Bill Text: OH HB523 | 2013-2014 | 130th General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: To permit a person or neighborhood association or organization to request the Director of Transportation to reduce the speed limit on the street or highway of the person's residence or a street or highway located within the area of representation of the association or organization if the street or highway has a speed limit of not more than 35 miles per hour, and to permit a person or neighborhood association or organization to request the Director or a local authority to erect a stop sign at an intersection where currently no stop sign is present.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-2)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-04-22 - To Transportation, Public Safety and Homeland Security [HB523 Detail]

Download: Ohio-2013-HB523-Introduced.html
As Introduced

130th General Assembly
Regular Session
2013-2014
H. B. No. 523


Representatives Stinziano, Retherford 

Cosponsors: Representatives Curtin, Grossman, Hagan, R., Mallory, Phillips 



A BILL
To amend sections 4511.11 and 4511.21 of the Revised 1
Code to permit a person or neighborhood 2
association or organization to request the 3
Director of Transportation to reduce the speed 4
limit on the street or highway of the person's 5
residence or a street or highway located within 6
the area of representation of the association or 7
organization if the street or highway has a speed 8
limit of not more than 35 miles per hour, and to 9
permit a person or neighborhood association or 10
organization to request the Director or a local 11
authority to erect a stop sign at an intersection 12
where currently no stop sign is present.13


BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

       Section 1.  That sections 4511.11 and 4511.21 of the Revised 14
Code be amended to read as follows:15

       Sec. 4511.11.  (A) LocalSubject to division (B) of this 16
section, local authorities in their respective jurisdictions shall 17
place and maintain traffic control devices in accordance with the 18
department of transportation manual for a uniform system of 19
traffic control devices, adopted under section 4511.09 of the 20
Revised Code, upon highways under their jurisdiction as are 21
necessary to indicate and to carry out sections 4511.01 to 4511.76 22
and 4511.99 of the Revised Code, local traffic ordinances, or to 23
regulate, warn, or guide traffic.24

       (B)(1) Either of the following may submit a petition to the 25
director of transportation or the proper local authority, as the 26
case may be, requesting that a stop sign be erected at a location 27
of an intersection at which a stop sign currently is not present:28

       (a) A person who resides within a one-quarter mile radius of 29
the intersection location if the intersection location lies within 30
the boundaries of a municipal corporation, or a person who resides 31
within a one-half mile radius of the intersection location if the 32
intersection location does not lie within the boundaries of a 33
municipal corporation;34

       (b) A recognized neighborhood association or organization 35
that represents the area within which the intersection location is 36
located.37

       (2) The petition shall specify the intersection location at 38
which the person or association or organization desires the stop 39
sign to be erected by describing with specificity the intersection 40
location. If the intersection location is located within the 41
boundaries of a municipal corporation, the petition also shall 42
contain the signatures of not less than fifty-one per cent of the 43
persons who own real property within a one-quarter mile radius of 44
the intersection location. If the intersection location is not 45
located within the boundaries of a municipal corporation, the 46
petition also shall contain the signatures of not less than 47
fifty-one per cent of the persons who own real property within a 48
one-half mile radius of the intersection location.49

       (3) Upon receipt of such a petition, the director or local 50
authority shall determine whether a stop sign should be erected at 51
the intersection location. The director or local authority, in 52
addition to consulting the state manual, shall take into account 53
and give due consideration to the petition in determining whether 54
to erect the stop sign requested in the petition. The director or 55
local authority shall notify the person or association or 56
organization in writing of the director's or local authority's 57
decision regarding the requested stop sign.58

       If the director or local authority determines that a stop 59
sign should be erected at the intersection location, the director 60
shall enter the determination into the director's journal, or the 61
local authority shall issue a written determination. The director 62
or local authority shall install the stop sign at the intersection 63
location not later than thirty days after the date the director 64
enters the determination into the director's journal or the local 65
authority issues the written determination.66

