My friend Karli sent me a text about school speed zones. She lives across the street from a school and is ticked so many people ignore the speed limit set on the school zone signs.

I am so fed up! I live right across the street from a school, and NO ONE SLOWS DOWN 4 the school zone! There are a lot of kids here...how can they just ignore the signs?

I didn't have much of an answer for her. Some cities enforce school speed zones all year (to keep people in practice, I suppose), and some cities only enforce during the school years. Sometimes a sign'll say "Enforced during school hours only."

So what is the rule in Rochester? I called the Rochester PD to find out for sure and  Sgt. Ryan Magnuson pointed me toward the actual statute. Which says, basically, the school speed zones are in force year 'round when children are present, or the times listed on the sign.

2017 MN Statutes 169 Section 169.14 - Subd. 5a.Speed zoning in school zone; surcharge. (a) Local authorities may establish a school speed limit within a school zone of a public or nonpublic school upon the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation as prescribed by the commissioner of transportation. The establishment of a school speed limit on any trunk highway shall be with the consent of the commissioner of transportation. Such school speed limits shall be in effect when children are present, going to or leaving school during opening or closing hours or during school recess periods. The school speed limit shall not be lower than 15 miles per hour and shall not be more than 30 miles per hour below the established speed limit on an affected street or highway.

So, there you go, Karli, and everyone else annoyed at people zipping around where kids might be playing, school zones are enforced whenever kids are present, but the trick is having police there to see it.

If you see it happening a lot, keep notes on it so you can tell the RPD about it. Get in touch with the RPD and let them know (call 507-328-6800, or visit their website by clicking HERE).

Listen to James Rabe 6a to 10a on Y-105 FM, and 2p to 6p on 103.9 The Doc.

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