Bill Text: NJ A1719 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes "Local Safe Corridor Fund"; increases penalties on roadway designated as local safe corridor and dedicates funds to local safe corridor safety initiatives.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-01-27 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee [A1719 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-A1719-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
217th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2016 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RONALD S. DANCER
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
Assemblywoman NANCY F. MUNOZ
District 21 (Morris, Somerset and Union)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes "Local Safe Corridor Fund"; increases penalties on roadway designated as local safe corridor and dedicates funds to local safe corridor safety initiatives.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning safety initiatives on local highways, amending P.L.1993, c.332, and supplementing Title 39 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1993, c.332 (C.39:4-203.5) is amended to read as follows:
1. a. For the purposes of this [act] section and P.L. , c. (C. (pending before the Legislature as this bill):
"Area of highway construction or repair" means that segment of any highway which is identified by properly posted traffic control devices or signs as undergoing construction, reconstruction, repair, or maintenance operation. An area of highway construction or repair shall consist of that area between the first traffic control device or sign informing motor vehicle operators of their approaching highway construction or repair and the last traffic control device or sign indicating all restrictions are removed and normal motor vehicle operations may resume.
"Local safe corridor" or "local safe corridor area" means a segment of highway under the jurisdiction of a county or a municipality which, based upon accident rates, fatalities, traffic volume, and other highway traffic safety criteria, is identified by the Director of the Division of Highway Traffic Safety in the Department of Law and Public Safety as a segment warranting designation as a local safe corridor.
"Highway" means any highway under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation, a county, a municipality, or a toll road authority.
"Safe corridor" or "safe corridor area" means a segment of highway under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation which, based upon accident rates, fatalities, traffic volume, and other highway traffic safety criteria, is identified by the Commissioner of Transportation as a segment warranting designation as a "safe corridor."
"Toll road authority" means the New Jersey Turnpike Authority or the South Jersey Transportation Authority.
b. The fine for a motor vehicle
offense embodied in the following sections of statutory law, when committed in
an area of highway construction or repair, [or
when committed in]
a designated safe corridor, or a designated local safe corridor, shall
be double the amount specified by the following sections of statutory
law:
Subsection b. of R.S.39:3-20;
R.S.39:4-52;
R.S.39:4-57;
R.S.39:4-71;
R.S.39:4-80;
R.S.39:4-81;
R.S.39:4-82;
R.S.39:4-83;
R.S.39:4-84;
R.S.39:4-85;
R.S.39:4-86;
R.S.39:4-88;
R.S.39:4-89;
R.S.39:4-90;
R.S.39:4-96;
R.S.39:4-97;
R.S.39:4-98;
R.S.39:4-99;
R.S.39:4-105;
R.S.39:4-115;
R.S.39:4-119;
R.S.39:4-122;
R.S.39:4-123;
R.S.39:4-124;
R.S.39:4-125;
R.S.39:4-127;
R.S.39:4-129;
R.S.39:4-144;
P.L.1955, c.217 (C.39:5C-1);
Section 48 of P.L.1951, c.23 (C.39:4-66.1);
Section 41 of P.L.1951, c.23 (C.39:4-82.1);
Section 51 of P.L.1951, c.23 (C.39:4-90.1);
Section 1 of P.L.2000, c.75 (C.39:4-97.2);
Section 6 of P.L.1997, c.415 (C.39:4-98.7);
Section 5 of P.L.1951, c.264 (C.27:23-29);
Section 18 of P.L.1952, c.16 (C.27:12B-18); and
Section 21 of P.L.1991, c.252 (C.27:25A-21).
When an area of highway construction or repair is within a safe corridor or local safe corridor, the fine for a motor vehicle offense embodied in the preceding sections of statutory law shall be doubled only once. When a safe corridor or local safe corridor is within an area of highway construction or repair, the fine for a motor vehicle offense embodied in the preceding sections of statutory law shall be doubled only once. Fines for violation of section 6 of P.L.1997, c.415 (C.39:4-98.7) in a safe corridor, local safe corridor, or an area of highway construction or repair shall be doubled only once. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the increase from the doubled fines imposed and collected in designated safe corridor areas shall be forwarded by the person to whom they are paid to the State Treasurer, who shall annually deposit those moneys in the "Highway Safety Fund" established pursuant to section 5 of P.L.2003, c.131 (C.39:3-20.4). Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the increase from the doubled fines imposed and collected in designated local safe corridor areas shall be forwarded by the person to whom they are paid to the State Treasurer, who shall annually deposit those moneys in the "Local Safe Corridor Fund" established pursuant to section 3 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
c. (1) Signs designed in compliance with the specifications of the Department of Transportation or, if appropriate, the toll road authority having jurisdiction over the appropriate highway, shall be appropriately placed, by order of the Commissioner of Transportation, the appropriate local official, or the affected toll road authority, as the case may be, to notify drivers approaching areas of highway construction or repair, [or] designated safe corridor areas, or designated local safe corridor areas that the fines are doubled for motor vehicle offenses in those areas.
