City Superintendent Tyler Webster would like people to be aware that the school crosswalks are in effect, and the flashing lights are ready for the school year.  There are signs at 400 North and 100, 200 and 300 West. When there are Stop signs, it is not necessary to have the hatched crosswalk, just a regular crosswalk. 

On 400 North and North Main, according to Mayor Hawkins, “the council decided to have the kids walk on the south side down to 100 West because that is where they always walk anyway, and also because the sidewalk on the north side is not in good condition. The city will try to get a sidewalk on the south side when they can find the money!” The speed limit is 20 through school zones, during school hours.  Hawkins added that “we hope that people will just observe that speed limit at all times just so they don’t forget to slow down when school is in session.” 

Superintendent Webster specifically added, “one area that we have really been concerned about is southbound on 100 West. There is a hill as you come from 700 North down to 400 North, and it crests just before 400 North. People tend to speed in that area.  We don’t have all of the speed limit signs yet. There is a speed limit sign on 100 West and 400 North that says 30 mph. That will come down and the new 20 mph signs will go up and I think the hours will be posted on them like the two existing signs that I saw.”

Reading through the police incident logs during the week, it is clear that speeding is one of the primary violation issues in the city and county.  There is at least one “Bus Arm Violation” that results from someone trying to drive around a bus with its lights flashing every week.  Obviously, this is an expensive, and more importantly dangerous violation to commit and should be avoided at all costs.  A speeding ticket through a school zone is equally ill-advised.  Here is the relevant Idaho statute on the matter.

TITLE 49

MOTOR VEHICLES

CHAPTER 6

RULES OF THE ROAD

49-658.  School zone speed limit — Penalty. (1) No person shall operate a vehicle in excess of the posted maximum speed limit established for a posted school zone. If a posted school zone speed limit sign includes the words “when children are present,” the term shall mean one (1) or more children. The definition applies to children present on the same side of the street as the school building or across the street from the school building in any direction within the marked school zone.

(2)  Violation of the provisions of this section shall be an infraction punishable by a minimum penalty of not less than seventy-five dollars ($75.00).