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.
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.
[R.O. 2001 § 320.030; CC 1990 § 10-34;
Code 1977 § 16.145(2) – (4); Ord.
No. 90-12, § 4, 10-2-1990; Ord. No. 06-18 §§ 1 –
2, 11-7-2006]
A. No person other than the operator of an emergency vehicle on an emergency
run shall operate a vehicle in the City at a rate of speed in excess
of twenty-five (25) miles per hour except on those streets or portions
thereof, as designated by the Board of Aldermen from time to time,
which have been posted as streets or portions of streets on which
a higher speed is permitted, and which are listed in Schedule I, Speed
Limits.
B. Fifteen (15) miles per hour speed zones may only be placed on any
County, State or Federal marked or maintained highways where approval
has been granted by the proper officials of the County Highway Department
or State Highway Department.
C. Except when due to a condition of the vehicle which was not reasonably
foreseeable when entering upon the street, alley or highway, and while
removing such vehicle off the street or highway in the shortest reasonable
time and distance, or when reasonably necessary under the conditions
existing at the time and place, no person shall drive a vehicle at
a rate of speed so slow as to impede, block or endanger the normal,
usual and reasonable movement of other traffic in the street, alley
or highway.
D. The driver of every vehicle shall, consistent with the requirements
of this Section, drive at an appropriate reduced speed when approaching
and crossing an intersection, when approaching and going around a
curve or right angle turn, when approaching a hillcrest, when traveling
upon any narrow or winding roadway and when special hazards exist
with respect to pedestrians or other traffic or by reason of weather
or highway and street conditions; infractions thereof shall come under
the heading of dangerous and reckless driving.
E. "Construction" Or "Work Zones."
1.
As used in this Section, the term "construction zone" or "work
zone" means any area upon or around any roadway, which is visibly
marked by the State of Missouri, St. Louis County, City of Clarkson
Valley or a contractor performing work for one (1) of these entities
as an area where construction, maintenance, or other work is temporarily
occurring. The term "work zone" or "construction zone" also includes
the lanes of a roadway 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.
2.
Upon a conviction or a plea of guilty by any person for a moving
violation as defined in Section 302.010, RSMo., or any offense listed
in Section 302.302, RSMo., the Municipal Court shall assess a fine
of thirty-five dollars ($35.00) in addition to any other fine 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 pursuant to this Section, or a passing violation pursuant to Subsection
(E)(6) of this Section, the court shall assess a fine of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) in addition to any other fine 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 pursuant to this Subsection shall also be assessed an additional fine pursuant to Subsection
(E)(2) of this Section, and no person shall be assessed an additional fine pursuant to this Subsection if no signs have been posted pursuant to Subsection
(E)(4) of this Section.
4.
The penalty authorized by Subsection
(E)(3) of this Section shall only be assessed by the court if the State of Missouri, St. Louis County, City of Clarkson Valley or contractor performing work for the Department of Transportation has erected signs upon or around a construction or work zone which are clearly visible from the roadway and which state substantially the following message: "Warning: $250.00 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 zone established pursuant to Subsection
(E)(3) of this Section 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 State of Missouri, St. Louis County, City of Clarkson Valley or contractor performing work for the State of Missouri, St. Louis County, and/or City of Clarkson Valley 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 driver of a motor vehicle may not overtake or pass another
motor vehicle within a work zone or construction zone. This Subsection
applies to a construction zone or work zone located upon a roadway
divided into two (2) or more marked lanes for traffic moving in the
same direction and for which motor vehicles are instructed to merge
from one (1) lane into another lane by an appropriate sign erected
by the State of Missouri, St. Louis County, City of Clarkson Valley
or a contractor performing work for the Department of Transportation.
This Section shall not be construed to enhance the assessment of court
costs or the assessment of points pursuant to Section 302.302, RSMo.
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.
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.