Watertown City Council Considers Speed Limit Ordinance Tying Local Limits to Posted Signs
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council heard the first reading of an ordinance amending municipal codes on speed limits and traffic control devices, designed to simplify how local speed zones are defined and enforced.
Under the proposed amendment to sections 19.0115 and 19.0501 of the revised city ordinances, speed limits will be officially determined by posted signage. City Manager Alan Stager explained that the city currently relies on archaic "metes and bounds" descriptions to define speed zones rather than physical signs or school zones.
Where no speed limit is posted, the default speed limit remains 25 mph, with specific exceptions for alleyways.
"Reasonable and Prudent" Clause Sparks Discussion
The ordinance update also formally incorporates a "reasonable and prudent" speed provision, drawing language directly from the Uniform Vehicle Code adopted across all 50 states.
Councilman Mohrmann and Councilman Heuer addressed the provision during the meeting, noting that some residents had contacted them with concerns that the subjective wording could lead to police overreach. Mohrmann clarified that the rule is not a new legal standard for Watertown drivers.
"South Dakota Codified Law 32-25-3 already says you must operate a vehicle at speeds that are reasonable and prudent for conditions," Mohrmann said. "This is already a law that is on the books."
Stager assured the council that adding the matching language to the city ordinance is an administrative cleanup and will not alter the status quo for local law enforcement.
"I would not imagine that having the reasonable and prudent provision will change enforcement much at all," Stager said. "If there is an obvious situation where somebody is not driving in a reasonable and prudent manner, obviously our officers will cite those individuals as they would today."
Because this was the first reading of the ordinance, the council took no final action. Mayor Ried Holien stated the item will return for a second reading and a potential final vote in two weeks.
