In the future, you’ should be able to legally drive a little bit faster along Mockingbird Lane, south of Interstate 30. Sulphur Springs City Council on Dec. 6, 2022, approved Ordinance No. 2819, which sets a prima facie speed limit of 35 miles per hour along Mockingbird Lane.
The change followed a request by a City Councilman to look into the speed limit on Mockingbird Lane from East Shannon Road to Posey Lane, as traffic through the area sometimes backs up, creating traffic congestion. A speeding profile was developed by placing a machine that gauges speed of motorists as each vehicle passed it on Mockingbird Lane. Information was also pulled from police records regarding traffic crashes at that location.
Sulphur Springs Police Chief Jason Ricketson presented the data collected during the speed survey of Mockingbird Lane to the City Council during their regular meeting on Nov. 1, 2022.
Using Texas Department of Transportation guides, the study showed the average vehicle was traveling at 33 to 34 mile per hour on that section of Mockingbird Lane (from East Shannon Road to Posey Lane. Of the more than 61,000 vehicles that passed the speed detecting trailer, 85% were rolling at speeds just over the current 30 mph speed limit for Mockingbird Lane, but under 35 mph. Based on the occupation along that stretch of roadway — which is heavily populated, and has a primary school, restaurants and a shopping center — city officials said even without a posted limit, the average person would reasonably slow down to that speed to accommodate the traffic and pedestrians in the area.
The school zone would not be impacted by the proposed ordinance change, as the school speed limit would still be enforced just as it currently is during peak school hours. Councilman Gary Spraggins on Nov. 1 proposed approving Ordinance No. 2819 amending Chapter 25 of the traffic ordinances by adding to section 25-35 a prima facie speed limit of 35 mph on Mockingbird Lane from the south service road to SH 11 east. Councilman Harold Nash seconded the motion, which was approved on first reading at hte Nov. 1 meeting.
The addition states:
Beginning at the north end of Mockingbird Lane at the intersection of East Shannon (Frontage Road) to the south end of Mockingbird Lane at the intersection of Posey Lane (Highway 11), a speed limit of 35 miles per hour; except that a school speed limit of 20 miles per hour will be effective on school days only at the school crossing zone that is approximately 0.08 to 0.22 miles south on Mockingbird Lane from East Shannon.
On Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022, Place 5 Councilman Spraggins again made a motion, which Place 2 Councilman Nash seconded, to approve on second and final reading Ordinance No. 2819, changing the prima facie speed limit on Mockingbird Lane from 30 to 35.
