City of Northmoor, MO Chapter 320 Speed Regulations

Section 320.010 State Speed Laws Applicable.

The State traffic laws regulating the speed of vehicles shall be applicable upon all streets within the City, except that the City may by ordinance declare and determine upon the basis of engineering and traffic investigation that certain speed regulations shall be applicable upon specified streets or in certain areas, in which event it shall be unlawful for any person to drive a vehicle at a speed in excess of any speed so declared when signs are in place giving notice thereof.

Section 320.020 Regulation of Speed by Traffic Signals.

The City Traffic Engineer is authorized to regulate the timing of traffic signals so as to permit the movement of traffic in an orderly and safe manner at speeds slightly at variance from the speeds otherwise applicable within the district or at intersections and shall erect appropriate signs giving notice thereof.

Section 320.030 General Speed Limit.

Except where otherwise provided by signs erected pursuant to duly passed and approved ordinances, no person shall operate a vehicle on any street in the City in excess of twenty-five (25) miles per hour.

Section 320.040 Slow Speed, Regulations.

No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law. Peace Officers may enforce the provisions of this Section by directions to drivers, and in the event of apparent willful disobedience to this provision and refusal to comply with direction of an officer in accordance herewith, the continued slow operation by a driver is an ordinance violation.

Section 320.050 Special Speed Limits on Roadways and Construction/Work Zones.

[Ord. No. 2005-07 §1, 1-3-2006; Ord. No. 2022-001, 1-6-2022[1]]

A. No person shall operate a motor vehicle upon those portions of the roadways which are set forth and described in Schedule I at a rate of speed in excess of that speed limit set for such portions of the roadways by said Schedule.

B. Regulations.

1. Definitions. As used in this Section, the following terms shall mean:

CONSTRUCTION ZONE or WORK ZONE

Any area upon or around any highway which is visibly marked as an area where construction, maintenance or other work is occurring, including the lanes of highway leading up to the area upon which an activity described in this Subsection is being performed, beginning at the point where appropriate signs directing motor vehicles to merge from one (1) lane into another lane are posted. Orange traffic signs and/or orange barrels or cones shall designate a construction or work zone is present.

HIGHWAY

Any public thoroughfare for vehicles, including State roads, County roads and public streets, avenues, boulevards, parkways or alleys.

MOVING VIOLATION

That character of traffic violation of traffic or motor vehicle operation ordinance of the City where at the time of violation the motor vehicle involved is in motion, except that the term does not include the driving of a motor vehicle without a valid motor vehicle registration license or violations relating to sizes and weights of vehicles.

2. Upon a conviction or a plea of guilty by any person for a moving violation, the court shall assess a fine of one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) in addition to any other fine or penalty authorized to be imposed by law, if the offense occurred within a construction zone or a work zone.

3. Upon a conviction or plea of guilty by any person for a speeding violation or a passing violation pursuant to Subsection (B)(6) of this Section, the court shall assess a fine of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) in addition to any other fines or penalties authorized by law, if the offense occurred within a construction zone or a work zone and at the time the speeding or passing violation occurred there was any person in such zone who was there to perform duties related to the reason for which the area was designated a construction zone or work zone. However, no person assessed an additional fine or penalty pursuant to this Subsection shall also be assessed an additional fine pursuant to Subsection (B)(2) of this Section, and no person shall be assessed an additional fine or penalty pursuant to this Subsection if no signs have been posted pursuant to Subsection (B)(4) of this Section.

4. The penalty authorized by Subsection (B)(3) of this Section shall only be assessed by the court if signs have been erected upon or around a construction or work zone which are clearly visible from the highway and which state substantially the following message: "Warning: $250.00 additional fine for speeding or passing in this work zone."

5. During any day in which no person is present in a construction zone or work to perform duties related to the purpose of the zone, the sign warning of additional penalties shall not be visible to motorists. During any period of two (2) hours or more in which no person is present in such zone on a day in which persons have been or will be present to perform duties related to the reason for which the area was designated as a construction zone or work zone, the sign warning of additional penalties shall not be visible to motorists. The contractor performing the work shall be responsible for compliance with provisions of this Subsection. Nothing in this Subsection shall prohibit warning or traffic control signs necessary for public safety in the construction or work zone being visible to motorists at all times.

6. The drive of a motor vehicle may not overtake or pass another motor vehicle within a work zone or construction zone.

[1] Editor's Note: Ord. No. 2022-001 also changed the title of this Section from "Special Speed Limits on Roadways" to "Special Speed Limits on Roadways and Construction/Work Zones."