(A) Basic rule.
(1) No person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing.
(2) A person shall drive at a safe and appropriate speed when approaching and crossing an intersection or railroad grade crossing, when approaching and going around a curve, when approaching a hillcrest, when traveling upon any narrow or winding roadway, and when special hazards exist with respect to pedestrians or other traffic or by reason of weather or highway conditions.
(Neb. RS 60-6,185)
(B) Maximum limits.
(1) Except when a special hazard exists that requires lower speed for compliance with division (A) above, the limits set forth in this section and Neb. RS 60-6,187, 60-6,188, 60-6,305, and 60-6,313 shall be the maximum lawful speeds unless reduced pursuant to division (B)(2) below, and no person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed in excess of such maximum limits:
(a) Twenty-five mph in any residential district;
(b) Twenty mph in any business district;
(c) Fifty mph upon any highway that is gravel or not dustless surfaced;
(d) Fifty-five mph upon any dustless-surfaced highway not a part of the state highway system;
(e) Sixty-five mph upon any four-lane divided highway not a part of the state highway system; and
(f) Sixty-five mph upon any part of the state highway system other than an expressway, a super-two highway, or a freeway.
(2) The maximum speed limits established in division (B)(1) above may be reduced by the Department of Transportation or the Board of Trustees pursuant to division (D) below or Neb. RS 60-6,188.
(3) The Board may erect and maintain suitable signs along highways under its jurisdiction in such number and at such locations as it deems necessary to give adequate notice of the speed limits established pursuant to divisions (B)(1) or (B)(2) above upon such highways.
(Neb. RS 60-6,186)
(C) Bridges and other elevated structures.
(1) No person shall drive a vehicle over any public bridge, causeway, viaduct, or other elevated structure at a speed which is greater than the maximum speed which can be maintained with safety thereon when such structure is posted with signs as provided in division (C)(2) below.
(2) The Department of Transportation or the Board of Trustees may conduct an investigation of any bridge or other elevated structure constituting a part of a highway under its jurisdiction, and if it finds that the structure cannot safely withstand vehicles traveling at the speed otherwise permissible, the Department or the Board shall determine and declare the maximum speed of vehicles which the structure can safely withstand and shall cause suitable signs stating the maximum speed to be erected and maintained before each end of the structure.
(3) Upon the trial of any person charged with a violation of division (C)(1) above, proof of the determination of the maximum speed by the Department or the Board and the existence of such signs shall constitute conclusive evidence of the maximum speed which can be maintained with safety on the bridge or structure.
(Neb. RS 60-6,189)
(D) Alternative maximum limits.
(1) Whenever the Department of Transportation determines, upon the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation, that any maximum speed limit is greater or less than is reasonable or safe under the conditions found to exist at any intersection, place, or part of the state highway system outside of the corporate limits of cities and villages, as well as inside the corporate limits of cities and villages on freeways which are part of the state highway system, it may determine and set a reasonable and safe maximum speed limit for such intersection, place, or part of such highway which shall be the lawful speed limit when appropriate signs giving notice thereof are erected at such intersection, place, or part of the highway, except that the maximum rural and freeway limits shall not be exceeded. Such a maximum speed limit may be set to be effective at all times or at such times as are indicated upon such signs.
(2) On all highways within its corporate limits, except on state-maintained freeways which are part of the state highway system, the Board of Trustees shall have the same power and duty to alter the maximum speed limits as the Department if the change is based on engineering and traffic investigation, except that no imposition of speed limits on highways which are part of the state highway system in the village shall be effective without the approval of the Department.
(3) Not more than six such speed limits shall be set per mile along a highway, except in the case of reduced limits at intersections, and the difference between adjacent limits shall not be more than 20 mph.
(4) When the Department or the Board determines by an investigation that certain vehicles in addition to those specified in Neb. RS 60-6,187, 60-6,305, and 60-6,313 cannot with safety travel at the speeds provided in divisions (D)(2) and (D)(3) above and Neb. RS 60-6,187, 60-6,305, and 60-6,313 or set pursuant to this division (C) above, this (D), or Neb. RS 60-6,188, the Department or the Board may restrict the speed limit for such vehicles on highways under its respective jurisdiction and post proper and adequate signs.
(Neb. RS 60-6,190)
(E) Near schools.
(1) It shall be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle, when passing premises on which school buildings are located and which are used for school purposes, during school recess or while children are going to or leaving school during the opening or closing hours, to drive the vehicle at a rate of speed in excess of 15 mph past the premises.
(2) The driver shall stop at all stop signs located at or near such school premises, and it shall be unlawful for the driver to make a U-turn at any intersection where such stop signs are located at or near such school premises.
(1996 Code, § 5-104) Penalty, see § 70.99