Know the Road with the CHP: When do construction zone speed limits apply?

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- An ABC30 viewer sent in the following question: are construction zone speed limits in effect even if no workers are present?

"The purpose of having a construction zone is for both the safety of the workers and the traffic traveling," said Sgt. Brian Pennings with the California Highway Patrol. "Oftentimes when you have construction zones, there is a change in the nature of the roadway, other than what you may be expecting."

Those changes could include a lack of shoulder, a narrow shoulder, or a lack of striping on the roadway. Construction zone signs also have different types of signs, Pennings said: black and yellow advisory signs, black and white signs which can include enforceable speed limits, and orange construction zone signs that alert you when you're entering a construction zone.

"Even though there may not be construction workers working at the time you travel through the construction zone, the lower speed limit is established for your safety as well," Pennings said.

"And so because of those reasons, yes, if it has a black and white sign stating a lower speed limit of the construction zone, you must obey that lower speed limit, seven days a week and 24 hours a day."

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