House of Representatives

HB 2376

highway work safety; penalties

Sponsors: Representatives Cooley, Anderson, et al

dpa	Committee on Transportation
x	Caucus and COW
	As Passed the House

House Bill 2376 doubles the civil penalties for exceeding the speed limit in a highway work zone when workers are present. In addition, HB 2376 establishes a highway work zone safety fund in which one-quarter of the civil penalties collected for speeding in a highway work zone when workers are present shall be deposited.

Provisions

· Requires ADOT to adopt standards and specifications for implementing traffic control devices in state highway work zones.

· Specifies that the standards and specifications shall include posting signs at least 1000 feet before a work zone to warn drivers they are approaching a work zone, and signs to indicate the end of the work zone.

· Mandates signs to be posted at lease every 2500 feet to warn drivers that speeding fines will be doubled if workers are present.

· Doubles the civil traffic penalty for speeding in a highway work zone if workers are present.

· Establishes a new violation for speeding in a highway work zone but only doubles the fines if workers are present.

· Prohibits the court from assessing a surcharge on one-half of the civil penalty if it is doubled.

· Requires signs and other traffic control devices to be removed when work is completed.

· Mandates flaggers stationed in highway work zones to have completed a recognized training and certification program.

· Establishes a highway work zone safety fund administered by the governor’s office of highway safety in which one-quarter of the doubled civil penalties collected under this section shall be deposited to the fund for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a public education program for highway work zone safety.

· Specifies that monies in the fund are continuously appropriated.

· Specifies the other quarter of the doubled civil penalty is to be deposited in the State Highway Fund to offset costs for state highway work zone signage.

· Defines “highway work zone” as an area within a state highway right of way and that is subject to preliminary engineering work or construction, repair or maintenance work.

· Makes technical and conforming changes.

House Bill 2376 passed the Committee on Transportation amended as follows:

· Applies these provisions and requirements only to ADOT and state highways.

· Requires signage posted at least one thousand feet ahead of a state highway work zone indicating to drivers they are entering a state highway work zone.

· Requires signage every 2500 feet posted within the state highway work zone indicating civil traffic penalties are doubled for exceeding the posted speed limit when workers are present.

· Specifies that signs shall indicate the beginning and end of the state highway work zone.

· Mandates sign removal after preliminary engineering work, repair or maintenance work is complete.

· Establishes a specific violation code for violating the speed limit set by signs in a state highway work zone, but does not double the fines if workers are not present.

· States fifty percent of the doubled civil traffic penalties collected pursuant to this section shall be split two ways: one-half to the state highway work zone safety fund for public education campaigns and one-half to the state highway fund for purchase of state highway work zone traffic control devices.

· Outlines requirements for training and certification of flaggers.

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· 45th Legislature

· First Regular Session 3 March 5, 2001

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