STE. GENEVIEVE — The Ste. Genevieve has enacted a new ordinance now in effect to deal with traffic conditions at bridges and stream crossings.
The commission has been fielding complaints from residents on Brushy Creek Road and Saline Creek Road about the bridges being blocked to through traffic by people using the streams for fishing and swimming.
As a result, the commissioner has enacted the following ordinance to allow traffic enforcement at these locations and other stream crossings in the county as needed. Signs will be posted at these crossings notifying the public.
COUNTY ORDINANCE 091924
Parking on or obstructing traffic on any bridges or stream crossings on county roads prohibited.
This ordinance adopts part of Missouri State Statute 300.440:
“Stopping, standing or parking prohibited. — 1. Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic, or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or official traffic control device, no person shall:…(1) Stop, stand or park a vehicle:…(g) Upon any bridge or other elevated structure upon a highway…”
This ordinance also adopts part of Missouri State Statute 300.445: “Parking not to obstruct traffic. — No person shall park any vehicle upon a street, other than an alley, in such a manner or under such conditions as to leave available less than ten feet of the width of the roadway for free movement of vehicular traffic.” The ten feet of distance does not preclude the unimpeded movement of oversize farm equipment.
This ordinance also allows the Ste. Genevieve County Sheriff’s Office to have vehicles in violation to be towed at the owner’s expense.
Signs will be erected at necessary locations by approval of the Ste. Genevieve County Commission with the wording: “Per County Ordinance 091924, parking on or obstructing any bridges or stream crossings prohibited with vehicles towed at owners expense per Missouri Statute 300.440.”