Speed in construction zones
 

What is the legal maximum speed in construction zones in BC?

Work in progress
138 On a highway where new construction, reconstruction, widening, repair, marking or other work is being carried out, traffic control devices must be erected indicating that persons or equipment are working on the highway.

Erection of speed sign
139 On a highway where new construction, reconstruction, widening, repair, marking or other work is being carried out, traffic control devices must be erected to limit the rate of speed of vehicles or to restrict the manner in which the vehicles are to proceed on the highway.

Obedience to speed signs
140 Where traffic control devices as indicated in section 138 or 139 are erected or placed on the highway, a person must not drive or operate a vehicle at a greater rate of speed than, or in a manner different from, that indicated on the signs.

Obeying flagger
141 If a flagger is controlling the movements of traffic around the section of highway being worked on, a person must not drive or operate a vehicle other than as directed by the flagger.



So it looks like unless directed to slow down by a flagger or temporarily erected sign, the speed limit is unchanged?

But all the while considering:
144 (1) A person must not drive a motor vehicle on a highway
(c) at a speed that is excessive relative to the road, traffic, visibility or weather conditions.

not sure if these are official this is what i have observed:

city - 40km/h
highway - 80km/h

ive seen it varied (even 60 on hwy) Signs are typically posted in advance, warning you to slow down.
Posted via RS Mobile

The limit is whatever the signs say it is. There is no official construction zone speed as the limits are reduced to the particular requirements of each zone.

And if no sign showing a reduction in speed, as long as I'm driving with due care and attention at a speed relative to the conditions I'm all good?

You must not exceed the posted limit, whatever that is, unless the conditions require you to slow down...eg snow, fog, heavy rain...that sort of thing (speed relative to conditions). If you are driving in an 80k zone and there are no special construction zone signs that lower the limit, then, excluding the above, you may go a maximum of 80k. A sign designating a construction zone, in itself, does not tell you to slow down.

I'd say over half of the construction zones that I've driven through don't have an "End of xx/kph" sign. If the construction is limited to one side of the road, there's usually no construction speed limit sign for opposing traffic to use as an "end" marker (similar to school zone signs).

In the absense of an "End of xx/kph" sign, where does the construction zone speed limit legally end?

I'm surprised to hear that the posted reduced speed zone does not have an ending sign. I guess you would then be required to drive at the slower speed until you see a new, unreduced speed sign...or look for an obvious end of the zone on your side, coupled with the start of the zone for traffic coming towards you? Personally, I have never seen a reduced construction zone that did not have some sort of "resume speed sign"?