49-207. Municipal registration prohibited -- Power to enact regulatory ordinances not abolished. (1) Authorities of counties and cities shall have no power to pass, enforce or maintain any ordinance requiring from any owner of a vehicle or any dealer to which this title shall be applicable, any tax, license or permit for the free use of the public highways of a county or city, or prohibiting or excluding any owner or dealer from the free use of such highways or excluding or prohibiting any vehicle registered in compliance with the provisions of this title from the free use of the highways. Powers given by general statutes to local authorities in cities to enact general ordinances applicable equally and generally to all vehicles and the use of highways to bring about the orderly passage of vehicles upon certain highways in such cities where the traffic is heavy and continuous, and powers given to cities to regulate vehicles offered to the public for hire, or processions, assemblages or parades on the highways or in public places shall remain in full force and effect, and all ordinances which may have been or which may be enacted in pursuance of those powers shall remain in full force and effect. These provisions of law shall not be construed to prevent cities from enacting and enforcing general ordinances prescribing additional requirements as to speed, manner of driving, or operating vehicles on any of the highways of such cities, and prescribing other requirements pertaining to signals to be given by drivers or operators of motor vehicles, the carrying of lights on motor vehicles, the turning of motor vehicles on highways, and requirements for motor vehicles in passing other vehicles and pedestrians.
(2) Whenever local authorities in their respective jurisdictions, including the duly elected officials of an incorporated city acting in the capacity of a local authority, determine on the basis of an engineering or traffic investigation, and the residential, urban or business character of the neighborhood abutting the highway in a residential, business or urban district that the speed limit permitted under this title is greater than is reasonable and safe under the conditions found to exist upon a highway or part of a highway or because of the residential, urban or business character of the neighborhood abutting the highway in a residential, business or urban district, the local authority may determine and declare a reasonable and safe maximum limit which:
(a) Decreases the limit within a residential, business or urban district; or
(b) Decreases the limit outside an urban district.
(3) Local authorities in their respective jurisdictions shall determine by an engineering or traffic investigation the proper maximum speed not exceeding a maximum limit of sixty-five (65) miles per hour for all arterial highways and shall declare a reasonable and safe maximum limit which may be greater or less than the limit permitted under this title for an urban district.
(4) Any decreased speed limit established shall be effective at all times or during hours of darkness or at other times as may be determined when appropriate signs giving notice are erected upon the highway according to requirements of the department.
(5) Upon the decision of the duly elected officials of an incorporated city to decrease the speed limit on highways within the city, excluding controlled access and interstate highways, the city will notify in writing the local district office of the department prior to implementing the change in speed limits. The department shall have thirty (30) days from the day written notice is received to assist implementation, such as providing transitional speed limit signs and taking other steps necessary to preserve public safety.
49-207. Municipal registration prohibited -- Power to enact regulatory ordinances not abolished. (1) Authorities of counties and cities shall have no power to pass, enforce or maintain any ordinance requiring from any owner of a vehicle or any dealer to which this title shall be applicable, any tax, license or permit for the free use of the public highways of a county or city, or prohibiting or excluding any owner or dealer from the free use of such highways or excluding or prohibiting any vehicle registered in compliance with the provisions of this title from the free use of the highways. Powers given by general statutes to local authorities in cities to enact general ordinances applicable equally and generally to all vehicles and the use of highways to bring about the orderly passage of vehicles upon certain highways in such cities where the traffic is heavy and continuous, and powers given to cities to regulate vehicles offered to the public for hire, or processions, assemblages or parades on the highways or in public places shall remain in full force and effect, and all ordinances which may have been or which may be enacted in pursuance of those powers shall remain in full force and effect. These provisions of law shall not be construed to prevent cities from enacting and enforcing general ordinances prescribing additional requirements as to speed, manner of driving, or operating vehicles on any of the highways of such cities, and prescribing other requirements pertaining to signals to be given by drivers or operators of motor vehicles, the carrying of lights on motor vehicles, the turning of motor vehicles on highways, and requirements for motor vehicles in passing other vehicles and pedestrians.
