[Adopted 8-4-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-10]
The purpose of this Article 7 is to address problems of traffic
control occur when traffic must be moved through and around road or
street construction, maintenance operations and utility work, above
or below ground, which requires blocking the roadway and obstructing
the normal flow of traffic, and that such obstructions are or can
become dangerous when not properly controlled. In order to better
promote the public health, safety, peace and welfare, it is necessary
to establish controls and regulations directed to the safe and expeditious
movement of traffic through construction and maintenance zones and
to provide safety for the work forces performing such operations.
The Township of Chester does hereby adopts the Manual on Uniform
Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), as amended and supplemented from
time to time and except as hereby explicitly or implicitly amended
and supplemented, as it controls and regulates whenever construction,
maintenance operations or utility work obstructs the normal flow of
traffic. Any person, utility or contractor failing to comply with
the provisions of the MUTCD while performing such work is in violation
of this section.
For the purposes of this article, the following terms shall
have the meanings herein set forth:
CHIEF OF POLICE
The Chief of Police of the Township of Chester or his designee.
CONTRACTOR
Construction companies, excavators, land developers and any
and all persons connected with construction affecting traffic conditions,
including the owner and/or resident of the affected property.
ROADWAY or STREET
Any road, highway, public way, public alley, easement or
other right-of-way over which the public travels or to which the public
has access, whether publicly or privately maintained and/or owned,
including dedicated but unaccepted subdivision streets.
It shall be the responsibility of the contractor wishing to
work below, on or above any roadway to contact the Chief of Police
to arrange a preconstruction meeting to submit plans for the safe
movement of traffic during the period of construction work. Failure
to comply with this section prior to the start of work or working
without approval of the traffic plan by the Chief of Police is a violation
of this section.
Prior to the start of any work, the contractor shall provide
to the Chief of Police, with sufficient copies for the project engineer,
the Superintendent of Public Works and the Township Administrator,
at least two emergency phone numbers to be called in case of emergency
problems at the work site. If the emergency contacts cannot be reached
or, after being reached, fail to respond to a call from the police
to correct a hazardous condition, the Township may correct such condition
and assess the reasonable cost of same to the contractor.
The Chief of Police shall maintain a list of roads determined
to be heavily traveled for the purposes of this article, and such
determination, which may be amended from time to time, shall be binding.
A copy of the list of such roads shall be available for review during
normal business hours, and contractors may obtain a copy on request.
No construction, maintenance operations or utility work shall
be conducted below, on or above any heavily traveled roadway before
the hour of 9:00 a.m. or after the hour of 4:00 p.m., except that
in emergency situations or when traffic volumes dictate, the Chief
of Police may modify or waive such limits. On all other streets, hours
of operation shall be from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Notwithstanding the provisions of §
153-37B as to this article, no roadway shall be closed nor any detour established without the prior consent of the Chief of Police, who, after consultation with the Superintendent of Public Works and the project engineer, shall specify the times and dates for the closing and reopening of the roadway, and no deviation therefrom shall be permitted. Requests for roadway closings or detours must be made not fewer than 72 hours in advance, except that where any emergency exists, such closings or detours may be approved immediately at the sole discretion of the Chief of Police.
Traffic directors shall be posted at all construction or maintenance
sites when it is determined by the Chief of Police that the same are
necessary to provide for safety and the expeditious movement of traffic.
In any instance where it is necessary to change the direction of any
vehicle or pedestrian, a uniformed police officer shall be required,
the same to be provided at the expense of the contractor.
The Chief of Police shall have the authority to stop work and/or
order the removal of vehicles and/or equipment and/or stored materials
in the right-of-way, backfilling of open excavations and/or any related
work in order to abate any nuisance, traffic delay or safety hazard
or any violation of this article.
In case of an emergency where construction, maintenance or utility
work must be performed and where such work will obstruct, interfere
with or detour traffic on any roadway within the Township, the contractor
shall immediately notify the Chief of Police of the nature of the
emergency, the location thereof and the hours of work. All such emergency
work will be performed with full regard to safety and the absolute
minimization of traffic interference.
All signing and other traffic control devices shall be placed
on self-supporting structures and shall not be affixed to trees, utility
poles or traffic devices which are the property of the township. All
signing and other traffic control devices shall conform to the MUTCD,
current edition. All signing and other traffic control devices shall
be kept clean and distinct and free from grease, dust or other blurring
matter so as to be plainly visible at all times of the day or night.
No signing or other traffic control devices shall be permitted to
be obscured by trees or parked vehicles.
At the time of the preconstruction meeting, the types of proposed
traffic control devices to be utilized for the project shall be shown
by a diagram and a written list. A copy of the diagram as approved
by the Chief of Police shall be maintained by the contractor at all
times at the job site for possible review.
A violation of any section of this Article 7 shall be punishable
in municipal court, upon conviction thereof, by a fine of not less
than $100 nor more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than 90
days, or both. Each day upon which a violation occurs shall be deemed
a separate offense, and violation of more than one section of this
article shall constitute separate violations.