       (C) The director of transportation may require to be removed 67
any traffic control device that does not conform to the state68
manual for a uniform system of traffic control devices on the69
extensions of the state highway system within municipal 70
corporations.71

       (C)(D) No village shall place or maintain any traffic control 72
signal upon an extension of the state highway system within the 73
village without first obtaining the permission of the director. 74
The director may revoke the permission and may require to be 75
removed any traffic control signal that has been erected without 76
the director's permission on an extension of a state highway 77
within a village, or that, if erected under a permit granted by 78
the director, does not conform to the state manual, or that is not 79
operated in accordance with the terms of the permit.80

       (D)(E) All traffic control devices erected on any street, 81
highway, alley, bikeway, or private road open to public travel 82
shall conform to the state manual.83

       (E)(F) No person, firm, or corporation shall sell or offer 84
for sale to local authorities any traffic control device that does 85
not conform to the state manual, except by permission of the 86
director.87

       (F)(G) No local authority shall purchase or manufacture any 88
traffic control device that does not conform to the state manual, 89
except by permission of the director.90

       (G)(H) Whoever violates division (E)(F) of this section is 91
guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree.92

       Sec. 4511.21.  (A) No person shall operate a motor vehicle, 93
trackless trolley, or streetcar at a speed greater or less than is 94
reasonable or proper, having due regard to the traffic, surface, 95
and width of the street or highway and any other conditions, and 96
no person shall drive any motor vehicle, trackless trolley, or 97
streetcar in and upon any street or highway at a greater speed 98
than will permit the person to bring it to a stop within the 99
assured clear distance ahead.100

       (B) It is prima-facie lawful, in the absence of a lower limit 101
declared or established pursuant to this section by the director 102
of transportation or local authorities, for the operator of a 103
motor vehicle, trackless trolley, or streetcar to operate the same 104
at a speed not exceeding the following:105

       (1)(a) Twenty miles per hour in school zones during school 106
recess and while children are going to or leaving school during 107
the opening or closing hours, and when twenty miles per hour 108
school speed limit signs are erected; except that, on 109
controlled-access highways and expressways, if the right-of-way 110
line fence has been erected without pedestrian opening, the speed 111
shall be governed by division (B)(4) of this section and on 112
freeways, if the right-of-way line fence has been erected without 113
pedestrian opening, the speed shall be governed by divisions 114
(B)(9) and (10) of this section. The end of every school zone may 115
be marked by a sign indicating the end of the zone. Nothing in 116
this section or in the manual and specifications for a uniform 117
system of traffic control devices shall be construed to require 118
school zones to be indicated by signs equipped with flashing or 119
other lights, or giving other special notice of the hours in which 120
the school zone speed limit is in effect.121

       (b) As used in this section and in section 4511.212 of the 122
Revised Code, "school" means any school chartered under section 123
3301.16 of the Revised Code and any nonchartered school that 124
during the preceding year filed with the department of education 125
in compliance with rule 3301-35-08 of the Ohio Administrative 126
Code, a copy of the school's report for the parents of the 127
school's pupils certifying that the school meets Ohio minimum 128
standards for nonchartered, nontax-supported schools and presents 129
evidence of this filing to the jurisdiction from which it is 130
requesting the establishment of a school zone. "School" also 131
includes a special elementary school that in writing requests the 132
county engineer of the county in which the special elementary 133
school is located to create a school zone at the location of that 134
school. Upon receipt of such a written request, the county 135
engineer shall create a school zone at that location by erecting 136
the appropriate signs.137

       (c) As used in this section, "school zone" means that portion 138
of a street or highway passing a school fronting upon the street 139
or highway that is encompassed by projecting the school property 140
lines to the fronting street or highway, and also includes that 141
portion of a state highway. Upon request from local authorities 142
for streets and highways under their jurisdiction and that portion 143
of a state highway under the jurisdiction of the director of 144
transportation or a request from a county engineer in the case of 145
a school zone for a special elementary school, the director may 146
extend the traditional school zone boundaries. The distances in 147
divisions (B)(1)(c)(i), (ii), and (iii) of this section shall not 148
exceed three hundred feet per approach per direction and are 149
bounded by whichever of the following distances or combinations 150
thereof the director approves as most appropriate:151

