Are construction zone speed limits enforced in Missouri and Illinois when workers aren’t there?

ST. LOUIS – Summertime commutes often lead drivers by construction zones, both with workers present and absent from the work sites. Those two scenarios seem different on paper, but perhaps should be treated as much of the same.

Generally speaking, construction zones near busy streets or highways will show signs with reduced speed limits. Transportation officials set these limits to help drivers slow down, especially to prevent setbacks and ensure worker safety at construction sites.

All work zone projects take time to complete, and inevitably, workers will need to take breaks. That’s how you might encounter a work zone without others around. If that’s the case, and you’re traveling along a work zone without any major traffic jams, you may be tempted to drive by it faster than the reduced speed or at least closer to the normal speed limit.

At the very least, that possibility should have drivers wondering, is it legal to speed by construction zones without workers present? Or to put it another way, are construction zone speed limits enforced when workers aren’t around?

If you’re driving in the St. Louis region, you’ll want to keep the state laws of Missouri and Illinois in mind:

Missouri

The most recent statute in Missouri to address speed limits in construction zones was first enforced in 2006.

Missouri State Statute 304.582 explains:

“The court shall assess a fine of thirty-five dollars in addition to any other fine authorized to be imposed by law, if the offense occurred within a construction zone or a work zone.”

Missouri Statute 304.582

This specific part of the statute penalizes a driver for speeding in a construction zone regardless of any conditions related to workers on site. A violation is $35 on top of the base fee imposed through a more general offense like speeding.

The statute further explains that a second such work zone violation means a $75 fee and that any passing violations involving a work zone and worker present in the zone could lead to an extra $250 fine.

Short answer : Are construction zone speed limits enforced in Missouri when workers aren’t around? Yes.

Illinois

The most recent statute in Illinois to address speed limits in construction zones was last updated in 2022.

Illinois Vehicle Code (Section 625 ILCS 5/11-605.1) explains:

“A person may not operate a motor vehicle in a construction or maintenance speed zone at a speed in excess of the posted speed limit when workers are not present.”

Illinois Vehicle Code Section 625 ILCS 5/11-605.1

This specific part of the statute penalizes a driver for speeding in a construction zone in the case that there are not construction workers on site. The statute further penalizes a driver for driving “in excess of the posted speed limit when workers are present.”

According to the Illinois Vehicle Code, violations in either case could lead to a minimum fine of $250 after the first offense and $750 after every additional offense as they pertain to driving above a posted speed limit in work zones.

Short answer : Are construction zone speed limits enforced in Illinois when workers aren’t around? Yes.

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