Chapter 10.12
SPEED LIMITS
Sections:
10.12.010 State speed laws—Exceptions.
10.12.020 Increasing state speed limit.
10.12.030 Decreasing state speed limit.
10.12.040 Temporary closure or restriction authorized.
10.12.050 Procedure for temporary closure or restriction.
10.12.060 Advisory speed limits.
10.12.090 Speed limit twenty MPH.
10.12.100 Speed limit twenty-five MPH.
10.12.105 Speed limit thirty MPH.
10.12.110 Speed limit thirty-five MPH.
10.12.120 Speed limit forty MPH.
10.12.130 Speed limit forty-five MPH.
10.12.140 Violations—Penalties.
10.12.010 State speed laws—Exceptions.
The state traffic laws regulating the speed of vehicles at twenty-five miles per hour (“MPH”) shall be applicable upon all streets within the city. However, the city council, as authorized by RCW 46.61.415, may declare and determine that certain increased or decreased speed regulations shall be applicable upon specified streets or in certain areas, in which event it is unlawful for any person to operate a vehicle at a speed in excess of the speed so established when proper signs are in place giving notice thereof. (Ord. 951 § 1 (part), 1998)
10.12.020 Increasing state speed limit.
Whenever conditions are found to exist upon a street or highway which warrant an increase in the speed permitted by state law, the city council, subject to the approval of the Secretary of Transportation in cases involving state highways, may determine and declare a reasonable and safe maximum speed limit for such arterial street or highway, or portion thereof, not to exceed fifty-five MPH. (Ord. 951 § 1 (part), 1998)
10.12.030 Decreasing state speed limit.
Whenever it is deemed advisable for vehicles to operate below the maximum speed allowed by state law of twenty-five MPH on any portion of a street or public highway on account of a sharp curvation, highway construction or repairs, excessive traffic, any dangerous condition, or other temporary or permanent cause, the city council, subject to the approval of the Secretary of Transportation in cases involving state highways, may determine and fix a lower maximum speed; provided that in no case shall the maximum speed be reduced to less than twenty MPH, except in extraordinary circumstances. (Ord. 951 § 1 (part), 1998)
10.12.040 Temporary closure or restriction authorized.
Whenever the condition of any street, road or highway, either newly or previously constructed, altered, repaired or improved, or when any part thereof is such that for any reason its unrestricted use or continued use by vehicles or by any class of vehicles will greatly damage that street, road or highway, or will be dangerous to traffic, or it is being constructed, altered, repaired, improved, or maintained in such a manner as to require that use of the street, road or highway, or any portion thereof, be closed or restricted to all vehicles or any class of vehicles for any period of time, the public works director, subject to the provisions in Section 10.12.050, may close the street, road or highway to travel by all vehicles or by any class of vehicles, or may declare a lower maximum speed for any class of vehicles for such definite period of time as the public works director may determine. The public works director shall further have authority to classify vehicles according to gross weight, axle weight, height, width, length, braking area, performance, vehicle combinations or tire equipment for the purposes of this section, and may restrict the use of any portion of any street, road or highway to use by an urban public transportation system; provided action taken under this section in cases involving state highways shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of Transportation. (Ord. 951 § 1 (part), 1998)
10.12.050 Procedure for temporary closure or restriction.
A. Before any street, road or highway is closed to, or the maximum speed limit thereon reduced for, all vehicles or any class of vehicles, the public works director, with the approval of the city manager, shall place advance notice thereof in the next regular agenda of the city council, which notice shall include any speed limit modification, including the street, road or highway involved, and the length of time the closure or decreased speed limit will stay in effect. The city council may accept, reject or modify the determination of the public works director. Failure of the city council to take action upon the notice shall be deemed an acceptance of the action proposed by the notice.
B. If approved as proposed or approved as modified, the city clerk shall immediately cause publication of the notice in the official newspaper of the city and the public works director shall post a like notice, on or prior to the date of publication of such notice, in a conspicuous place at each end of the street, road, or highway, or the portion thereof to be closed or restricted. No such street, road or highway, or portion thereof, may be closed sooner than three days after the publication and posting of the notice herein provided for.