       (i) The distance encompassed by projecting the school 152
building lines normal to the fronting highway and extending a 153
distance of three hundred feet on each approach direction;154

       (ii) The distance encompassed by projecting the school 155
property lines intersecting the fronting highway and extending a 156
distance of three hundred feet on each approach direction;157

       (iii) The distance encompassed by the special marking of the 158
pavement for a principal school pupil crosswalk plus a distance of 159
three hundred feet on each approach direction of the highway.160

       Nothing in this section shall be construed to invalidate the 161
director's initial action on August 9, 1976, establishing all 162
school zones at the traditional school zone boundaries defined by 163
projecting school property lines, except when those boundaries are 164
extended as provided in divisions (B)(1)(a) and (c) of this 165
section.166

       (d) As used in this division, "crosswalk" has the meaning 167
given that term in division (LL)(2) of section 4511.01 of the 168
Revised Code.169

       The director may, upon request by resolution of the 170
legislative authority of a municipal corporation, the board of 171
trustees of a township, or a county board of developmental 172
disabilities created pursuant to Chapter 5126. of the Revised 173
Code, and upon submission by the municipal corporation, township, 174
or county board of such engineering, traffic, and other 175
information as the director considers necessary, designate a 176
school zone on any portion of a state route lying within the 177
municipal corporation, lying within the unincorporated territory 178
of the township, or lying adjacent to the property of a school 179
that is operated by such county board, that includes a crosswalk 180
customarily used by children going to or leaving a school during 181
recess and opening and closing hours, whenever the distance, as 182
measured in a straight line, from the school property line nearest 183
the crosswalk to the nearest point of the crosswalk is no more 184
than one thousand three hundred twenty feet. Such a school zone 185
shall include the distance encompassed by the crosswalk and 186
extending three hundred feet on each approach direction of the 187
state route.188

       (e) As used in this section, "special elementary school" 189
means a school that meets all of the following criteria:190

       (i) It is not chartered and does not receive tax revenue from 191
any source.192

       (ii) It does not educate children beyond the eighth grade.193

       (iii) It is located outside the limits of a municipal 194
corporation.195

       (iv) A majority of the total number of students enrolled at 196
the school are not related by blood.197

       (v) The principal or other person in charge of the special 198
elementary school annually sends a report to the superintendent of 199
the school district in which the special elementary school is 200
located indicating the total number of students enrolled at the 201
school, but otherwise the principal or other person in charge does 202
not report any other information or data to the superintendent.203

       (2) Twenty-five miles per hour in all other portions of a 204
municipal corporation, except on state routes outside business 205
districts, through highways outside business districts, and 206
alleys;207

       (3) Thirty-five miles per hour on all state routes or through 208
highways within municipal corporations outside business districts, 209
except as provided in divisions (B)(4) and (6) of this section;210

       (4) Fifty miles per hour on controlled-access highways and 211
expressways within municipal corporations;212

       (5) Fifty-five miles per hour on highways outside municipal 213
corporations, other than highways within island jurisdictions as 214
provided in division (B)(8) of this section, highways as provided 215
in division (B)(9) of this section, and highways, expressways, and 216
freeways as provided in divisions (B)(12), (13), (14), and (16) of 217
this section;218

       (6) Fifty miles per hour on state routes within municipal 219
corporations outside urban districts unless a lower prima-facie 220
speed is established as further provided in this section;221

       (7) Fifteen miles per hour on all alleys within the municipal 222
corporation;223

       (8) Thirty-five miles per hour on highways outside municipal 224
corporations that are within an island jurisdiction;225

       (9) Sixty miles per hour on two-lane state routes outside 226
municipal corporations as established by the director under 227
division (H)(2) of this section.228

        (10) Fifty-five miles per hour at all times on freeways with 229
paved shoulders inside municipal corporations, other than freeways 230
as provided in divisions (B)(14) and (16) of this section;231

