SB33 Alabama 2023 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Steve LivingstonSenator
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2023
Title: Relating to motor vehicles and traffic; to amend Sections 11-49-4, 32-5A-173, and 32-5A-176, Code of Alabama 1975; to prohibit a municipality from setting speed limits on county-maintained streets within its corporate limits in certain circumstances; and to make nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the existing code language to current style.
Summary: SB33 restricts municipalities from setting speed limits on county-maintained streets inside their borders unless an engineering and traffic investigation is done and the county engineer approves in writing, with minor language updates to current law.
What This Bill Does
It adds a requirement that, for county-maintained streets within a city or town, the speed limit can only be set after an engineering and traffic investigation and written approval from the county engineer. This restriction also applies to speed limits on county bridges or elevated structures within the city limits. The bill also makes nonsubstantive technical revisions to update the language of the code.

Who It Affects
Cities and towns (municipalities) must obtain engineering and traffic investigations and written county engineer approval before setting speeds on county-maintained streets inside their limits.
County engineers and road departments are responsible for reviewing investigations and issuing the written approval.
Residents and drivers who use county-maintained streets or bridges within municipal boundaries may experience changes in how speed limits are set on those roads.

Key Provisions
11-49-4(b): A municipality may not fix the speed on a county-maintained street within its corporate limits unless it conducts an engineering and traffic investigation and obtains written approval from the county engineer to fix the speed based on the investigation results.
32-5A-176(d): A municipality may not fix the speed on a county-maintained street within its corporate limits (including bridges/elevated structures) unless it conducts an engineering and traffic investigation and obtains written approval from the county engineer based on that investigation.
Nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the existing code language to current style.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Counties & Municipalities, prohibited municipalities from setting speed limits on county-maintained streets