Legislation
SECTION 1630
Regulation of traffic on highways under the jurisdiction of certain public authorities and commissions
Vehicle & Traffic (VAT) CHAPTER 71, TITLE 8, ARTICLE 38
§ 1630. Regulation of traffic on highways under the jurisdiction of
certain public authorities and commissions. The New York state thruway
authority, a county park commission, the Niagara Falls bridge
commission, a parkway authority, a bridge authority, including the
Buffalo and Fort Erie public bridge authority, the metropolitan
transportation authority, the Long Island Rail Road, the Metro-North
Commuter Railroad, the office of parks, recreation and historic
preservation, the department of environmental conservation, the
department of agriculture and markets, the industrial exhibit authority
or a bridge and tunnel authority may by ordinance, order, rule or
regulation prohibit, restrict or regulate traffic on or pedestrian use
of any highway, property or facility under its jurisdiction. The
provisions of section sixteen hundred of this title shall be applicable
to such ordinances, orders, rules and regulations, provided, however,
that such ordinances, orders, rules and regulations shall supersede the
provisions of this chapter where inconsistent or in conflict with
respect to the following enumerated subjects:
1. Weights and dimensions of vehicles, except that no combination of
commercial vehicles, (as defined in paragraph (b) of subdivision eleven
of section three hundred seventy-six of the vehicle and traffic law)
coupled together shall consist of more than three vehicles.
2. Parking, standing, stopping and backing of vehicles.
3. The prohibition or regulation of the use of any highway by
particular vehicles or classes or types thereof or devices moved by
human power, except hearses operated by or for a licensed funeral
director or undertaker during a burial or funeral procession while
travelling either to or from a funeral, interment or cremation and
except specialized vehicles as defined by section four hundred one of
this chapter.
4. Charging of tolls, taxes, fees, licenses or permits for the use of
the highway or any of its parts or entry into or remaining within the
central business district established by article forty-four-C of this
chapter, where the imposition thereof is authorized by law.
5. Establishment of maximum and minimum speed limits at which vehicles
may proceed on or along such highways. No such maximum speed limit shall
be established at less than twenty-five miles per hour, except that
school speed limits may be established at not less than fifteen miles
per hour, for a distance not to exceed one thousand three hundred twenty
feet, on a highway passing a school building, entrance or exit of a
school abutting on the highway, and except that, with respect to bridge
and elevated structures that are a part of any such highway, a lower
maximum speed limit may be established if it is determined that such
lower maximum speed limit is the maximum speed limit which may be
maintained without structural damage to such bridge or structure, and
except that, with respect to any highway under the jurisdiction of the
office of parks, recreation and historic preservation, other than a
parkway as defined in subdivision seventeen of section 1.03 of the
parks, recreation and historic preservation law, the department of
agriculture and markets or the industrial exhibit authority, a maximum
speed limit of not less than ten miles per hour may be established on
any portion thereof, if it is determined that such lower maximum speed
limit is necessary to assure the safety of the public, and except that,
with respect to any highway having toll plazas, a maximum speed limit of
not less than five miles per hour may be established for passage through
such toll plazas.
6. Operation of authorized emergency vehicles.
7. Control of persons and equipment engaged in work on the highway.
8. Hitchhiking and commercial activities.
9. Use of medial strips and dividing malls or sections and use of
shoulders of the highway.
10. Use of the highway by pedestrians, equestrians and animals.
11. Turning of vehicles.
12. Regulation of the direction of the movement of traffic and the use
of traffic lanes.
13. Regulation of the use of horns, lights and other required
equipment of vehicles.
14. Towing and pushing of vehicles, including, but not limited to, the
licensing and regulation of persons engaged in the business of towing,
and the fixing of maximum charges to be made by such persons for the
towing and storage of disabled vehicles.
15. Objects projecting or hanging outside or on the top of vehicles.
16. Entering and driving off the highway, its roadways, medial strips,
dividing malls and shoulders.
17. The prohibition or regulation of speed contests, races,
exhibitions of speed, processions or parades.
18. Littering the highway.
19. Vehicles illegally parked, stopped or standing, or vehicles
involved in accidents, including, but not limited to, the removal and
storage of such vehicles, the fixing of reasonable charges, to be paid
by the owner, operator or person entitled to possession, for such
removal and storage and for other expenses incurred in connection
therewith, the creation of liens on such vehicles for such charges and
expenses, the enforcement of such liens, the determination of ownership
or right to possession of such vehicles, the time before such vehicles
are deemed abandoned vehicles pursuant to section twelve hundred
twenty-four of this chapter, and the disposition of the proceeds of
sales held pursuant to said section.
19-a. Requirements imposing a duty upon any person removing a vehicle
illegally parked, stopped or standing, without the permission of the
owner or operator, to accept payment in person by credit card in
accordance with generally accepted business practices.
20. Transportation of combustibles, chemicals, explosives,
inflammables, or other dangerous substances, articles, compounds or
mixtures, including, but not limited to, dangerous articles, as defined
in section three hundred eighty of this chapter.
21. Traffic signal legend applicable to pedestrians and use of arrows.
22. Designate preferential use lanes for specified types or classes of
vehicles.
