S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
6959
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
April 14, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the highway law, in relation to establishing a highway
safety corridor on the Southern State Parkway located in Long Island
and to making conforming changes
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Article 13 of the highway law is redesignated article 15
and sections 350, 351, 351-a, 352, 353 and 354 are renumbered sections
400, 401, 402, 403, 404 and 405.
§ 2. The highway law is amended by adding a new article 13 to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 13
HIGHWAY SAFETY CORRIDORS
SECTION 375. PURPOSE AND APPLICATION.
375-A. DEFINITIONS.
375-B. TRAFFIC AND ENGINEERING INVESTIGATION.
375-C. TRAFFIC SIGNS.
§ 375. PURPOSE AND APPLICATION. 1. THIS ARTICLE IS ENACTED TO IMPROVE
SAFETY IN A TARGETED HIGH CRASH LOCATION DESIGNATED AS A HIGHWAY SAFETY
CORRIDOR WHERE MOTORISTS ARE EXPOSED TO INCREASED LEVELS OF ENFORCEMENT
AND INCREASED PENALTIES FOR MOVING VIOLATIONS RELATING TO UNSAFE DRIVING
BEHAVIOR.
2. THE SIGNS SPECIFIED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE IN ADDITION TO THE TRAFF-
IC-CONTROL DEVICES REQUIRED BY DEPARTMENT REGULATIONS AND APPLY TO
PUBLIC HIGHWAYS WITHIN THIS STATE.
§ 375-A. DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN THIS ARTICLE, "SOUTHERN STATE PARK-
WAY HIGHWAY SAFETY CORRIDOR" OR "CORRIDOR" MEANS THE PORTION OF THE
SOUTHERN STATE PARKWAY DETERMINED BY A TRAFFIC STUDY TO BE TARGETED FOR
THE APPLICATION OF SIGNS, INCREASED LEVELS OF ENFORCEMENT AND INCREASED
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10456-01-1
A. 6959 2
PENALTIES SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELIMINATING OR REDUCING UNSAFE
DRIVER BEHAVIORS THAT ARE KNOWN TO RESULT IN CRASHES AND FATALITIES.
§ 375-B. TRAFFIC AND ENGINEERING INVESTIGATION. THE CORRIDOR SHALL BE
DESIGNATED AS A HIGHWAY SAFETY CORRIDOR IN WHICH INCREASED PENALTIES
WILL APPLY FOR VIOLATIONS RELATING TO THE DUTY OF A DRIVER UNDER THE
VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW IF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ARE SATISFIED:
1. A CRASH ANALYSIS OF CANDIDATE LOCATIONS INDICATES THAT, FOR THE
PRECEDING FIVE YEARS, CRASHES RELATED TO TARGETED DRIVING BEHAVIORS
EXCEEDS THRESHOLDS FOR THE NUMBER OF CRASHES OR THE RATE OF CRASHES FOR
HOMOGENEOUS ROADWAYS AS DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
2. THE CORRIDOR MEETS THE GEOMETRIC REQUIREMENTS NEEDED TO ALLOW FOR
SAFE PATROLLING BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AS WELL AS A SAFE AREA TO
STOP VIOLATORS FOR THE ISSUANCE OF A TRAFFIC CITATION OR WARNING.
3. THE CORRIDOR HAS ADEQUATE SPACE FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE TRAFFIC
SIGNS SPECIFIED IN THIS ARTICLE.
4. THERE IS A WRITTEN COMMITMENT FROM THE LOCAL AND STATE LAW ENFORCE-
MENT AGENCIES RESPONSIBLE FOR HIGHWAY PATROL ALONG THE CORRIDOR TO
PROVIDE VISIBLE, SUSTAINED ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE
MARKED CORRIDOR.
§ 375-C. TRAFFIC SIGNS. TRAFFIC SIGNS SHALL BE INSTALLED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A SIGN READING "SAFETY CORRIDOR-FINES DOUBLED NEXT XX MILES" SHALL
BE INSTALLED AS CLOSE AS PRACTICAL TO THE BEGINNING OF THE SOUTHERN
STATE PARKWAY HIGHWAY SAFETY CORRIDOR AND AFTER EACH INTERCHANGE ALONG
THE CORRIDOR; AND
2. A SIGN READING "END FINES DOUBLED CORRIDOR" SHALL BE INSTALLED
IMMEDIATELY AT THE END OF EACH HIGHWAY SAFETY CORRIDOR.
§ 3. Section 401 of the highway law, as renumbered by section 1 of
this act, is amended to read as follows:
§ 401. Saving clause. The repeal of a law, as specified in section
[three hundred and fifty-three] FOUR HUNDRED FOUR OF THIS ARTICLE shall
not affect or impair any contract, or any act done, or right accruing,
accrued or acquired or any penalty, forfeiture, or punishment incurred
prior to the time when this chapter or any section thereof takes effect,
under or by virtue of the laws so repealed, but the same may be
asserted, enforced, prosecuted, or inflicted, as fully and to the same
extent, as if such laws had not been repealed.
§ 4. Section 402 of the highway law, as renumbered by section 1 of
this act, is amended to read as follows:
§ 402. Effect of amendments to and repeals of provisions of the former
highway law. 1. An act of the legislature of the year nineteen hundred
thirty-six which, in form, amends or repeals or purports to amend or
repeal any provision or provisions of the former highway law shall be
legally effective notwithstanding the repeal of such former highway law
by section [three hundred fifty-three] FOUR HUNDRED FOUR OF THIS
ARTICLE, and shall be construed as an amendment or repeal, as the case
may be, of the corresponding provision or provisions of this chapter
irrespective of whether such provision or provisions are contained in
this chapter in one or more than one article, section, subdivision or
other part thereof and such corresponding provision or provisions shall
be deemed amended, modified, changed or repealed as though the same had
been expressly and in terms so amended or repealed.
2. An act of the legislature of the year nineteen hundred thirty-six
which adds or purports to add a new article, section, subdivision or
other provision of law to the former highway law shall be legally effec-
tive notwithstanding the repeal of such former highway law by section
[three hundred fifty-three] FOUR HUNDRED FOUR OF THIS ARTICLE and shall
A. 6959 3
be construed as having been added to this chapter and shall be given
full effect according to its context as if the same had been added
expressly and in terms to this chapter and shall be deemed to have been
inserted in this chapter in juxtaposition to and as modifying the effect
of the corresponding provision or provisions of this chapter.
3. The repeal of such former highway law by section [three hundred
fifty-three] FOUR HUNDRED FOUR OF THIS ARTICLE shall not be construed to
impair or affect the validity of any act of the legislature of the year
nineteen hundred thirty-six relating to highways, roads or bridges
because of any reference to or dependency on such former law but such
act shall be construed in connection with this chapter as though in
terms and in effect such act referred to or dependent upon this chapter.
§ 5. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
completed on or before such date.