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City of Pawtucket, RI
Providence County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
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A. 
Official time standard. Whenever certain hours are named herein they shall mean Eastern standard time or Eastern daylight saving time as may be in current use in this City.
B. 
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall for the purpose of this chapter have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this article:
ALLEY or ALLEYWAY
A narrow minor street, usually without sidewalks, on which the rears or sides of buildings adjoin.
AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLE
Vehicles of the Fire Department, Police Department and such ambulances and emergency vehicles of municipal departments or public service corporations as are designated or authorized by the State Registrar of Motor Vehicles.
BICYCLE
Every device propelled by human power upon which any person may ride, having two tandem wheels either of which is more than 20 inches in diameter.
BUSINESS DISTRICT
The territory contiguous to and including a highway when within any 600 feet along such highway there are buildings in use for business or industrial purposes, including but not limited to hotels, banks, or office buildings, railroad stations and public buildings which occupy at least 300 feet of frontage on one side or 300 feet collectively on both sides of the highway.
BUS or JITNEY
Every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, tractor-trailer or tractor-trailer combination, used for the transportation of passengers for hire, and operated wholly or in part upon any street or highway in such a manner as to afford a means of transportation similar to that afforded by a street railway company, by indiscriminately receiving or discharging passengers; or running on a regular route or over any portion thereof; or between fixed termini. Every motor vehicle other than a public bus designed for carrying more than 10 passengers and used for the transportation of persons; and every motor vehicle other than a taxicab designed and used for the transportation of persons for compensation is hereby defined as a private bus.
BUS STOP
An area in the roadway adjacent to the curb or edge of a roadway set aside for the boarding of or alighting of passengers from buses.
CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT
All streets and portions of streets within the area described as follows: All that area bounded by and beginning at the intersection at George Steet and Interstate 95, thence northerly on George Street, then westerly on Church Steet, then northerly on Hill Street, then easterly on Main Street, then northerly on Commerce Street, then easterly on Goff Avenue, then northwesterly on Dexter Street, then northeasterly along the AMTRAK railroad property, then easterly on Barton Steet; then southerly on High Street, then easterly on Blackstone Avenue, crossing the Blackstone River and continuing easterly on Blackstone Avenue, then southwesterly on Broadway to the intersection at School Street, then southerly on School Street to Interstate 95, then westerly along the property line of Interstate 95 to George Steet on the place of beginning.
CITY
The City of Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE
Any vehicle registered for commercial purposes and designed and used primarily for the transportation of goods, wares or merchandise.
CONTROLLED ACCESS ROADWAY
Every highway, street or roadway in respect to which owners or occupants of abutting lands and other persons have no legal right of access to or from the same except at such points only and in such manner as may be determined by the public authority having jurisdiction over such highway, street or roadway.
CROSSWALK
(1) 
That part of a roadway at an intersection included within the connections of the lateral lines of the sidewalks on opposite sides of the highway measured from the curbs, or in the absence of curbs from the edges of the traversable roadway.
(2) 
Any portion of a roadway at an intersection or elsewhere distinctly indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines or other markings on the surface.
CURB LOADING ZONE
A space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers or materials.
DRIVER
Any operator or chauffeur who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle.
FREIGHT CURB LOADING ZONE
A space adjacent to a curb for the exclusive use of commercial vehicles during the loading or unloading of freight.
HOLIDAYS
New Year's Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Victory Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
[Added 12-16-2010 by Ch. No. 2953]
INTERSECTION
The area embraced within the prolongation or connection of the lateral curb lines, or, if none, then the lateral boundary lines of the roadways of two highways which join one another at, or approximately at, right angles, or the area within which vehicles traveling upon different highways joining at any other angles may come in conflict. Where a highway includes two roadways 30 feet or more apart, then every crossing of each roadway of such divided highway by an intersecting highway shall be regarded as a separate intersection. In the event such intersecting highway also includes two roadways 30 feet or more apart, then every crossing of two roadways of such highways shall be regarded as a separate intersection.
LANED ROADWAY
A roadway which is divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for vehicular traffic.
MOTORCYCLE
Only those motor vehicles having not more than three wheels in contact with the ground and a saddle on which the driver sits astride, and those bicycles having a motor attached thereto and a driving wheel or wheels in contact with the ground.
