HOT PURSUIT

Last week’s edition featured an editorial on the County Road 46 controversy near Blooming Prairie High School. At least one reader was left confused about the speed limit and questioning what the big deal is because it’s already marked 25 mph.

Well, yes, it’s marked 25, but it still can be a big public safety issue. Read on.

Not believing what others were telling her, the woman had someone take her out to the area to show her that there was in fact a 25-mph sign. Where the confusion comes in, and what caused this particular reader to be led astray from other people, is that a yellow sign with pedestrians above it shows 25 mph. Yellow speed signs, which are also known as advisory speed signs, are only recommendations to slow down and are not enforceable speed limits by police.

Police Chief Greg Skillestad brought this to my attention last fall when we initially started writing stories about the narrow roadway that has some residents concerned when youth sporting events occur at fields located along the road.

While it’s a good idea to heed suggested speed limits, motorists cannot be ticketed for exceeding the advisory speed limit. The posted speed limit, which is enforceable by police, in that particular area is 45 mph.

In the case with County 46, it would not be recommended to blast through the area going 45 mph or higher, especially when vehicles are parked on both sides of the road and pedestrians are walking around trying to get to the ball fields. In the past, Skillestad has indicated how it would be impossible for any motorist to avoid hitting a pedestrian going 45 mph.

However, residents and perhaps some county officials need to understand police cannot do anything with vehicles that are traveling at 45 mph even with the 25 mph yellow signs in the area.

The yellow signs are used to warn drivers of potentially dangerous conditions, which in the case of County 46 would be pedestrians walking along the roadway or crossing.

When it comes to speed signs, black and white signs are regulatory or enforceable by police while yellow is an advisory/recommended and not enforceable.

Tom Peterson of Blooming Prairie has been pushing the county and school district to get “no parking” signs along the stretch. Just to be clear, Steele County is the only agency that has jurisdiction over that roadway. The county was supposed to tackle the issue at a board meeting Tuesday after this edition went to press.

Let’s hope county officials finally go in hot pursuit of coming up with a solution for this troubled roadway.