C. In cases of emergency or conditions in which the maximum time the closure will be in effect is twelve hours or less, the public works director may, without notice to the city council, publication or delay, close streets, roads or highways temporarily by posting notice at each end of the closed portion thereof and at all intersecting highways if the closing is of a portion of a highway, at all intersecting highways and roads if the closing is of a portion of a road, and at all intersecting streets if the closing is of a street. In all emergency cases or conditions in which the maximum time the closure will be in effect is twelve hours or less, as herein provided, the orders of the public works director shall be immediately effective; provided further, action taken under this section in cases involving state highways shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of Transportation. (Ord. 951 § 1 (part), 1998)
10.12.060 Advisory speed limits.
The public works director may place an advisory speed limit sign to indicate a maximum recommended speed through a street, road or highway made hazardous by reason of construction, damaged condition or other reason. This sign shall be used only in conjunction with a sign warning of the hazard and shall conform to the requirements of the provisions found in the state “Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways” obtainable from the Washington State Department of Transportation. The authorization of this section shall be subject to the notice provisions of Section 10.12.050(A). Action taken under this section in cases involving state highways shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of Transportation. (Ord. 951 § 1 (part), 1998)
10.12.070 Schedule.
The maximum speed limits set forth in Sections 10.12.090 through 10.12.130 are established as the reasonable and safe maximum speed limits to be effective upon the streets and highways designated therein. The public works director shall cause appropriate signs to be erected on such streets and highways, giving notice of the speed limits. (Ord. 951 § 1 (part), 1998)
10.12.090 Speed limit twenty MPH.
A speed limit of twenty MPH is established for motor vehicle traffic on the following streets, roadways, and highways and no person shall operate a motor vehicle upon said streets, roads, or highways in excess of twenty MPH:
A. Horizon Heights Drive, entire length;
B. In any designated and signed school zone when children are present or when warning lights are flashing. For the purposes of this section, “school zone” shall mean the following:
1. SR 525, from the 2600 block of SR 525 south to the 7700 block of SR 525, and 76th Street SW, from its intersection at SR 525 east to its intersection with 48th Avenue SW (Olympic View Middle and Mukilteo Elementary Schools);
2. Washington Avenue, from the 2300 block to its intersection with Clover Lane, and Clover Lane, from its intersection with Washington Avenue west to its intersection with Clover Court (Olympic View Middle and Mukilteo Elementary Schools);
3. Harbour Pointe Boulevard, from the 4700 block to 53rd Place W, and that portion of Chennault Beach Road extending three hundred feet east and three hundred feet west of its intersection with Harbour Pointe Boulevard (Kamiak High, Harbour Pointe Middle, and Columbia Elementary Schools);
4. Harbour Pointe Boulevard SW, from Club House Lane to 5300 block (Endeavor Elementary School);
5. Goat Trail Road, 70th Street SW (also known as 19th Street), and 48th Avenue W, from the 1700 block of Goat Trail Road to the intersection of 72nd Place and 48th Ave W (Olympic Middle and Mukilteo Elementary Schools);
C. Lamar Drive, entire length. (Ord. 1312 § 1, 2012: Ord. 1272 § 2, 2011; Ord. 951 § 1 (part), 1998)
10.12.100 Speed limit twenty-five MPH.
A speed limit of twenty-five MPH is established for motor vehicle traffic on the following streets, roadways, and highways and no person shall operate a motor vehicle upon said streets, roads, or highways in excess of twenty-five MPH:
