Chapter 305
2012 -- H 7550
Enacted 06/20/12
A N A C T
RELATING TO
MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- PASSING, USE OF LANES, AND
RULES OF THE
ROAD
Introduced
By: Representatives
Date Introduced: February 15, 2012
It is enacted by the
General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 31-15 of the General Laws entitled
"Passing, Use of Lanes, and
Rules of the Road" is
hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
31-15-19.
Two-way left turn lanes. – A two-way left turn
lane may be designated near
the center of a roadway for use by vehicles making left
turns in both directions from or into the
roadway.
(1) Two-way left turn
lanes shall be designated by distinctive roadway markings
consisting of parallel double yellow lines, interior line dashed
and exterior line solid on each side
of the lane. The department of transportation may
determine and prescribe standards and
specifications governing length, width, and positioning of the
distinctive pavement markings. All
pavement markings designating a two-way left turn lane shall
conform to the department of
transportation’s standards and specifications.
(2) A vehicle shall
not be driven in a designated two-way left turn lane except when
preparing for or making a left turn from or into a highway or
when preparing for or making a U-
turn when otherwise permitted by law, and shall not be
driven in that lane for more than two
hundred feet (200’) while preparing for and making the turn
or while preparing to merge into the
adjacent lanes of travel. A left turn or U-turn shall not be
made from any other lane where a two-
way left turn lane has been designated.
(3) This section
shall not prohibit driving across a two-way left turn lane.
(4) Raised pavement
markers may be used to simulate painted lines described in this
section when such markers are placed in accordance with
standards established by the department
of transportation.
(5) Upon any vehicle
entering the turn lane, no other vehicle proceeding in the opposite
direction shall enter that turn lane if that entrance would
prohibit the vehicle already in the lane
from making the intended turn.
(6) When vehicles
enter the turn lane proceeding in opposite directions, the first vehicle
to enter the lane shall have the right-of-way.
(7) Violations of
this section are subject to fines enumerated in section 31-41.1-4.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC01417
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