Section 135A - Authority to construct low-speed local streets and local roads(a) The Department may plan, designate, construct, operate, and maintain low-speed local streets or roads to improve safety in accordance with a Safe System Approach by implementing proven safety countermeasures, including the following: (1) Implementing roadway reconfigurations.(2) Narrowing travel lanes or edge line striping.(3) Constructing raised medians, pinch points, chicanes, speed humps, speed tables, roundabouts, traffic circles, or diverters.(4) Implementing corridor access management.(5) Reducing clear zone conflicts.(6) Altering the operation of signals.(7) Other means found appropriate by the Department.(b) The Department shall design such designated low-speed streets or roads so that they have no more than 2 through-travel lanes for motor vehicles and with a goal that the free-flowing eighty-fifth percentile motor vehicle traffic speeds are 25 miles per hour or less in municipalities and 35 miles per hour or less in unincorporated areas. Such designated local streets and local roads shall be especially designed for local traffic to safely access abutting properties at low speed. In addition, the Department shall develop and implement design standards for low-speed streets or roads in accordance with a Safe System Approach to meet the goals of this section, including traffic calming, diversion of motor vehicle through traffic, and the protection of vulnerable users to reduce or eliminate safety risks on designated low-speed local streets and roads.(c) The Department shall publish annually county specific maps and lists identifying locations of fatal and serious injury crashes in all primary emphasis areas included in the Strategic Highway Safety Plan.(d) As used in this title, "Safe System Approach" means working in a comprehensive way and in cooperation with other State agencies, county, and local governments to improve all aspects of roadway safety through the following five initiatives: (1) Safe road users. Providing education and training programs to improve behavior for all users of the road.(2) Safe vehicles. In addition to the requirements under Title 21, implementing technologies in the roadway infrastructure that can prevent crashes or lessen their severity.(3) Safe speeds. Setting and enforcing speed limits based on what the road and surrounding environment can safely accommodate for all roadway users.(4) Safe roads. Designing and maintaining all elements of the State's roadway infrastructure to be forgiving of user mistakes and minimize the impact of crashes on human life.(5) Post-crash care. Implementing emergency response systems on the State's roadway network and technology infrastructure to enable efficient delivery of critical care to those involved in crashes.Added by Laws 2023, ch. 515,s 1, eff. 11/1/2024.