Cuomo OKs Helming bill to increase farm machinery speed limit on NY streets

Slow-moving vehicles, for example, farm tractors and other equipment, will have the capacity to go at higher speeds on New York streets.Gov. Andrew Cuomo marked legislation Friday that raises the speed at which slow-moving vehicles can make a trip from 25 mph to 35 mph. The equipment must have the recognizable orange triangular sign showing that it's a slow-moving vehicle.The bill likewise guides the state transportation commissioner to build up a speed identification symbol which would inform other motorists of the greatest speed farm machinery, construction equipment or other slow-moving vehicles can travel.The measure was supported by state Sen. Pam Helming and Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner. Helming, R-Canandaigua, and Woerner, D-Round Lake, presented the bill since dconstruction equipment, farm tractors and other vehicles are being intended to travel at speeds higher than 25 mph.Under existing state law, the orange slow-moving vehicle signage is required for equipment that travels at speeds of no more than 25 mph.One of the major reasons why accidents occur with farm equipment is that non-farm drivers fail to adequately react and respond when driving around farm equipment, the bill's sponsors wrote. For example, non-farm drivers often do not anticipate how slow farm equipment travels and therefore do not start to slow their vehicle as they approach the implements. Therefore, it is important to notify other drivers of the reduced speed.The legislation was embraced by the New York Farm Bureau. The interest group explained that it would ensure non-farm drivers and operators of farm equipment who must utilize public streets.By expanding the most extreme speed requiring a slow-moving vehicle emblem, the farm bureau said more farm equipment would show the signs while going on roadways.The legislation got bipartisan help in the state Legislature. It passed the state Senate by a 61-1 vote on June 4, and an amended version was approved by a 59-1 margin. The Assembly passed the changed bill by a 139-0 vote.The new law will take effect 90 days after Cuomo marked the measure.