(2) [In addition, all] All traffic control signs and devices erected or displayed by the State Department of Transportation, a county, a municipality, or a toll road authority within an area of highway construction or repair [or], a safe corridor area, or a local safe corridor area shall conform to the uniform system specified in the most current "Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways," prepared by the Federal Highway Administration in the United States Department of Transportation.
d. It shall not be a defense to the imposition of the fines authorized under the provisions of [P.L.1993, c.332] this section that a sign notifying drivers who are approaching highway construction or repair areas, [or] designated safe corridor areas, or local safe corridor areas that fines are doubled for motor vehicle offenses in those areas was not posted, improperly posted, wrongfully removed or stolen, or that signs or devices were not placed in compliance with the most current "Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways" as required pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection c. of this section.
e. The [director] chief administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission shall include information concerning the penalties imposed pursuant to this [act] section in any subsequent revision of the New Jersey Driver Manual and the New Jersey Motorist Guide.
f. Safe corridor areas shall be designated by traffic order issued pursuant to P.L.1998, c.28 (C.39:4-8.2 et seq.).
g. Local safe corridor areas shall be designated pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
(cf: P.L.2013, c.253, s.23)
2. (New section) The Director of the Division of Highway Traffic Safety in the Department of Law and Public Safety shall establish a process for a county or municipality, or a combination thereof, to have a segment of highway within the jurisdiction of the county or municipality designated as a local safe corridor area. At minimum, the application shall require the county or municipality to provide data on accident rates, fatalities, traffic volume, and any other information that the director deems appropriate concerning that segment of highway. Upon review of the application, the director shall make a determination as to whether the segment of highway shall be designated as a local safe corridor area.
3. (New section) a. There is established in the General Fund a separate, nonlapsing, dedicated account to be known as the "Local Safe Corridor Fund." All fines, penalties, and forfeitures imposed and collected as a result of the increase from the doubling of fines imposed and collected pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1993, c.332 (C.39:4-203.5) in designated local safe corridor areas shall be forwarded to the State Treasurer for deposit into the Local Safe Corridor Fund account. The fund shall be administered by the Division of Highway Traffic Safety in the Department of Law and Public Safety which shall establish a grant program to fund local law enforcement agencies for special enforcement efforts associated with the implementation of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). The moneys in the account shall be used exclusively for local highway safety projects and programs, including education, enforcement, capital improvements, and any other related measures and undertakings as the Division of Highway Traffic Safety and the Division of State Police may deem appropriate to foster local highway safety.
b. The Division of Highway Traffic Safety shall annually, in conjunction with the Division of State Police, submit a report on the results of the local safe corridor areas and a list of safety projects and programs paid for by the fund within the past year to the Senate Transportation Committee and the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee, the President and the Minority Leader of the Senate, and the Speaker and the Minority Leader of the General Assembly.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill authorizes the Division of Highway Traffic Safety (DHTS) in the Department of Law and Public Safety, upon application by a county or municipality, to designate segments of local highways as local safe corridor areas. The bill requires the director of DHTS to establish a process for counties and municipalities to apply to have a segment of highway under their jurisdiction designated as a local safe corridor area. The application is required to include data on accident rates, fatalities, traffic volume, and any other information that the director deems appropriate concerning that segment of highway.
Fines for traffic violations in a designated local safe corridor area would be doubled and the increase from the doubled fine would be deposited in the "Local Safe Corridor Fund" (fund) established by the bill. Moneys in the fund are to be administered by DHTS and disbursed to local governments in the form of grant money for local highway safety projects and programs.
The bill requires DHTS, in conjunction with the Division of State Police, to annually submit a report on the results of the local safe corridor areas and a list of safety projects and programs paid for by the fund during the prior year to the Senate Transportation Committee, Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee, President and Minority Leader of the Senate, and Speaker and Minority Leader of the General Assembly.
Under current law, the State is authorized to establish "safe corridor" zones on highways under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation. This bill provides counties and municipalities the opportunity to have dangerous roadways under their jurisdiction designated as "local safe corridor" zones.