       (11) Fifty-five miles per hour at all times on freeways 232
outside municipal corporations, other than freeways as provided in 233
divisions (B)(14) and (16) of this section;234

       (12) Sixty miles per hour for operators of any motor vehicle 235
at all times on all portions of rural divided highways;236

       (13) Sixty-five miles per hour for operators of any motor 237
vehicle at all times on all rural expressways without traffic 238
control signals;239

       (14) Seventy miles per hour for operators of any motor 240
vehicle at all times on all rural freeways;241

        (15) Fifty-five miles per hour for operators of any motor 242
vehicle at all times on all portions of freeways in congested 243
areas as determined by the director and that are part of the 244
interstate system and are located within a municipal corporation 245
or within an interstate freeway outerbelt;246

       (16) Sixty-five miles per hour for operators of any motor 247
vehicle at all times on all portions of freeways in urban areas as 248
determined by the director and that are part of the interstate 249
system and are part of an interstate freeway outerbelt.250

       (C) It is prima-facie unlawful for any person to exceed any 251
of the speed limitations in divisions (B)(1)(a), (2), (3), (4), 252
(6), (7), and (8) of this section, or any declared or established 253
pursuant to this section by the director or local authorities and 254
it is unlawful for any person to exceed any of the speed 255
limitations in division (D) of this section. No person shall be 256
convicted of more than one violation of this section for the same 257
conduct, although violations of more than one provision of this 258
section may be charged in the alternative in a single affidavit.259

       (D) No person shall operate a motor vehicle, trackless 260
trolley, or streetcar upon a street or highway as follows:261

       (1) At a speed exceeding fifty-five miles per hour, except 262
upon a two-lane state route as provided in division (B)(9) of this 263
section and upon a highway, expressway, or freeway as provided in 264
divisions (B)(12), (13), (14), and (16) of this section;265

       (2) At a speed exceeding sixty miles per hour upon a two-lane 266
state route as provided in division (B)(9) of this section and 267
upon a highway as provided in division (B)(12) of this section;268

        (3) At a speed exceeding sixty-five miles per hour upon an 269
expressway as provided in division (B)(13) or upon a freeway as 270
provided in division (B)(16) of this section, except upon a 271
freeway as provided in division (B)(14) of this section;272

       (4) At a speed exceeding seventy miles per hour upon a 273
freeway as provided in division (B)(14) of this section;274

       (5) At a speed exceeding the posted speed limit upon a 275
highway, expressway, or freeway for which the director has 276
determined and declared a speed limit pursuant to division (I)(2) 277
or (L)(2) of this section.278

       (E) In every charge of violation of this section the 279
affidavit and warrant shall specify the time, place, and speed at 280
which the defendant is alleged to have driven, and in charges made 281
in reliance upon division (C) of this section also the speed which 282
division (B)(1)(a), (2), (3), (4), (6), (7), or (8) of, or a limit 283
declared or established pursuant to, this section declares is 284
prima-facie lawful at the time and place of such alleged 285
violation, except that in affidavits where a person is alleged to 286
have driven at a greater speed than will permit the person to 287
bring the vehicle to a stop within the assured clear distance 288
ahead the affidavit and warrant need not specify the speed at 289
which the defendant is alleged to have driven.290

       (F) When a speed in excess of both a prima-facie limitation 291
and a limitation in division (D) of this section is alleged, the 292
defendant shall be charged in a single affidavit, alleging a 293
single act, with a violation indicated of both division (B)(1)(a), 294
(2), (3), (4), (6), (7), or (8) of this section, or of a limit 295
declared or established pursuant to this section by the director 296
or local authorities, and of the limitation in division (D) of 297
this section. If the court finds a violation of division 298
(B)(1)(a), (2), (3), (4), (6), (7), or (8) of, or a limit declared 299
or established pursuant to, this section has occurred, it shall 300
enter a judgment of conviction under such division and dismiss the 301
charge under division (D) of this section. If it finds no 302
violation of division (B)(1)(a), (2), (3), (4), (6), (7), or (8) 303
of, or a limit declared or established pursuant to, this section, 304
it shall then consider whether the evidence supports a conviction 305
under division (D) of this section.306