A. Any street not specifically designated with a speed limit in this chapter;
B. SR 525, from Mile Post 8.10 (6th Street) to Mile Post 8.47 (Ferry Landing). (Ord. 951 § 1 (part), 1998)
10.12.105 Speed limit thirty MPH.
A speed limit of thirty MPH is established for motor vehicle and bicycle traffic on the following streets, roadways, and highways and no person shall operate a motor vehicle or bicycle upon said streets, roads or highways in excess of thirty MPH:
A. Chennault Beach Road, from SR 525 to Harbour Reach Drive;
B. Russell Road, from SR 525 to Cyrus Way;
C. Cyrus Way, from Russell Road to Evergreen Drive;
D. Evergreen Drive, from SR 525 to Cyrus Way; and
E. South Road, from Evergreen Drive to Harbour Reach Drive. (Ord. 1453 § 1, 2021; Ord. 1344 § 1, 2013: Ord. 1272 § 3, 2011)
10.12.110 Speed limit thirty-five MPH.
A speed limit of thirty-five MPH is established for motor vehicle traffic on the following streets, roadways, and highways and no person shall operate a motor vehicle upon said streets, roads, or highways in excess of thirty-five MPH:
A. Harbour Pointe Boulevard;
B. Harbour Reach Drive, from Beverly Park Road to Chennault Beach Road;
C. Chennault Beach Road, from Harbour Reach Drive to Harbour Pointe Boulevard;
D. Beverly Park Road, from SR 525 to the western city limits;
E. 5th Street, from the NE city limits to the western edge of Japanese Gulch Bridge;
F. SR 526 (84th Street SW), from 44th Avenue West to SR 525; and
G. SR 525, from Mile Post 5.68 (Paine Field Boulevard) to Mile Post 8.10 (6th Street). (Ord. 1453 § 2, 2021; Ord. 1272 § 4, 2011: Ord. 951 § 1 (part), 1998)
10.12.120 Speed limit forty MPH.
A speed limit of forty MPH is established for motor vehicle traffic upon the following streets, roadways, and highways and no person shall operate a motor vehicle upon said streets, roads, or highways in excess of forty MPH:
SR 525, from south city limits to Mile Post 5.68 (Paine Field Boulevard). (Ord. 951 § 1 (part), 1998)
10.12.130 Speed limit forty-five MPH.
A speed limit of forty-five MPH is established for motor vehicle traffic upon the following streets, roadways, highways and no person shall operate a motor vehicle upon said streets, roads, or highways in excess of forty-five MPH:
A. SR 526, from 44th Avenue West to the eastern city limits; and
B. Paine Field Boulevard (SR 525 Spur), from the Mukilteo Speedway (SR 525) to the eastern city limits; and
C. Paine Field Boulevard (SR 525 Spur), from the eastern city limits to SR 526. (Ord. 1044 § 1, 2001: Ord. 951 § 1 (part), 1998)
10.12.140 Violations—Penalties.
Any person who violates or fails to comply with any of the provisions of this chapter, or who counsels, aids, or abets any such violation or failure to comply, is civilly liable for a traffic infraction and shall be assessed a fine in accordance with RCW 46.63.110 and IRLJ 6.2, as said statute and court rule now exist or are hereafter amended, consistent with Mukilteo Municipal Code Chapter 10.04. (Ord. 951 § 1 (part), 1998)
10.12.150 Entry terminus.
A. The entry terminus of each street, roadway, or highway with a speed limit of other than twenty-five MPH shall be posted with a sign clearly indicating the established legal speed limit. In the event that the speed limit established by this chapter for a street, roadway, or highway so posted is increased or decreased for any section of said street, roadway, or highway, those sections shall be posted with signs clearly indicating the increased or decreased speed limit established for the section of said street, roadway, or highway.
B. Advisory signs, indicating a reduced speed zone ahead, near the exit terminus of said street, roadway, or highway shall suffice as regulatory signs. Intersecting streets may be posted, where deemed advisable by the public works director, with a sign indicating the legal speed limit on the intersecting streets, roadways, and highways. Intersections and curves may be posted with reduced speed limits where deemed advisable by the public works director.
C. Except as provided above, no other signs or markings relating to speed shall be required on the affected streets, roadways, and highways, for the purposes of conformance and enforcement. (Ord. 951 § 1 (part), 1998)