Frequently Asked Questions

Public Act 300 of 1949 (MCL 257.1-257.923) is the Michigan Motor Vehicle Code (MVC) and is state law.   This is the traffic law in the State of Michigan.  Grosse Pointe Park has also adopted the MVC by reference as a local ordinance  in section 40-1 of the City Code allowing citations issued to be adjudicated in our local Municipal Court.

There is also the Michigan Uniform Traffic Code for Cities, Townships and Villages (UTC).  This is a supplemental document with additional regulations for traffic that may be adopted by a local unit of government.   Grosse Pointe Park has adopted this document as local ordinance in section 40-4 of the City Code.

Grosse Pointe Park has also adopted additional traffic regulations.  These may be found in Article II of Chapter 40 in the City Code.

Stop signs are used to assign a right of way at an intersection where the general rule of First-Come First-Served will not, or would not work well.  

When there are no traffic control devices (yield sign, stop sign, or traffic signal), the vehicle arriving at the intersection first has the right-of-way.  If two vehicles arrive at an intersection at the same time, the vehicle on the right has the right-of-way.  If other factors exists, including  traffic volumes, restricted sight lines, crash data, or the general rule just will not work well, traffic control devices can be installed.  

The Michigan Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MMUTCD) list specific requirements that should be met before a stop sign can be installed.

In Grosse Pointe Park, the most common installation of stop signs in on residential streets, giving the right of way to traffic on the cross or through streets.

Four-way, or multi-way stop signs are used in only a few specific instances including as a temporary fix while a traffic signal is installed, five or more reported crashes in a 12-month period that are susceptible to correction by a multi-way stop installation, or an engineering study shows vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle traffic reach specific levels but a traffic signal is not warranted.

No, stops signs are used to assign right of way at any intersection, not control speed.  In fact, the Michigan Manual of Traffic Control Devices (MMUTCD) prohibits the installation of stop signs to control speed.

Studies have shown that stop signs only decrease speeds within 200 feet of the stop sign, and tend to increase speeds elsewhere. Drivers perceive the stop signs as an inconvenience and tend to increase their speed to make up for having to stop.

In general, speed limits in Michigan are set in the Michigan Motor Vehicle Code, MCL 257.627.  

• Basic Speed Law. This requires operating a vehicle  “…at a careful and prudent speed not greater than nor less than is reasonable and proper, having due regard to the traffic, surface, and width of the highway and of any other condition existing at the time. An individual shall not operate a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than that which will permit a stop within the assured, clear distance ahead.”
• Prima Facia Speed Limits.  If no speed limit is posted the Prima Facia limits apply:  Residential and Business Districts are 25 mph,  other roads and highways are 55 mph.
• Posted Speed Limits.  Other speed limits may apply and these are all posted.  These posted limits are specified in MCL 257.627.   

The posted speed limits that are set by statute may be changed if the change is supported by a speed study.  In a speed study change, the 85^th percentile speed is determined and the speed limit can be set to the nearest 5 mph increment.   This means that 85% of vehicles are traveling at or below this speed, 15% are traveling faster.  Enforcement action is then directed at this 15% of drivers.

Except for a few specific exceptions, the lowest speed limit that can be set is 25 mph.

The majority of roads in Grosse Pointe Park are in residential and business districts and fall under the minimum Prima Facia speed limit.  Kercheval from Balfour to Cadieux is a posted limit of 30 mph.  Jefferson Ave and Mack Ave are county roads and the city has no control over the speed limits on these roads.

The Public Safety can assign an officer to monitor speed at specific location as staffing and response requirements allow.  Please understand that having an officer stationed at one spot all day is not something we can do.

The Department can also conduct a speed study to determine how bad a speeding issue may be at a specific location.  Experience has shown that on residential street the 85^th percentile speed usually falls between 24 mph  and 28 mph, with less than 5% travelling over 30 mph.  

Tinting is limited to the rear side windows, and the rear window if the vehicle has outside mirrors on both sides, and the top 4 inches of the windshield, front driver, and front passenger side windows. There is a limited exception for medical necessity with a doctor's “prescription”, which allows for tinting to be applied to the front side windows as well. Michigan does not have a specification for the darkness of the window application but does prohibit applications with a solar reflectivity greater than 35%.

For the medical exemption, the driver must be in possession of a letter signed by a physician or optometrist indicating that the  window treatment or application is a medical necessity as required by MCL 257.709(3)(e). However, the  window treatment or application shall not interfere with or obstruct the driver's clear vision of the highway or an intersecting highway.

Traffic Laws FAQs