       (G) Points shall be assessed for violation of a limitation 307
under division (D) of this section in accordance with section 308
4510.036 of the Revised Code.309

       (H)(1) Whenever the director determines upon the basis of a 310
geometric and traffic characteristic study that any speed limit 311
set forth in divisions (B)(1)(a) to (D) of this section is greater 312
or less than is reasonable or safe under the conditions found to 313
exist at any portion of a street or highway under the jurisdiction 314
of the director, the director shall determine and declare a 315
reasonable and safe prima-facie speed limit, which shall be 316
effective when appropriate signs giving notice of it are erected 317
at the location.318

       (2) Whenever the director determines upon the basis of a 319
geometric and traffic characteristic study that the speed limit of 320
fifty-five miles per hour on a two-lane state route outside a 321
municipal corporation is less than is reasonable or safe under the 322
conditions found to exist at that portion of the state route, the 323
director may determine and declare a speed limit of sixty miles 324
per hour for that portion of the state route, which shall be 325
effective when appropriate signs giving notice of it are erected 326
at the location.327

       (I)(1)(a) Except as provided in divisions (I)(2) and (K) of 328
this section, whenever local authorities determine upon the basis 329
of an engineering and traffic investigation that the speed 330
permitted by divisions (B)(1)(a) to (D) of this section, on any 331
part of a highway under their jurisdiction, is greater than is 332
reasonable and safe under the conditions found to exist at such 333
location, the local authorities may by resolution request the 334
director to determine and declare a reasonable and safe 335
prima-facie speed limit. Upon receipt of such request the director 336
may determine and declare a reasonable and safe prima-facie speed 337
limit at such location, and if the director does so, then such 338
declared speed limit shall become effective only when appropriate 339
signs giving notice thereof are erected at such location by the 340
local authorities. The director may withdraw the declaration of a 341
prima-facie speed limit whenever in the director's opinion the 342
altered prima-facie speed becomes unreasonable. Upon such 343
withdrawal, the declared prima-facie speed shall become 344
ineffective and the signs relating thereto shall be immediately 345
removed by the local authorities.346

       (b) In relation to a determination by the director regarding 347
a request for a lower prima-facie speed limit under division 348
(I)(1)(a) of this section for a street or highway with a speed 349
limit of not more than thirty-five miles per hour, either of the 350
following may submit a petition to the director supporting a 351
request for the lower prima-facie speed limit:352

        (i) A person who resides on the street or highway;353

        (ii) A recognized neighborhood association or organization 354
that represents the area within which the street or highway is 355
located.356

        The petition shall specify the portion of the street or 357
highway that the person or association or organization desires to 358
be the subject of the speed limit reduction by describing with 359
reasonable specificity the portion at issue. The petition also 360
shall contain the signatures of not less than fifty-one per cent 361
of the persons who own real property located on the portion of the 362
street or highway at issue.363

        Upon receipt of such a petition, the director, in making a 364
determination regarding a speed limit modification pursuant to 365
division (I)(1)(a) of this section, shall take into account and 366
give due consideration to the petition in determining whether to 367
declare a lower prima-facie speed limit on the portion of the 368
street or highway specified in the petition. The director shall 369
notify the person or association or organization in writing of the 370
director's decision regarding the requested lower prima-facie 371
speed limit.372

       (2) A local authority may determine on the basis of a 373
geometric and traffic characteristic study that the speed limit of 374
sixty-five miles per hour on a portion of a freeway under its 375
jurisdiction that was established through the operation of 376
division (L)(3) of this section is greater than is reasonable or 377
safe under the conditions found to exist at that portion of the 378
freeway. If the local authority makes such a determination, the 379
local authority by resolution may request the director to 380
determine and declare a reasonable and safe speed limit of not 381
less than fifty-five miles per hour for that portion of the 382
freeway. If the director takes such action, the declared speed 383
limit becomes effective only when appropriate signs giving notice 384
of it are erected at such location by the local authority.385

