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House delays motor vehicle changes after debate over 500‑foot left‑turn rule
Summary
Representative Joseph Murray’s motor-vehicle code revisions, including a provision limiting travel in two‑way left‑turn lanes to 500 feet before a turn, drew sustained debate over urban stacking and rural block lengths and was circled for further work after members raised contradictions and enforcement concerns.
Representative Joseph Murray explained House Bill 24 would clarify several traffic rules on divided highways — including conforming local traffic control devices to DOT standards, prohibiting right turns on right‑arrow signals, and restricting an operator from traveling in a two‑way left‑turn lane more than 500 feet prior to making a left turn.
Members from Salt Lake and Utah counties objected that the 500‑foot restriction could be impractical where left‑turn lane stacking routinely extends beyond that distance during peak hours. Representative Newbold proposed a short amendment to exempt entry when stacking in the left‑hand lane "extends beyond 500 feet," and Representative Hutchings and others offered examples of citations issued under similar circumstances.
Representatives from rural districts warned the amendment could cause new problems where block lengths are shorter than 500 feet and asked for further drafting to avoid inadvertently blocking intersections. Representative Bigelow raised a potential textual contradiction between sentences limiting travel in the turn lane and the stacking exception. After extended floor debate and several members registering concern, Representative Bigelow moved to circle the bill so sponsors and interested members could resolve drafting conflicts. The motion to circle passed and the bill was taken off the immediate calendar for further work.
Next steps: the bill was circled for additional drafting and committee review to reconcile the 500‑foot rule, stacking exceptions, and rural block‑length issues.
