Town Road Speed Limits

                                                                       Local Traffic Authority
                                 View/Print    "Application For Approval of Speed Limits" Form  
                                

Pursuant to Section 14-218a of the Connecticut General Statutes, the Office of the State Traffic Administration (OSTA) is responsible for approving speed limits on all public roadways in this state. Except as noted below, speed limit certificates are issued by the OSTA to local municipalities desirous of establishing speed limits for individual town roads.

EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2021: Pursuant to Public Act 21-28, the Local Traffic Authority of any town, city or borough may establish, modify and maintain speed limits on all local streets, highways and bridges or in any parking area for ten cars or more or on any private road wholly within the municipality under its jurisdiction, without approval from the OSTA, subject to certain requirements. CGS 14-218a will eventually be revised to reflect the language in the public act. The full text of CGS 14-218a, as revised, will ultimately be available on the Connecticut General Assembly website. 

The OSTA has developed the Guidelines for Establishing Speed Limits in Connecticut, which outlines the process for municipalities who wish to accept the responsibility to establish and modify speed limits for all local roads (Chapter 5) and the provisions from CGS 14-218a, as revised, that they shall adhere to if they accept this responsibility (Chapter 2). CGS 14-218a, as revised, requires municipalities to conduct an engineering study when establishing or modifying speed limits. These guidelines also cover the engineering study that is conducted by the OSTA and other generally accepted engineering practices for municipalities to reference during their engineering study (Chapters 6 & 7). 

CGS 14-218a, as revised, requires municipalities to inform the OSTA of their permission and intent to establish and modify speed limits for all local roads within their municipality. Click here for sample notification letter to be sent to the OSTA.

CGS 14-218a, as revised, also requires municipalities to inform the OSTA of every local road speed limit that is established or modified in an attempt to maintain a state wide record of all established speed limits. 

Municipalities can keep the authority to establish and modify speed limits for local roads within the OSTA. No action is required from these municipalities. Refer to Chapter 5 of the Guidelines to Establish Speed Limits in Connecticut for information on the process to request a speed limit review by the OSTA.

CGS 14-218a, as revised, also allows municipalities to establish Pedestrian Safety Zones on local roads without OSTA approval in downtown districts or community centers where there is a high level of pedestrian activity. Such zones may also be established adjacent to hospital properties. Municipalities may establish Pedestrian Safety Zones on local roads without accepting the authority to establish and modify all speed limits on local roads. Additional information regarding Pedestrian Safety Zones can be found in Chapter 7 of the Guidelines to Establish Speed Limits in Connecticut.