       (J) Local authorities in their respective jurisdictions may 386
authorize by ordinance higher prima-facie speeds than those stated 387
in this section upon through highways, or upon highways or 388
portions thereof where there are no intersections, or between 389
widely spaced intersections, provided signs are erected giving 390
notice of the authorized speed, but local authorities shall not 391
modify or alter the basic rule set forth in division (A) of this 392
section or in any event authorize by ordinance a speed in excess 393
of fifty miles per hour.394

       Alteration of prima-facie limits on state routes by local 395
authorities shall not be effective until the alteration has been 396
approved by the director. The director may withdraw approval of 397
any altered prima-facie speed limits whenever in the director's 398
opinion any altered prima-facie speed becomes unreasonable, and 399
upon such withdrawal, the altered prima-facie speed shall become 400
ineffective and the signs relating thereto shall be immediately 401
removed by the local authorities.402

       (K)(1) As used in divisions (K)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of this 403
section, "unimproved highway" means a highway consisting of any of 404
the following:405

       (a) Unimproved earth;406

       (b) Unimproved graded and drained earth;407

       (c) Gravel.408

       (2) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (K)(4) and (5) 409
of this section, whenever a board of township trustees determines 410
upon the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that 411
the speed permitted by division (B)(5) of this section on any part 412
of an unimproved highway under its jurisdiction and in the 413
unincorporated territory of the township is greater than is 414
reasonable or safe under the conditions found to exist at the 415
location, the board may by resolution declare a reasonable and 416
safe prima-facie speed limit of fifty-five but not less than 417
twenty-five miles per hour. An altered speed limit adopted by a 418
board of township trustees under this division becomes effective 419
when appropriate traffic control devices, as prescribed in section 420
4511.11 of the Revised Code, giving notice thereof are erected at 421
the location, which shall be no sooner than sixty days after 422
adoption of the resolution.423

       (3)(a) Whenever, in the opinion of a board of township 424
trustees, any altered prima-facie speed limit established by the 425
board under this division becomes unreasonable, the board may 426
adopt a resolution withdrawing the altered prima-facie speed 427
limit. Upon the adoption of such a resolution, the altered 428
prima-facie speed limit becomes ineffective and the traffic 429
control devices relating thereto shall be immediately removed.430

       (b) Whenever a highway ceases to be an unimproved highway and 431
the board has adopted an altered prima-facie speed limit pursuant 432
to division (K)(2) of this section, the board shall, by 433
resolution, withdraw the altered prima-facie speed limit as soon 434
as the highway ceases to be unimproved. Upon the adoption of such 435
a resolution, the altered prima-facie speed limit becomes 436
ineffective and the traffic control devices relating thereto shall 437
be immediately removed.438

       (4)(a) If the boundary of two townships rests on the 439
centerline of an unimproved highway in unincorporated territory 440
and both townships have jurisdiction over the highway, neither of 441
the boards of township trustees of such townships may declare an 442
altered prima-facie speed limit pursuant to division (K)(2) of 443
this section on the part of the highway under their joint 444
jurisdiction unless the boards of township trustees of both of the 445
townships determine, upon the basis of an engineering and traffic 446
investigation, that the speed permitted by division (B)(5) of this 447
section is greater than is reasonable or safe under the conditions 448
found to exist at the location and both boards agree upon a 449
reasonable and safe prima-facie speed limit of less than 450
fifty-five but not less than twenty-five miles per hour for that 451
location. If both boards so agree, each shall follow the procedure 452
specified in division (K)(2) of this section for altering the 453
prima-facie speed limit on the highway. Except as otherwise 454
provided in division (K)(4)(b) of this section, no speed limit 455
altered pursuant to division (K)(4)(a) of this section may be 456
withdrawn unless the boards of township trustees of both townships 457
determine that the altered prima-facie speed limit previously 458
adopted becomes unreasonable and each board adopts a resolution 459
withdrawing the altered prima-facie speed limit pursuant to the 460
procedure specified in division (K)(3)(a) of this section.461

