Montgomery County - Highways - Maximum Speed Limits MC 1-25
Summary
HB963 authorizes a local authority in Montgomery County to lower the maximum speed limit on a highway to as low as 15 miles per hour without first conducting an engineering and traffic investigation. Under current law, local authorities generally must complete such an investigation before changing speed limits, and the bill creates a Montgomery County-specific exception to that requirement for very low speed limits. The bill leaves in place the existing rules that speed-limit changes must be posted on signs to take effect and that changes to State highways generally require approval from the State Highway Administration, except in Baltimore City.
The measure is narrow in scope and applies only to Montgomery County, though the underlying statute also covers Anne Arundel County and municipalities in both counties. It does not broadly change statewide speed-limit authority, but it does expand local discretion in Montgomery County to reduce speed limits on certain highways more quickly and without the usual technical study. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.
Impact
HB963 amends Transportation Article § 21-803 to create a Montgomery County-only exception allowing local authorities to reduce a highway speed limit to no less than 15 mph without an engineering and traffic investigation. This changes the procedural requirements for setting very low speed limits in that county and may affect county roads, municipal streets, and potentially State highways within Montgomery County, subject to existing sign-posting and State Highway Administration approval rules. It does not alter the general statewide framework for speed-limit changes outside the specified county exception.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been received favorably in the House, with the committee report marked favorable and the House adopting the measure. The floor vote was strongly supportive, passing third reading 120-18. The available record suggests broad support for giving Montgomery County more flexibility over local traffic calming and speed management, with limited visible opposition in the voting record.
Contention
The main point of contention is the removal of the engineering and traffic investigation requirement for Montgomery County when lowering speed limits to 15 mph or higher under the specified provision. Supporters likely view this as a local control and safety tool for traffic calming, while opponents may be concerned about bypassing the usual data-driven process and the potential for inconsistent or overly aggressive speed-limit reductions. Another possible issue is that the bill is county-specific, which can raise questions about unequal treatment among jurisdictions, though no committee transcript is available here to identify specific arguments.