CHAPTER 337
An Act to amend and reenact § 46.2-873 of the Code of Virginia, relating to school crossing zones; active times.
[S 221]
Approved April 6, 2026
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 46.2-873 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 46.2-873 . Maximum speed limits at school crossings; penalty.
A. For the purposes of this section, "school crossing zone" means an area located within the vicinity of a school at or near a highway where the presence of children on such school property or going to and from school reasonably requires a special warning to motorists. Such zones are marked and operated in accordance with the requirements of this section with appropriate warning signs or other traffic control devices indicating that a school crossing is in progress.
B. The maximum speed limit shall be 25 miles per hour between portable signs, tilt-over signs, or fixed blinking signs placed in or along any highway and bearing the word "school" or "school crossing." Any signs erected under this section shall be placed not more than 750 feet from the limits of the school property or crossing in the vicinity of the school. However, "school crossing" signs may be placed in any location if the Department of Transportation or the council of the city or town or the board of supervisors of a county maintaining its own system of secondary roads approves the crossing for such signs. If the portion of the highway to be posted is within the limits of a city or town, such portable signs shall be furnished and delivered by such city or town. If the portion of highway to be posted is outside the limits of a city or town, such portable signs shall be furnished and delivered by the Department of Transportation. The principal or chief administrative officer of each school or a school board designee, preferably not a classroom teacher, shall place such portable signs in the highway at a point not more than 750 feet from the limits of the school property and remove such signs when their presence is no longer required by this section. Such portable signs, tilt-over signs, or fixed blinking signs shall be placed in a position plainly visible to vehicular traffic approaching from either direction, but shall not be placed so as to obstruct the roadway.
C. Such portable signs, tilt-over signs, or blinking signs shall be in a position, or be turned on, for 30 minutes preceding regular school hours, for 30 minutes thereafter, and during such other times as the presence of children on such school property or going to and from school reasonably requires a special warning to motorists. The governing body of any county, city, or town may, however, decrease the period of time preceding and following regular school hours during which such portable signs, tilt-over signs, or blinking signs shall be in position or lit if it determines that no children will be going to or from school during the period of time that it subtracts from the 30-minute period. Additionally, the governing body of any county, city, or town may, by ordinance, increase the period of time preceding and following regular school hours during which such portable signs, tilt-over signs, or blinking signs shall be in position or lit to a maximum of 60 minutes if it determines that children will be going to or from school during that period of time.
D. The governing body of any city or town may, if the portion of the highway to be posted is within the limits of such city or town, increase or decrease the speed limit provided in this section only after justification for such increase or decrease has been shown by an engineering and traffic investigation, and no such increase or decrease in speed limit shall be effective unless such increased or decreased speed limit is conspicuously posted on the portable signs, tilt-over signs, or fixed blinking signs required by this section.