       (b) Whenever a highway described in division (K)(4)(a) of 462
this section ceases to be an unimproved highway and two boards of 463
township trustees have adopted an altered prima-facie speed limit 464
pursuant to division (K)(4)(a) of this section, both boards shall, 465
by resolution, withdraw the altered prima-facie speed limit as 466
soon as the highway ceases to be unimproved. Upon the adoption of 467
the resolution, the altered prima-facie speed limit becomes 468
ineffective and the traffic control devices relating thereto shall 469
be immediately removed.470

       (5) As used in division (K)(5) of this section:471

       (a) "Commercial subdivision" means any platted territory 472
outside the limits of a municipal corporation and fronting a 473
highway where, for a distance of three hundred feet or more, the 474
frontage is improved with buildings in use for commercial 475
purposes, or where the entire length of the highway is less than 476
three hundred feet long and the frontage is improved with 477
buildings in use for commercial purposes.478

       (b) "Residential subdivision" means any platted territory 479
outside the limits of a municipal corporation and fronting a 480
highway, where, for a distance of three hundred feet or more, the 481
frontage is improved with residences or residences and buildings 482
in use for business, or where the entire length of the highway is 483
less than three hundred feet long and the frontage is improved 484
with residences or residences and buildings in use for business.485

       Whenever a board of township trustees finds upon the basis of 486
an engineering and traffic investigation that the prima-facie 487
speed permitted by division (B)(5) of this section on any part of 488
a highway under its jurisdiction that is located in a commercial 489
or residential subdivision, except on highways or portions thereof 490
at the entrances to which vehicular traffic from the majority of 491
intersecting highways is required to yield the right-of-way to 492
vehicles on such highways in obedience to stop or yield signs or 493
traffic control signals, is greater than is reasonable and safe 494
under the conditions found to exist at the location, the board may 495
by resolution declare a reasonable and safe prima-facie speed 496
limit of less than fifty-five but not less than twenty-five miles 497
per hour at the location. An altered speed limit adopted by a 498
board of township trustees under this division shall become 499
effective when appropriate signs giving notice thereof are erected 500
at the location by the township. Whenever, in the opinion of a 501
board of township trustees, any altered prima-facie speed limit 502
established by it under this division becomes unreasonable, it may 503
adopt a resolution withdrawing the altered prima-facie speed, and 504
upon such withdrawal, the altered prima-facie speed shall become 505
ineffective, and the signs relating thereto shall be immediately 506
removed by the township.507

       (L)(1) On the effective date of this amendmentSeptember 29, 508
2013, the director of transportation, based upon an engineering 509
study of a highway, expressway, or freeway described in division 510
(B)(12), (13), (14), (15), or (16) of this section, in 511
consultation with the director of public safety and, if 512
applicable, the local authority having jurisdiction over the 513
studied highway, expressway, or freeway, may determine and declare 514
that the speed limit established on such highway, expressway, or 515
freeway under division (B)(12), (13), (14), (15), or (16) of this 516
section either is reasonable and safe or is more or less than that 517
which is reasonable and safe.518

       (2) If the established speed limit for a highway, expressway, 519
or freeway studied pursuant to division (L)(1) of this section is 520
determined to be more or less than that which is reasonable and 521
safe, the director of transportation, in consultation with the 522
director of public safety and, if applicable, the local authority 523
having jurisdiction over the studied highway, expressway, or 524
freeway, shall determine and declare a reasonable and safe speed 525
limit for that highway, expressway, or freeway.526

       (N)(M)(1)(a) If the boundary of two local authorities rests 527
on the centerline of a highway and both authorities have 528
jurisdiction over the highway, the speed limit for the part of the 529
highway within their joint jurisdiction shall be either one of the 530
following as agreed to by both authorities:531

