The Rules of the Road Come to Kennewick
As automobiles begin to dominate the streets, City Hall codifies the right of way, speed limits, and the requirement for headlights and mufflers.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The City Council of Kennewick has passed Ordinance No. 194, establishing strict traffic regulations for all vehicles within city limits. The ordinance defines a vehicle as anything on wheels or runners, whether animal-drawn or motorized. Key provisions include: all vehicles must drive on the right side of the street; vehicles overtaking others must pass on the left; and pedestrians have the right of way at intersections. For automobiles, the speed limit is set at 15 miles per hour on Second Street between Washington and Pacific, and 18 miles per hour on other streets. All motor vehicles must be equipped with a bell or horn, must display white forward lights and red rear lights between sunset and sunrise, and must use a muffler. No person under fifteen may operate a motor vehicle unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. Violations are punishable by fines ranging from one to one hundred dollars or up to thirty days in the city jail.
“Pedestrians shall have the right of way at street intersections and crossings over all vehicles.”
This 1916 ordinance marks the exact moment Kennewick transitioned from a horse-and-buggy town to a motorized city. Today’s debates over urban density, bike lanes, and vehicle speed limits are direct descendants of these first attempts to organize shared public space.
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