State Highway Administration - Traffic Calming Devices - Study
HB 70 would require the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) to study and recommend a consistent statewide policy for the use of traffic calming devices on highways in the State. The bill does not itself establish a new traffic calming program or mandate the installation of devices; instead, it directs SHA to research best practices, identify when such devices should be used, and develop recommended guidelines for their deployment.
The study would also examine how SHA could provide technical support to counties and municipalities that want to use traffic calming devices, and it would identify academic, nonprofit, or other organizations that could help develop and implement a statewide policy. SHA would be required to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 1, 2026. The bill takes effect June 1, 2026.
If enacted, the bill would not immediately change substantive highway or traffic-control law, but it would add a new planning and reporting duty for the State Highway Administration. It would create a formal state-level review of traffic calming practices and could influence future regulations, guidance, or legislation affecting state highways and local road design. Counties and municipalities could be affected indirectly if SHA later develops statewide standards or technical assistance based on the study.
The available record shows no committee testimony, recorded votes, or floor debate, and the bill was ultimately withdrawn by the sponsor in the House. Based on the bill’s limited scope as a study measure, the overall posture appears procedural and exploratory rather than controversial. The absence of recorded opposition or support makes it difficult to identify a strong public sentiment from the available materials.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential areas of debate, if the bill had advanced, would likely have centered on whether the State Highway Administration should set statewide guidance for traffic calming devices, how much discretion counties and municipalities should retain, and whether the study could lead to more restrictive or more standardized roadway design requirements. Because the bill was withdrawn and no transcripts or votes are available, no side is clearly identified as holding these concerns.