       (i) Either prima-facie speed limit permitted by division (B) 532
of this section;533

       (ii) An altered speed limit determined and posted in 534
accordance with this section.535

       (b) If the local authorities are unable to reach an 536
agreement, the speed limit shall remain as established and posted 537
under this section.538

       (2) Neither local authority may declare an altered 539
prima-facie speed limit pursuant to this section on the part of 540
the highway under their joint jurisdiction unless both of the 541
local authorities determine, upon the basis of an engineering and 542
traffic investigation, that the speed permitted by this section is 543
greater than is reasonable or safe under the conditions found to 544
exist at the location and both authorities agree upon a uniform 545
reasonable and safe prima-facie speed limit of less than 546
fifty-five but not less than twenty-five miles per hour for that 547
location. If both authorities so agree, each shall follow the 548
procedure specified in this section for altering the prima-facie 549
speed limit on the highway, and the speed limit for the part of 550
the highway within their joint jurisdiction shall be uniformly 551
altered. No altered speed limit may be withdrawn unless both local 552
authorities determine that the altered prima-facie speed limit 553
previously adopted becomes unreasonable and each adopts a 554
resolution withdrawing the altered prima-facie speed limit 555
pursuant to the procedure specified in this section.556

       (O)(N) As used in this section:557

       (1) "Interstate system" has the same meaning as in 23 558
U.S.C.A. 101.559

       (2) "Commercial bus" means a motor vehicle designed for 560
carrying more than nine passengers and used for the transportation 561
of persons for compensation.562

       (3) "Noncommercial bus" includes but is not limited to a 563
school bus or a motor vehicle operated solely for the 564
transportation of persons associated with a charitable or 565
nonprofit organization.566

       (4) "Outerbelt" means a portion of a freeway that is part of 567
the interstate system and is located in the outer vicinity of a 568
major municipal corporation or group of municipal corporations, as 569
designated by the director.570

       (5) "Rural" means outside urbanized areas, as designated in 571
accordance with 23 U.S.C. 101, and outside of a business or urban 572
district.573

       (P)(O)(1) A violation of any provision of this section is one 574
of the following:575

       (a) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (P)(O)(1)(b), 576
(1)(c), (2), and (3) of this section, a minor misdemeanor;577

       (b) If, within one year of the offense, the offender 578
previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to two 579
violations of any provision of this section or of any provision of 580
a municipal ordinance that is substantially similar to any 581
provision of this section, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree;582

       (c) If, within one year of the offense, the offender 583
previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to three or 584
more violations of any provision of this section or of any 585
provision of a municipal ordinance that is substantially similar 586
to any provision of this section, a misdemeanor of the third 587
degree.588

       (2) If the offender has not previously been convicted of or 589
pleaded guilty to a violation of any provision of this section or 590
of any provision of a municipal ordinance that is substantially 591
similar to this section and operated a motor vehicle faster than 592
thirty-five miles an hour in a business district of a municipal 593
corporation, faster than fifty miles an hour in other portions of 594
a municipal corporation, or faster than thirty-five miles an hour 595
in a school zone during recess or while children are going to or 596
leaving school during the school's opening or closing hours, a 597
misdemeanor of the fourth degree.598

       (3) Notwithstanding division (P)(O)(1) of this section, if 599
the offender operated a motor vehicle in a construction zone where 600
a sign was then posted in accordance with section 4511.98 of the 601
Revised Code, the court, in addition to all other penalties 602
provided by law, shall impose upon the offender a fine of two 603
times the usual amount imposed for the violation. No court shall 604
impose a fine of two times the usual amount imposed for the 605
violation upon an offender if the offender alleges, in an 606
affidavit filed with the court prior to the offender's sentencing, 607
that the offender is indigent and is unable to pay the fine 608
imposed pursuant to this division and if the court determines that 609
the offender is an indigent person and unable to pay the fine.610

       Section 2.  That existing sections 4511.11 and 4511.21 of the 611
Revised Code are hereby repealed.612

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