§ 19-251. School zones designated; driving restrictions.

(a)

As a result of an engineering and traffic investigation by the public works department the city council has determined that the prima facie reasonable and prudent maximum speed on the public streets and highways of the city designated as school zones and described in separate ordinances of the city may be established at speeds of twenty (20), twenty-five (25), thirty (30) or thirty-five (35) miles per hour.

(b)

No person shall drive a vehicle on a public street or highway designated as a school zone at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the circumstances then existing. On that portion of those streets or highways designated as a school zone, the prima facie maximum reasonable and prudent speed in miles per hour when school is in session shall be such as provided in subsection (a) above, provided that an appropriate sign giving notice thereof is erected. Such signs shall state the prima facie maximum speed and the times during which the school zone is in effect or operation, or shall state the prima facie maximum speed when flashing and shall be accompanied by a flashing beacon or light during the times the school zone is in effect or operation. The times each school zone shall be in effect or operation shall be specified by the city traffic engineer and established by ordinance. Any speed in excess of that established by ordinance for a designated school zone while that school zone is in operation or effect shall be prima facie evidence that the speed is not reasonable and prudent and that it is unlawful.

(c)

It shall be unlawful for any person to drive or operate any vehicle into or through any school crossing at a time when there is a child or children crossing or standing therein; provided that the said school zone has been indicated by signs or placards not less than one hundred (100) feet from said crossing, and where such crossings have been established across paved streets its boundaries should be marked by lines of white or yellow paint and no crossing shall be greater than twenty (20) feet in width.

(d)

Upon those streets and parts of streets near or adjacent to schools designated as school zones, vehicular traffic shall move only in the direction and during the hours specified when signs indicating the direction of traffic are erected.

(Code 1959, § 38-40; Ord. No. 31666, § 1, 8-14-63; Ord. No. 41504, § 1, 11-22-72; Ord. No. 42075, § 2, 4-12-73; Ord. No. 54506, § 1, 11-5-81; Ord. No. 99662, §§ 1—3, 9-2-04)

Editor's note

Sections 2 and 3 of Ord. No. 99662, adopted September 2, 2004, state the following: "Section 2. Until such time as specific speeds for specific school zones as authorized by 19-251(a) are designated and changed/established by ordinance, the prima facie reasonable, prudent and safe maximum speed on the public streets and highways of the city designated as school zones shall remain twenty (20) miles per hour. All existing designations of school zones shall remain in effect until such time as they are changed by separate ordinance.
Section 3. Until such time as specific times for specific school zones as authorized by 19-251(b) are changed and/or established by ordinance, the speed limit of twenty (20) miles per hour on public streets and highways designated by the city council as school zones shall remain in effect between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. in the morning and 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. in the afternoon on any day of the regular or any special summer school term, and any speed in excess of twenty (20) miles per hour in such zones while such zones are in effect shall be prima facie evidence that the speed is not reasonable and prudent and that it is unlawful."

State law reference

Authority of city to create school zones, Vernon's Ann. Civ. St. art. 6701d, § 167(d).