Permitting local authorities with jurisdiction over city residence districts to reduce the maximum speed limit from 30 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour without an engineering and traffic investigation.

As Amended by House Committee
Session of 2025
HOUSE BILL No. 2220
By Committee on Transportation
Requested by Representative Awerkamp
2-3
AN ACT concerning traffic regulations; relating to speed limits; permitting
local authorities with jurisdiction over residence districts to reduce the
maximum speed limit from 30 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour in
their respective residence districts without an engineering and traffic
investigation; amending K.S.A. 8-1560 and repealing the existing
section.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
Section 1. K.S.A. 8-1560 is hereby amended to read as follows: 8-
1560. (a) Whenever local authorities in their respective jurisdictions
determine on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that the
maximum speed permitted is greater or less than is reasonable and safe
under the conditions found to exist upon a highway or part of a highway,
the local authority may determine and declare a reasonable and safe
maximum limit thereon which that:
(1) Decreases the limit at intersections;
(2) increases the limit within an urban district but does not to exceed
the maximum speed of 65 miles per hour;
(3) decreases the limit outside an urban district , but not to not less
than 20 miles per hour, except as authorized by K.S.A. 8-1560a, and
amendments thereto;
(4) decreases the limit within an urban district in a school zone to not
less than 20 miles per hour, except that any such decreased limit shall
apply only during the hours in which students are normally en route to or
from school,. Such zones and hours to shall be determined by ordinance or
resolution of such local authority; or
(5) decreases the limit within any residence district, but not to not less
than 20 miles per hour.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (h), local authorities in their
respective jurisdictions may determine by an engineering and traffic
investigation the proper maximum speed for all arterial streets and shall
declare a reasonable and safe maximum limit thereon which that may be
greater or less than the maximum speed permitted under this act for an
urban district or other location in which the arterial street is situated,
except that in no event shall any local authority establish any such
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HB 2220—Am. by HC 2
maximum limit in excess of 65 miles per hour.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (4) of subsection (a)
(4), any altered limit established as authorized shall be effective at all
times or during hours of darkness or at other times as may be determined
when appropriate signs giving notice thereof are erected upon such street
or highway.
(d) Any alteration of maximum limits on city connecting links shall
not be effective until such alteration has been approved by the secretary of
transportation.
(e) If local authorities in their respective jurisdictions have
established a speed limit within any residence district which that is less
than 30 miles per hour, prior to the effective date of this act, such speed
limit shall be deemed valid and shall not require an engineering and traffic
investigation.
(f) Local authorities in their respective jurisdictions may establish the
speed limit within a road construction zone, as defined in K.S.A. 8-1458a,
and amendments thereto, upon any highway under the jurisdiction of such
local authorities.
(g) The provisions of K.S.A. 8-1560b, and amendments thereto, shall
apply to the limitations on speed limits provided by subsection (a) of this
section.
(h) Local authorities who have jurisdiction over county or township
highways may determine, based on an engineering and traffic investigation
or without an engineering and traffic investigation , the proper maximum
speed for such county or township highways and shall declare a reasonable
and safe maximum limit thereon which that may be greater or less than the
maximum speed permitted under this act, except that in no event shall any
local authority establish any such maximum limit in excess of 65 miles per
hour.
(i) Local authorities who have jurisdiction over city residence
districts may reduce the maximum speed limit in their respective residence
districts from 30 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour without the
engineering and traffic investigation required by subsection (a).
Sec. 2. K.S.A. 8-1560 is hereby repealed.
Sec. 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.
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