(2) Whenever local authorities in their respective jurisdictions, including the duly elected officials of an incorporated city acting in the capacity of a local authority, determine on the basis of an engineering or traffic investigation, and the residential, urban or business character of the neighborhood abutting the highway in a residential, business or urban district that the speed limit permitted under this title is greater than is reasonable and safe under the conditions found to exist upon a highway or part of a highway or because of the residential, urban or business character of the neighborhood abutting the highway in a residential, business or urban district, the local authority may determine and declare a reasonable and safe maximum limit which:
(a) Decreases the limit within a residential, business or urban district; or
(b) Decreases the limit outside an urban district.
(3) Local authorities in their respective jurisdictions shall determine by an engineering or traffic investigation the proper maximum speed not exceeding a maximum limit of sixty-five (65) miles per hour for all arterial highways and shall declare a reasonable and safe maximum limit which may be greater or less than the limit permitted under this title for an urban district.
(4) Any decreased speed limit established shall be effective at all times or during hours of darkness or at other times as may be determined when appropriate signs giving notice are erected upon the highway according to requirements of the department.
(5) Upon the decision of the duly elected officials of an incorporated city to decrease the speed limit on highways within the city, excluding controlled access and interstate highways, the city will notify in writing the local district office of the department prior to implementing the change in speed limits. The department shall have thirty (30) days from the day written notice is received to assist implementation, such as providing transitional speed limit signs and taking other steps necessary to preserve public safety.
49-207. Municipal registration prohibited -- Power to enact regulatory ordinances not abolished. (1) Authorities of counties and cities shall have no power to pass, enforce or maintain any ordinance requiring from any owner of a vehicle or any dealer to which this title shall be applicable, any tax, license or permit for the free use of the public highways of a county or city, or prohibiting or excluding any owner or dealer from the free use of such highways or excluding or prohibiting any vehicle registered in compliance with the provisions of this title from the free use of the highways. Powers given by general statutes to local authorities in cities to enact general ordinances applicable equally and generally to all vehicles and the use of highways to bring about the orderly passage of vehicles upon certain highways in such cities where the traffic is heavy and continuous, and powers given to cities to regulate vehicles offered to the public for hire, or processions, assemblages or parades on the highways or in public places shall remain in full force and effect, and all ordinances which may have been or which may be enacted in pursuance of those powers shall remain in full force and effect. These provisions of law shall not be construed to prevent cities from enacting and enforcing general ordinances prescribing additional requirements as to speed, manner of driving, or operating vehicles on any of the highways of such cities, and prescribing other requirements pertaining to signals to be given by drivers or operators of motor vehicles, the carrying of lights on motor vehicles, the turning of motor vehicles on highways, and requirements for motor vehicles in passing other vehicles and pedestrians.
(2) Whenever local authorities in their respective jurisdictions, including the duly elected officials of an incorporated city acting in the capacity of a local authority, determine on the basis of an engineering or traffic investigation, and the residential, urban or business character of the neighborhood abutting the highway in a residential, business or urban district that the speed limit permitted under this title is greater than is reasonable and safe under the conditions found to exist upon a highway or part of a highway or because of the residential, urban or business character of the neighborhood abutting the highway in a residential, business or urban district, the local authority may determine and declare a reasonable and safe maximum limit which:
(a) Decreases the limit within a residential, business or urban district; or
(b) Decreases the limit outside an urban district.
(3) Local authorities in their respective jurisdictions shall determine by an engineering or traffic investigation the proper maximum speed not exceeding a maximum limit of sixty-five (65) miles per hour for all arterial highways and shall declare a reasonable and safe maximum limit which may be greater or less than the limit permitted under this title for an urban district.
(4) Any decreased speed limit established shall be effective at all times or during hours of darkness or at other times as may be determined when appropriate signs giving notice are erected upon the highway according to requirements of the department.
(5) Upon the decision of the duly elected officials of an incorporated city to decrease the speed limit on highways within the city, excluding controlled access and interstate highways, the city will notify in writing the local district office of the department prior to implementing the change in speed limits. The department shall have thirty (30) days from the day written notice is received to assist implementation, such as providing transitional speed limit signs and taking other steps necessary to preserve public safety.
