Chapter 14 · Traffic and Vehicles

Article 2. Local Traffic Regulations

Sections 14-201 to 14-209 · 9 sections

14-201 Traffic control devices and markings.

The Standard Traffic Ordinance as adopted is hereby modified by adding thereto the following:

The governing body may, by resolution, establish and fix the location of such traffic control devices as may be deemed necessary to guide and warn traffic under the provisions of this chapter, other traffic ordinances and the state laws. The city shall place and maintain such traffic control signs, signals and devices when and as may be required by the authority of the governing body to make effective the provisions of this chapter and other ordinances for the regulation of traffic. Any official traffic control device placed pursuant to this section shall be marked and labeled on a map of the City of St. John for the purpose of displaying all such traffic control devices and shall be filed with the city clerk to be open to inspection and available to the public at all reasonable hours of business.

(Code 1991)

14-202 Parking vehicles more than 72 hours.

It is hereby declared unlawful for any person to park, stop, or stand any motor vehicle, trailer or semi trailer on any highway, street, or alley within the city for a period exceeding 72 consecutive hours.

(Code 2006, 14-203; Code 2015)

14-203 Truck routes.

(a)Overweight vehicles for the purpose of this section shall be defined as trucks, trailers and other conveyances, whether loaded or unloaded, with a registered gross weight in excess of 26,000 pounds.

(b)Designation of Truck Routes: It is unlawful for any person to operate any overweight vehicle upon any street or alley within the City, except:

(1)West Street

(2)1st Avenue

(3)Broadway South of 1st Ave. to Kendall Ave

(4)Kendall Ave. East of Broadway to Prairie Street

(5)Prairie Street North of Kendall to 1st Ave

(6)4th Ave to West Street

(c)Destination Access: All such overweight vehicles shall be required to follow the truck routes but may leave the truck route at that point on the truck route nearest its destination in the city for the delivery or pickup of materials, goods and merchandise at a destination not on the marked truck route and the same shall return to the marked truck route by the most direct route.

(d)Exclusions: School Busses; those trucks engaged in repairing, maintaining, or constructing streets, alleys, or utility services; city-owned trucks; and solid waste haulers providing service to customers within the corporate city limits that may exceed a registered gross weight in excess of 20,000 pounds.

(e)The streets designated in subsection (b) shall be properly identified and posted as truck routes within the City.

(f)Any police officer or properly designated City employee having reason to believe that the gross weight of a vehicle or combination of vehicles or the gross weight on any axle or tandem axles is unlawful is authorized to require the driver to stop and submit to a weighing of the same by means of either portable scales or stationary scales and may require that such vehicle be driven to any scales suitable for this purpose in or within a one (1) mile radius of the city limits. Portable scales shall be utilized only when stationary scales in or within one (1) mile radius of the city limits, whose accuracy is certified in accordance with law, are unavailable for use.

(g)Penalty: Violator of any provision in this section shall guilty of a misdemeanor. Upon conviction of this offense, the violator shall be subject to a jail term not to exceed 30 days and a fine of not less than $100 or more than $500. Additionally, the violator shall be required to pay court costs and reimburse the City for any damage to the street. Damages may be assessed at the cost of repair.

(Ord. 1063)

14-204 Careless driving.

No person shall operate, drive or halt any vehicle upon the streets or alleys of the city, in any area open and accessible to the public, the area being within the city limits, in such a manner as to indicate a careless or heedless disregard for the rights or safety of others or in such a manner as to endanger or be likely to endanger any person or property. This section shall not apply to a vehicle driven by a person on private property owned by him or her. Any person convicted of violation of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and punished under the provisions of Section 201(c) of the Standard Traffic Ordinance.

(Ord. 905, Sec. 2)

14-205 J turns.

It shall be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle around the city square to tum such vehicle across the center line of such street for the purpose of parking such vehicle at or along the opposite side of such portion of the street. It shall also be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle which is parked around the city square to back across the center line of the street for the purpose of proceeding in the opposite direction. Around the city square is defined as the East 100 Block of 3rd Street, the East 100 Block of 4111 Street, the North 300 Block of Main Street and the North 300 Block of Broadway Street in the city. Any person convicted of violation of this section shall be deemed guilty of a traffic infraction and shall be fined as established by the municipal court judge as set forth in Section 201(c) of the Standard Traffic Ordinance.

(Ord. 905, Sec. 3)

14-206 Screeching or spinning of tires or wheels.

No vehicle shall be driven, used or operated in such a manner to cause the screeching of tires or spinning of tires except where the same is necessary in an emergency by the operator to move the stalled vehicle from snow, ice or mud or to avoid an accident or the causing of damage or injury. Any person convicted of violation of this section shall be deemed guilty of a traffic infraction and shall be fined as established by the municipal court judge as set forth in Section 201(c) of the Standard Traffic Ordinance.

(Ord. 905, Sec. 4)

14-207 Driving through high water

When the City receives a large rain and street flooding is occurring, and when a street has been posted with signs indicating that high water may exist, it shall be unlawful for a person to drive through the water unless the person lives within the flooded area. The notice given shall include signs which may be permanently mounted on known low lying areas or when temporary barricades are placed across flooded streets stating “No through Traffic”. Any person convicted of this section shall be deemed guilty of a traffic infraction and shall pay a fine as established by the municipal court judge in an amount not to exceed Five Hundred Dollars ($500).

(Ord. 984)

14-208 Driving around barricades.

When the City has barricaded a street with barricades or cones and the City displays signs “No Through Traffic”, then is shall be unlawful for a person to go around the barricades or cones unless the person lives in the immediate area that has been posted with barricades or cones. Any person convicted of this section shall be deemed guilty of a traffic infraction and shall pay a fine as established by the municipal court judge in an amount not to exceed Five Hundred Dollars ($500).

(Ord. 984)

14-209 Angle parking.

Angle parking is hereby permitted on the portion of Monroe Street situated between East 4th Avenue and East 5th Avenue.

(K.S.A. 8-1572(c); Ord. 1102-25)