APPENDIX D – STANDARD TRAFFIC ORDINANCE (2023, as amended through Ord. 3212)APPENDIX D – STANDARD TRAFFIC ORDINANCE (2023, as amended through Ord. 3212)\ARTICLE 7. SPEED REGULATIONS

No person shall drive a vehicle at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions 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 hill crest, 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.

(K.S.A. 8-1557)

(a)   Except as provided in subsection (b) and except when a special hazard exists that requires lower speed for compliance with K.S.A. 8-1557, and amendments thereto, the limits specified in this subsection or established as authorized by law shall be maximum lawful speeds, and no person shall operate a vehicle at a speed in excess of such maximum limits:

(1)   In any urban district, 30 miles per hour;

(2)   On any separated multilane highway, as designated and posted by the secretary of transportation, 75 miles per hour;

(3)   On any county or township highway, 55 miles per hour; and

(4)   On all other highways, 65 miles per hour.

(b)   No person shall drive a school bus to or from school, or interschool or intraschool functions or activities, at a speed in excess of the maximum speed limits provided in subsection (a), except that the board of education of any school district may establish by board policy lower maximum speed limits for the operation of such district’s school buses. The provisions of this subsection relating to school buses shall apply to buses used for the transportation of students enrolled in community colleges or area vocational schools, when such buses are transporting students to or from school, or functions or activities.

(c)   The maximum speed limits in this section may be altered as authorized in K.S.A. 8-1559 and K.S.A. 8-1560, and amendments thereto. (K.S.A. 8-1558)

(a)   No person shall drive a vehicle which is towing a house trailer at a speed greater than a maximum of fifty-five (55) miles per hour.

(b)   No person shall drive any vehicle equipped with solid rubber tires at a speed greater than a maximum of ten (10) miles per hour.

(c)   No person shall drive a vehicle over any bridge or other elevated structure constituting a part of a highway at a speed which is greater than the maximum speed which can be maintained with safety to such bridge or structure, when such structure is signposted as provided in this section.

(d)   The secretary of transportation and local authorities on highways under their respective jurisdictions may conduct an investigation of any bridge or other elevated structure constituting a part of a highway, and if it shall thereupon find that such structure cannot with safety to itself withstand vehicles traveling at the speed otherwise permissible under this article, the secretary or local authority shall determine and declare the maximum speed of vehicles which such structure can safely withstand, and shall cause or permit suitable signs stating such maximum speed to be erected and maintained not less than one hundred (100) feet before each end of such structure.

(e)   Upon the trial of any person charged with a violation of this section, proof of said determination of the maximum speed by said secretary and the existence of said signs shall constitute conclusive evidence of the maximum speed which can be maintained with safety to such bridge or structure. (K.S.A. 8-1563)

(a)   No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.

(b)   Whenever the governing body determines on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that slow speeds on any highway or part of a highway consistently impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, the governing body may determine and declare a minimum speed limit below which no person shall drive a vehicle except when necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law, and that limit shall be effective when posted upon appropriate fixed or variable signs.

(K.S.A. 8-1561)

No person shall operate any motor-driven cycle at any time mentioned in Section 144 at a speed greater than 35 miles per hour unless such motor-driven cycle is equipped with a head lamp or lamps which are adequate to reveal a person or vehicle at a distance of 300 feet ahead.

(K.S.A. 8-1562)

Ref.: Sec. 182.

In every charge of violation of any speed regulation in this article, except charges of violations of Section 32, the complaint, also the summons or notice to appear, shall specify the speed at which the defendant is alleged to have driven, also the speed limit applicable within the district or at the location.

(K.S.A. 8-1564)

No person shall drive any vehicle in any race, speed competition or contest, drag race or acceleration contest, test of physical endurance, exhibition of speed or acceleration, or for the purpose of making a speed record, and no person shall in any manner participate in any such race, competition, contest, test or exhibition.

(K.S.A. 8-1565)