Topeka — Motorists will be able to drive faster on some Kansas highways and pay less for some seat belt violations under a bill that has been signed into law by Gov. Sam Brownback.
House Bill 2192 contained several major transportation provisions.
It also allows motorcyclists and bicyclists to proceed with caution through red lights that they are unable to trigger to change to green.
And the new law requires motorists to maintain a minimum 3-foot distance when passing a bicyclist.
Under the law, the speed limit of 70 mph could be increased to 75 mph on some stretches of separated, multilane highways.
The change could apply to more than 1,000 miles of roadway, but the Kansas Department of Transportation will make the final decision on where to increase the limit.
The seat-belt provision limits fines on a recent primary seat-belt law to $10. The primary law allows police to pull over drivers for not wearing a seat belt even if there is no other infraction.
Some cities had used their home-rule authority to levy higher fines, which angered some lawmakers.
The so-called “dead red” provision of the new law allows motorcyclists and bicyclists to run red lights if the light fails to turn green within a reasonable amount of time because of a signal malfunction or if the signal has failed to detect the motorcycle or bicycle.
Bicyclists had sought to establish the 3-foot minimum passing distance in Kansas law, saying that would raise awareness about the problems of unsafe passing.
Comments
seeker_of_truth 3 years ago
So the faster people can get thru Kansas, the better?
edjayhawk 3 years ago
People that are logical unlike you and the Governor.
BigPrune 3 years ago
Brownback gives us freedoms and his detractors complain. Why kind of people are you?
verity 3 years ago
Bicycles have to stop at red lights? Could have fooled me. Generally they just fly right through red lights and stop signs.
edjayhawk 3 years ago
Pigballin only wants attention. Just don't respond to him. We all know he is the biggest idiot.
edjayhawk 3 years ago
Screw you Brownbut. I'm still going to drive 65. Looking forward to more accidents, fatalities, and oil consumption.
mloburgio 3 years ago
All four memebers of the United States House of Representatives from kansas Tim Huelskamp, Lynn Jenkins,Kevin Yoder and last but not least Mike [i love the koch brothers] Pompeo voted today to cut medicare and medicaid as we know it. replacing it with subsidies for private insurance and it would simultaneously spend trillions of dollars to reduce tax rates on the wealthiest americans. The plan contains $1.4 trillion in Medicaid cuts over ten years (which includes repeal of the health reform law’s Medicaid expansion); large cuts in food stamps, low-income housing, Pell Grants, and other programs for people with limited incomes; and repeal of the health reform law’s subsidies to help low- and moderate-income people purchase health insurance.... Cuts of this magnitude in programs for people of low or modest incomes will lead to substantial increases in poverty and hardship. In addition, the steep cuts in programs like Pell Grants to help low-income students get a college education would reduce the opportunity for many individuals to lift themselves out of poverty. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/04......
DeaconBlue 3 years ago
Like the Leaf and Prius can go that fast for more than 2 miles.
TJ_in_Lawrence 3 years ago
i hope this new 3 foot rule helps keep bicycles safer. There are a lot if them on the roads these days.
pigballin 3 years ago
All you morons complaining about not liking the repeal of certain laws and raising the speed limit on certain highways out in the far rural areas. There are people that want gov't to control every function of their body,,meaning i don't want freedom of my body. I can't make a rational decision on my own. The progressive left politicians pounds this into your head ,but in the same token says to themselves i don't have to adhere to these laws i have voted up you. Typical left thinking is to be led around by the ear lobe in life. The left thinking: We need less guns so the street thug has less fear of retaliation. We need speed limits of 30 on the interstate to save rubber on wheels. We need 10 watt bulbs to light the house to save on AlGore energy ,although it doesn't apply to him...We need speed bumps every 10 ft on Mass street so drivers are aware there is a 20 mph speed limit...We need push lawn mowers to save on oil.,,We need to dress alike and and have the same haircut so some one might not be offended. On and on. The liberal way that has turned to a far left socialist mode of telling you,,,you can't think without us. Just lay on the corner with an offering cup in your hand. We will send your jobs over seas.
Paul R Getto 3 years ago
Sorry, CAR repair shops.
Paul R Getto 3 years ago
Job creation for the undertakers and care repair shops. Finally some eco-devo out of the legislature.
bluedawg79 3 years ago
Way to go Brownback. This should make the Koch family very happy. Higher speed limits mean more gasoline used and more money in the oil companies pockets. Oh, and gas prices are going up too? How convenient!
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/drivehabits.shtml
The only positive, maybe some jobs will be created putting up these new signs. I'd guess it takes a crew of 10 to 12 to put up one sign, right?
booklover2 3 years ago
Although I will admit that I have a heavy foot and it would seem I might be pleased with this news, I am not. I think it is a bad idea. There are proven studies that correlate speed with accidents. I think it is also ill-timed at a time when gas prices are hovering around $4.00/gallon. Interesting that about the only thing this administration has accomplished so far is raise the speed limits and put further restrictions on abortions. Way to go when we've got budget issues and high unemployment. How about we do something about these issues?
Shane Garrett 3 years ago
Flying I-70 twice a day. Seems the motto by troopers is 9 you are fine, 10 you are mine. S0 78mph was never a problem.
Keith Richards 3 years ago
Semis hardly ever go faster than 70 anyway, and it has nothing to do with the speed limit. It has everything to do with gas mileage as they do get paid by mileage.
I am in full support of this measure. For those of you that that are worried about conservation, should the government also tell me I can't have a swimming pool and what temperature to heat and cool my house to?
Richard Heckler 3 years ago
The oil industry just received one more boost of corporate welfare...
Why do so many want to further support the oil industry CEO's, BOD's and shareholders? This group is laughing all the to the bank one more time.
4 wheel drive vehicles have been given the green light to drive way beyond their capacity to control.
"The bill also allows motorcyclists and bicyclists to proceed with caution through some red lights." This law supersedes city ordinances. Hmmmmmmm have the GOP gone nuts?
Jan Rolls 3 years ago
Dear scott did you not have space to tell us when this takes effect. Lousy reporting.
gccs14r 3 years ago
If they're going to have a 75 mph limit, it needs to be for only non-commercial vehicles during daylight hours. The nighttime and commercial limit needs to be no more than 65.
MyName 3 years ago
As long as we keep it under 88 MPH. 'Cause then we're all going Back... to the Future!
CLARKKENT 3 years ago
JUST GOES TO SHOW THE QUALITY OF GOVERNOR WE ELECTED.
hujiko 3 years ago
How much is it going to cost to replace all of the 70 mph signs?
We need jobs, Mr. Governor, not frivolous legislation.
naturalist 3 years ago
Run red lights? What am I missing here?
bunnyhawk 3 years ago
Indeed. Let's have those semi-trailers driving 85 or 90 MPH on the interstate highways instead of the 80 MPH they drive now. 75 wouldn't be quite so bad IF speed limits were actually enforced. Think of all the lost revenue to the State of Kansas by failing to enforce existing laws.
I guess we're not even going to talk about energy conservation and how much more gasoline is used when driving at higher speeds............
Makes you wonder if Sam doesn't look at Kansas as just someplace to get through quickly......what could be going on in his little teabag mind?????
zzgoeb 3 years ago
Way to go Governor Sam!!! We need less safety!!! Folks ignore the law, and so let's let the law change right? Seatbelts save lives dude....If the GOP is so concerned about tax dollars, this will only cost us more....death and destruction on the road cost bucks to clean up...
Commenting has been disabled for this item.