23. Parking, standing and stopping of vehicles registered pursuant to
section four hundred four-a of this chapter or those possessing a
special vehicle identification parking permit issued in accordance with
section one thousand two hundred three-a of this chapter.
certain public authorities and commissions. The New York state thruway
authority, a county park commission, the Niagara Falls bridge
commission, a parkway authority, a bridge authority, including the
Buffalo and Fort Erie public bridge authority, the metropolitan
transportation authority, the Long Island Rail Road, the Metro-North
Commuter Railroad, the office of parks, recreation and historic
preservation, the department of environmental conservation, the
department of agriculture and markets, the industrial exhibit authority
or a bridge and tunnel authority may by ordinance, order, rule or
regulation prohibit, restrict or regulate traffic on or pedestrian use
of any highway, property or facility under its jurisdiction. The
provisions of section sixteen hundred of this title shall be applicable
to such ordinances, orders, rules and regulations, provided, however,
that such ordinances, orders, rules and regulations shall supersede the
provisions of this chapter where inconsistent or in conflict with
respect to the following enumerated subjects:
1. Weights and dimensions of vehicles, except that no combination of
commercial vehicles, (as defined in paragraph (b) of subdivision eleven
of section three hundred seventy-six of the vehicle and traffic law)
coupled together shall consist of more than three vehicles.
2. Parking, standing, stopping and backing of vehicles.
3. The prohibition or regulation of the use of any highway by
particular vehicles or classes or types thereof or devices moved by
human power, except hearses operated by or for a licensed funeral
director or undertaker during a burial or funeral procession while
travelling either to or from a funeral, interment or cremation and
except specialized vehicles as defined by section four hundred one of
this chapter.
4. Charging of tolls, taxes, fees, licenses or permits for the use of
the highway or any of its parts or entry into or remaining within the
central business district established by article forty-four-C of this
chapter, where the imposition thereof is authorized by law.
5. Establishment of maximum and minimum speed limits at which vehicles
may proceed on or along such highways. No such maximum speed limit shall
be established at less than twenty-five miles per hour, except that
school speed limits may be established at not less than fifteen miles
per hour, for a distance not to exceed one thousand three hundred twenty
feet, on a highway passing a school building, entrance or exit of a
school abutting on the highway, and except that, with respect to bridge
and elevated structures that are a part of any such highway, a lower
maximum speed limit may be established if it is determined that such
lower maximum speed limit is the maximum speed limit which may be
maintained without structural damage to such bridge or structure, and
except that, with respect to any highway under the jurisdiction of the
office of parks, recreation and historic preservation, other than a
parkway as defined in subdivision seventeen of section 1.03 of the
parks, recreation and historic preservation law, the department of
agriculture and markets or the industrial exhibit authority, a maximum
speed limit of not less than ten miles per hour may be established on
any portion thereof, if it is determined that such lower maximum speed
limit is necessary to assure the safety of the public, and except that,
with respect to any highway having toll plazas, a maximum speed limit of
not less than five miles per hour may be established for passage through
such toll plazas.
6. Operation of authorized emergency vehicles.
7. Control of persons and equipment engaged in work on the highway.
8. Hitchhiking and commercial activities.
9. Use of medial strips and dividing malls or sections and use of
shoulders of the highway.
10. Use of the highway by pedestrians, equestrians and animals.
11. Turning of vehicles.
12. Regulation of the direction of the movement of traffic and the use
of traffic lanes.
13. Regulation of the use of horns, lights and other required
equipment of vehicles.
14. Towing and pushing of vehicles, including, but not limited to, the
licensing and regulation of persons engaged in the business of towing,
and the fixing of maximum charges to be made by such persons for the
towing and storage of disabled vehicles.
15. Objects projecting or hanging outside or on the top of vehicles.
16. Entering and driving off the highway, its roadways, medial strips,
dividing malls and shoulders.
17. The prohibition or regulation of speed contests, races,
exhibitions of speed, processions or parades.
18. Littering the highway.
19. Vehicles illegally parked, stopped or standing, or vehicles
involved in accidents, including, but not limited to, the removal and
storage of such vehicles, the fixing of reasonable charges, to be paid
by the owner, operator or person entitled to possession, for such
removal and storage and for other expenses incurred in connection
therewith, the creation of liens on such vehicles for such charges and
expenses, the enforcement of such liens, the determination of ownership
or right to possession of such vehicles, the time before such vehicles
are deemed abandoned vehicles pursuant to section twelve hundred
twenty-four of this chapter, and the disposition of the proceeds of
sales held pursuant to said section.
19-a. Requirements imposing a duty upon any person removing a vehicle
illegally parked, stopped or standing, without the permission of the
owner or operator, to accept payment in person by credit card in
accordance with generally accepted business practices.
20. Transportation of combustibles, chemicals, explosives,
inflammables, or other dangerous substances, articles, compounds or
mixtures, including, but not limited to, dangerous articles, as defined
in section three hundred eighty of this chapter.
21. Traffic signal legend applicable to pedestrians and use of arrows.
22. Designate preferential use lanes for specified types or classes of
vehicles.
23. Parking, standing and stopping of vehicles registered pursuant to
section four hundred four-a of this chapter or those possessing a
special vehicle identification parking permit issued in accordance with
section one thousand two hundred three-a of this chapter.