 278/24 – ENT
By: Delegate Kerr Delegates Kerr, Boyce, Healey, Lehman, and Ziegler
Introduced and read first time: January 29, 2025
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 22, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Urban State Highways – Speed Limits – Exemptions 2
FOR the purpose of authorizing the State Highway Administration to decrease the 3
maximum speed limit by a certain amount on certain urban State highways without 4
an engineering and traffic investigation; investigation, subject to certain notice 5
requirements; prohibiting the use of speed monitoring systems on certain urban 6
State highways under certain circumstances; and generally relating to speed limits 7
on urban State highways. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 9
Article – Transportation 10
Section 8–630(a)(1) and (3) and 21–801.1(b) 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 13
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 14
Article – Transportation 15
Section 21–802 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 18
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
Article – Transportation 21 2 HOUSE BILL 780
8–630. 1
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 2
(3) “Urban highway” means a highway, other than an expressway, that is: 3
(i) 1. Constructed with a curb and gutter and an enclosed type 4
storm drainage system; 5
2. Located in an urban area and on which is located a public 6
facility that creates appreciable pedestrian traffic along the highway from adjacent areas; 7
3. Located within urban boundaries as defined by the U.S. 8
Census Bureau; or 9
4. Located within the boundaries of a municipal corporation; 10
and 11
(ii) Part of the State highway system. 12
21–801.1. 13
(b) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the maximum speed limits are: 14
(1) 15 miles per hour in alleys in Baltimore County; 15
(2) 30 miles per hour on: 16
(i) All highways in a business district; and 17
(ii) Undivided highways in a residential district; 18
(3) 35 miles per hour on divided highways in a residential district; 19
(4) 50 miles per hour on undivided highways in other locations; and 20
(5) 55 miles per hour on divided highways in other locations. 21
21–802. 22
(a) [If] SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION, IF, on the basis of an 23
engineering and traffic investigation, the State Highway Administration determines that 24
any maximum speed limit specified in this subtitle is greater or less than reasonable or 25
safe under existing conditions on any part of a highway under its jurisdiction, it may 26
establish a reasonable and safe maximum speed limit for that part of the highway. 27
HOUSE BILL 780 3
(b) (1) An engineering and traffic investigation is not required [to]: 1
(1) (I) TO conform a posted maximum speed limit in effect on December 2
31, 1974, to a different limit specified in § 21–801.1(b) of this subtitle; OR 3
(2) (II) FOR THE STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION TO DEC REASE 4
BY 5 MILES PER HOUR THE M AXIMUM SPEED LIMIT A UTHORIZED UNDER § 5
21–801.1(B)(2) AND (3) OF THIS SUBTITLE ON ANY URBAN HIGHWAY , AS DEFINED IN 6
§ 8–630 OF THIS ARTICLE, UNDER ITS JURISDICTI ON. 7
(2) THE STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION : 8
(I) SHALL PUBLISH NOTICE OF A PROPOSED REDUCT ION OF A 9
MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT UNDER PARAGR APH (1)(II) OF THIS SUBSECTION O N ITS 10
WEBSITE AND IN A NEW SPAPER OF GENERAL CI RCULATION IN THE JUR ISDICTION IN 11
WHICH THE SPEED LIMI T DECREASE APPLIES A T LEAST 30 DAYS BEFORE TAKING 12
ACTION TO DECREASE T HE SPEED LIMIT; AND 13
(II) MAY NOT USE OR ALLOW THE USE OF A SPEED MONIT ORING 14
SYSTEM TO ENFORCE SP EED LIMITS ON ANY PO RTION OF AN URBAN HI GHWAY 15
UNDER ITS JURISDICTI ON FOR WHICH THE SPE ED LIMIT HAS BEEN DE CREASED 16
WITHOUT PERFORMING A N ENGINEERING AND TR AFFIC INVESTIGATION FOR 6 17
MONTHS AFTER THE SPE ED LIMIT DECREASE. 18
(c) Under this section, the State Highway Administration may: 19
(1) Establish a maximum speed limit to apply at all times or only at 20
specified times; and 21
(2) Establish differing limits for different times of day, different types of 22
vehicles, different weather conditions, or other factors bearing on safe speeds. 23
(d) An altered maximum speed limit established under this section is effective 24
when posted on appropriate signs giving notice of the limit. 25
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, T hat this Act shall take effect 26
October 1, 2025. 27