Title 12 - Traffic

12.04.033 Speed Limitations; Restrictions.

1. a.
   No person shall drive a vehicle at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the circumstances and having regard to the actual hazards then existing. Consistent with the foregoing, every person shall drive at a safe and appropriate speed when approaching and crossing an intersection or railroad grade crossing, when approaching and going around a curve, 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 conditions. 
2. b.
   Except when a special hazard exists that requires lower speed for compliance with paragraph (a) of this Section, the limits specified in this Section or established as hereinafter authorized shall be maximum lawful speeds, and no person shall operate a vehicle at a speed in excess of such maximum limits:

   1. 1.
      All vehicles 20 miles per hour in any business district.
   2. 2.
      All vehicles 25 miles per hour in any residence district except where posted otherwise.
   3. 3.
      All vehicles 20 miles per hour in any park under the jurisdiction of this City.
   4. 4.
      Unless posted otherwise, all vehicles 30 miles per hour on streets or highways on which an engineering and traffic investigation has been conducted in an urban district.
   5. 5.
      Unless posted otherwise, all vehicles 55 miles per hour on arterial streets on which an engineering and traffic investigation has been conducted.
   6. 6.
      All vehicles on any separated multilane highway, as designated and posted by the Secretary of Transportation, 75 miles per hour.
   7. 7.
      All vehicles 65 miles per hour in all other locations unless posted otherwise.
3. c.
   The maximum speed limit upon streets or portions of streets abutting school property or adjacent to school crosswalks in those areas designated as school zones shall be the speed limit posted on appropriately erected signs giving notice of the speed limit in said school zones. The maximum speed to be posted within each school zone shall be determined by the City Traffic Engineer provided the speed limit shall not be less than 20 miles per hour. Maximum speed limits within school zones shall be effective and subject to enforcement by law enforcement officers during those time periods set forth on appropriately erected signs giving notice of the effective hours of enforcement or during those times a flashing yellow beacon is in operation with appropriately erected signs indicating the school zone speed limits are enforced during the times the flashing yellow beacon is in operation. The City Traffic Engineer shall determine the times of enforcement for school zones within the City, provided such speed limits shall apply only during the hours in which students are normally en route to or from school.
4. d.
   Whenever the City Traffic Engineer shall determine upon the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that any speed limit hereinbefore set forth is greater or less than is reasonable or safe under the conditions found to exist upon any part of a street which said City Traffic Engineer shall determine and declare a reasonable and safe speed limit thereon which shall be effective at all times or during the daytime or nighttime or at such other times as may be determined when appropriate signs giving notice thereof are erected on such street, pursuant to K.S.A. 8-1560 and K.S.A. 8-2002.
5. e.
   As used in subsection ​​​​​​​(d)​​​​​​​ "daytime" means from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset and "nighttime" means any other hour.

(History: Ord. TC-3444 §2, 2023; ​​​​​​​Ord. TC-1260,FFFF §14, 2022; Ord. TC-1260, CCCC §1, 2019; Ord. TC-1260,XXX §2, 2016; TC-1260,RRR §9, 2011; TC-1260,ZZ §1, 2003; TC-1260,MM §6, 96; TC-1260,R §1, 89; TC-1260 §32, 84) (State Law: 8-1557)

See: 12.04.002

Effective on: 1/1/1901