Chapter 10.15
OPERATION OF VEHICLES
Sections:
10.15.010 Driving on bicycle paths.
10.15.020 Incompetent drivers.
10.15.030 Play streets – Designation.
10.15.040 Play streets – Driving.
10.15.060 Railroad cars blocking streets, etc.
10.15.070 School zones – Designation.
10.15.080 School zones – Drivers to exercise due care.
10.15.090 School zones – Passing.
10.15.100 Speed limits – Generally.
10.15.010 Driving on bicycle paths.
No person shall drive, operate, park or place any vehicle on any area designated as a bicycle path. [Ord. 484 § 2, 1978. 1996 Code § 10-19.1.]
10.15.020 Incompetent drivers.
It shall be unlawful for any person physically or mentally disabled or incapacitated in any manner, temporarily or permanently, to operate or drive any vehicle. [Ord. 373, 1974. 1996 Code § 10-24.]
10.15.030 Play streets – Designation.
The chief of police shall have authority to declare any street or part thereof a play street and to place appropriate signs or devices in the roadway indicating and helping to protect the same. [Ord. 373, 1974. 1996 Code § 10-38.]
10.15.040 Play streets – Driving.
Whenever authorized signs are erected indicating any street or part thereof as a play street, no person shall drive a vehicle upon any such street or portion thereof except drivers of vehicles having business or whose residences are within such closed areas, and then any driver shall exercise the greatest care in driving upon any such street or portion thereof. [Ord. 373, 1974. 1996 Code § 10-39.]
10.15.050 Quiet zones.
The chief of police may authorize any person operating a hospital to erect suitable signs on the streets at or near such hospital, directing operators of vehicles to observe quiet movements while in such zones, which signs shall conform to the regulations of the town, and it shall be unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to fail to obey such signs. [Ord. 373, 1974. 1996 Code § 10-40.]
10.15.060 Railroad cars blocking streets, etc.
No engineer, fireman, conductor, or other person in the employ of any railway company shall permit any locomotive, tender, passenger, baggage or freight car to stand or be upon any crossing where the track of any railway company shall cross any of the streets, avenues or alleys of the town for a longer period than five minutes at any one time. [1996 Code § 10-41.]
10.15.070 School zones – Designation.
During the hours from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the days only while the schools are in session, all alleys, streets and intersections adjacent to the public schools in the town and adjacent to all property used for school and school play purposes are hereby designated as school zones together with all other alleys, streets and intersections in the town which are hereafter designated by the chief of police and marked as such. [Ord. 373, 1974. 1996 Code § 10-49.]
10.15.080 School zones – Drivers to exercise due care.
Every driver of a motor vehicle shall exercise extreme care in approaching and driving through such areas during the hours prescribed in WMC 10.15.070 on the days that the schools are in session. At all intersections in the school zones where stop signs are maintained, it shall be the duty of every driver of a motor vehicle to stop and remain stopped to permit any child to cross, when such child or children are waiting at the curb or within five feet thereof. [Ord. 373, 1974. 1996 Code § 10-50.]
10.15.090 School zones – Passing.
No passing shall be permitted in school zones. [Ord. 373, 1974. 1996 Code § 10-51.]
For state law as to authority of town to establish no-passing zones, see WS, 1977, 31-5-207.
10.15.100 Speed limits – Generally.
(a) No person shall drive a vehicle on a street at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing.
(b) Except when a special hazard exists that requires lower speed for compliance with subsection (a) of this section, the limits specified in this section shall be maximum lawful speeds, and no person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed in excess of such maximum limits. The following maximum speeds are permitted:
(1) Twenty miles per hour when passing a school building, or grounds thereof, or a school crossing, during school recess or while children are going to or leaving school during opening or closing hours; provided, that the presence of such school building, ground thereof or school crossing is indicated plainly by signs or signals conforming to the provisions hereof.
(2) Thirty miles per hour in any urban district unless otherwise posted.
(3) Fifty-five miles per hour in any other location. All areas not herein otherwise designated.
(c) The chief of police, if he determines that the speed limit is too fast, has the authority to lower the maximum speed by posting the same in those areas so determined. [Ord. 650 § 3(G)(viii), 1996; revised by 1995 supplementation; Ord. 410, 1976. 1996 Code § 10-56.]