19741015 1974-11ORDINANCE NO. 1974-11
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 13-76 OF
THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA,
ESTABLISHING SPEED LIMITS; POSTING, ETC.,
OF SCHOOL ZONES; INCREASING AND DECREASING
SPEED LIMITS; AND TEMPORARY REDUCTION FOR
CONSTRUCTION
BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Fairfax,
Virginia, that Section 13-76 of the Code of the City of Fairfax,
Virginia, be, and the same is, amended and re-enacted to read in
its entirety as follows:
Section 13-76 (a). Maximum Speed Limits. The maximum speed
limits on streets and highways of this city shall be as herein-
after described, except as provided in Section 13-76.1.
(1) Thirty-five miles per hour, except in business or
residential districts.
Twenty-five miles per hour in business or residential
(2)
districts.
(3)
Twenty-five miles per hour between portable signs, tilt-
over signs, or fixed blinking signs placed in or along any highway
bearing the word "school" or "school crossing." Such word or word
shall indicate that school children are present in the vicinity.
Any signs erected under this section shall be placed not more than
six hundred feet from the limits of the school property or crossin
in the vicinity of the school, which is used by children going to
and from the school; provided that "school crossing" signs may be
placed in any location where an engineering and traffic investiga
establishes a need therefor and the Department of Highways or the
city council approves the said crossing for such signs. It shall
be the duty of the principal or chief administrative officer of
each school or some responsible person designated by the school
board, preferably not a classroom teacher, to place such portable
signs in the highway at a point not more than six hundred feet
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from the limits of the school property and remove such signs when
their presence is no longer required by this subsection. Such
portable signs, tilt-over signs, or fixed blinking signs shall be
placed in a position plainly visible to vehicular traffic
approaching from either direction but shall not be placed so as
to obstruct the roadway. Such portable signs, tilt-over signs, or
blinking signals shall be in a position, or be turned on, for
thirty minutes preceding regular school hours and for thirty
minutes thereafter and during such other times as the presence
of children on such school property or going to and from school
reasonably requires a special warning to motorists.
(b) Minimum Speed Limits.
(1) 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.
(2) Whenever the city determines on the basis of an
engineering and traffic investigation that slow speeds on any part
of a highway consistently impede the normal and reasonable move-
ment of traffic, the city may determine and declare a minimum
speed limit to be set forth on signs posted on such highway below
which no person shall drive a vehicle except when necessary for
safe operation or in compliance with law.
(c) Notwithstanding any of the foregoing provisions and
Section 13-76.1, the city council reserves the right to increase
or decrease the speed limits in the city, provided, however, such
increased or decreased speed limits shall be effective only when
such increase or decrease in speed shall be based upon an
engineering and traffic investigation by the city and when such
speed area or zone is clearly indicated by markers or signs.
(d) The director of public works is hereby authorized and
empowered to reduce for a temporary period, not to exceed sixty
1974-11
-3
days, without any engineering and traffic investigation, the
speed limit on any portion of any highway or street of the city
on which men are working or where the highway is under constructio~
or repair.
This ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its
passage.
Introduced:
October 1, 1974.
Attest:
Adopted : October 15r 1974
0 Cl~rk