Bill Text: NJ S4489 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Authorizes municipalities to lower speed limits in historic districts without engineering and traffic investigation.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-06-22 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Transportation Committee [S4489 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-S4489-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator TROY SINGLETON
District 7 (Burlington)
SYNOPSIS
Authorizes municipalities to lower speed limits in historic districts without engineering and traffic investigation.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning speed limits in historic districts and amending R.S.39:4-98.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. R.S.39:4-98 is amended to read as follows:
39:4-98. Rates of speed. Subject to the provisions of R.S.39:4-96 and R.S.39:4-97 and except in those instances where a lower speed is specified in this chapter, it shall be prima facie lawful for the driver of a vehicle to drive it at a speed not exceeding the following:
a. (1) Twenty-five miles per hour, when passing through a school zone during recess, when the presence of children is clearly visible from the roadway, or while children are going to or leaving school, during opening or closing hours;
(2) Twenty-five miles per hour on certain portions of Route 130 in Burlington City, Burlington County, as provided by paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection a. of section 3 of P.L.2019, c.5 (C.39:4-98.12);
(3) Thirty-five miles per hour on certain portions of Route 130 in Burlington City, Burlington County, as provided by paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection a. of section 3 of P.L.2019, c.5 (C.39:4-98.12);
b. (1) Twenty-five miles per hour in any business or residential district;
(2) Thirty-five miles per hour in any suburban business or residential district;
(3) Fifteen miles per hour in any historic district where the municipality having jurisdiction over the historic district has established a 15 miles per hour speed limit pursuant to this paragraph. A municipality may establish by ordinance a speed limit of 15 miles per hour in a historic district within the jurisdiction of the municipality. Notwithstanding any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, a municipality shall not be required to perform an engineering and traffic investigation to establish the 15 miles per hour speed limit in a historic district.
As used in this paragraph, "historic district" means an area in the State listed as a historic district in the National Register of Historic Places in accordance with the provisions of chapter 3021 of Title 54, United States Code (54 U.S.C. s.302101 et seq.) and in the New Jersey Register of Historic Places pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1970, c.268 (C.13:1B-15.128 et seq.); and
c. Fifty miles per hour in all other locations, except as otherwise provided in the "Sixty-Five MPH Speed Limit Implementation Act," pursuant to P.L.1997, c.415 (C.39:4-98.3 et al.).
Whenever it shall be determined upon the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that any speed hereinbefore set forth is greater or less than is reasonable or safe under the conditions found to exist at any intersection or other place or upon any part of a highway, the Commissioner of Transportation, with reference to State highways, may by regulation and municipal or county authorities, with reference to highways under their jurisdiction, may by ordinance, in the case of municipal authorities, or by ordinance or resolution, in the case of county authorities, subject to the approval of the Commissioner of Transportation, except as otherwise provided in R.S.39:4-8, designate a reasonable and safe speed limit thereat which, subject to the provisions of R.S.39:4-96 and R.S.39:4-97, shall be prima facie lawful at all times or at such times as may be determined, when appropriate signs giving notice thereof are erected at such intersection, or other place or part of the highway. Appropriate signs giving notice of the speed limits authorized under the provisions of paragraph (1) of subsection b. and subsection c. of this section may be erected if the commissioner or the municipal or county authorities, as the case may be, so determine they are necessary. Appropriate signs giving notice of the speed limits authorized under the provisions of subsection a. and [paragraph] paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection b. of this section shall be erected by the commissioner or the municipal or county authorities, as appropriate.
When designating reasonable and safe speed limits for a street under its jurisdiction pursuant to this subsection, as part of an engineering and traffic investigation, a municipality or county shall consider, but not be limited to, the following criteria: residential density; the presence, or lack, of sidewalks; the prevalence of entry and exit ways for business and commercial establishments; whether school children walk adjacent to the street on their way to and from school; and the proximity of recreational or park areas, schools, community residences, family day care homes, child care centers, assisted living facilities, or senior communities. Nothing in this paragraph shall substitute for traffic count, accident, and speed sampling data as appropriate.
The driver of every vehicle shall, consistent with the requirements of this section, drive at an appropriate reduced speed when approaching and crossing an intersection or railway grade crossing, when approaching and going around a curve, when approaching a hill crest, when traveling upon any narrow or winding roadway, and when special hazard exists with respect to pedestrians or other traffic or by reason of weather or highway conditions.
The Commissioner of Transportation shall cause the erection and maintenance of signs at such points of entrance to the State as are deemed advisable, setting forth the lawful rates of speed, the wording of which shall be within the commissioner's discretion.
(cf: P.L.2019, c.5, s.4)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill permits municipalities to establish a speed limit of 15 miles per hour in a historic district without performing an engineering and traffic investigation.
Under current law, drivers are permitted to drive a vehicle at a maximum rate of 25 miles per hour in certain areas. However, there is not a specific speed limit established for historic districts in the State.
Under the bill, a "historic district" is defined as an area in the State listed as a historic district in the National Register of Historic Places, pursuant to federal law and in the New Jersey Register of Historic Places, pursuant to State law.