MOTOR VEHICLE
Every vehicle which is self-propelled and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated upon rails.
MUNICIPAL PARKING LOTS
Any parking lot or parking garage owned, leased or rented by the City as a municipal parking lot.
OFFICIAL CURB MARKING
That portion of the curbing the painting of which controls certain restrictions as designed by the Traffic Engineer and is authorized by the Director of Public Safety.
OFFICIAL STREET MARKING
Any painted or plastic lines, legends, markings or marker of any description painted or placed upon any way which purports to direct or regulate traffic as designed and placed by the Traffic Engineer and which has been authorized by the Director of Public Safety.
OFFICIAL TRAFFIC-CONTROL DEVICES
All signs, signals, markings and devices not inconsistent with this chapter placed or erected by the Traffic Engineer and authorized by the Director of Public Safety for the purpose of regulating, warning, or guiding traffic.
PARK OR PARKING
The stopping or standing of a vehicle on a roadway, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading, or in obedience to a police officer or traffic signs or signals, or while making emergency repairs, or, if disabled, while arrangements are being made to move such vehicle.
PASSENGER CURB LOADING ZONE
A place adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers.
PEDESTRIAN
Any person afoot.
PERSON
Every individual, firm, copartnership, corporation or association.
POLICE OFFICER
Every officer authorized to direct or regulate traffic or to make arrests for violation of traffic regulations.
PRIVATE ROAD OR DRIVEWAY
Every way or place in private ownership and used for vehicular travel by the owner and those having express or implied permission from the owner, but not by other persons.
RAILROAD
A carrier of persons or property upon cars operated upon stationary rails.
RAILROAD TRAIN
A diesel engine, or other motor, with or without cars coupled thereto, operated upon stationary rails.
RESIDENCE DISTRICT
The territory contiguous to and including a highway not comprising a business district when the property on which highway for a distance of 300 feet or more is in the main improved with residences or residences and buildings in use for business.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
The privilege of the immediate use of the highway.
ROADWAY
That portion of a highway improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the berm or shoulder. In the event a highway includes two or more separate roadways the term "roadway" as used herein shall refer to any such roadway separately but not to all such roadways collectively.
SAFETY ZONE
The area or space officially set apart within a roadway for the exclusive use of pedestrians and which is protected or marked or indicated by adequate signs as to be plainly visible at all times while set apart as a safety zone.
SCHOOL BUS
Every motor vehicle owned by a public or governmental agency, and while being operated for the transportation of children to or from school or privately owned, and while being operated for compensation for the transportation of children to or from school.
SIDEWALK
That portion of a street between the curb lines, or the lateral lines of a roadway, and the adjacent property lines intended for the use of pedestrians.
STAND or STANDING
The halting of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than for the purpose of and while actually engaged in receiving or discharging passengers.
STOP
When required, a complete cessation from movement.
STOP or STOPPING
When prohibited, any halting even momentarily of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or traffic-control sign or signal.
STREET or HIGHWAY
The entire width between boundary lines of every way when any part thereof is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular traffic.
TAXI STAND
An area in the roadway adjacent to the curb or edge of a roadway set aside for the exclusive use of taxicabs for the stopping, standing and boarding or alighting of passengers and which is authorized by the Director of Public Safety.
THROUGH HIGHWAY
Every highway or portion thereof on which vehicular traffic is given preferential right-of-way, and at the entrances to which vehicular traffic from intersecting highways is required by law to yield right-of-way to vehicles on such through highway in obedience to either a stop sign or a yield sign, when such signs are erected as provided in this chapter.
TRAFFIC
Pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles and other conveyances either singly or together while using any highway for purposes of travel.
TRAFFIC-CONTROL SIGNAL
Any device, whether manually, electrically or mechanically operated, by which traffic is alternately directed to stop and go.
U-TURN
The turning of a vehicle whereby the direction of such vehicle is turned in the opposite direction to its original course.
VEHICLE
Every object or device propelled or drawn on wheels, rollers, runners or otherwise, except road rollers and such vehicles as run only upon rails or tracks.
WEEKDAY
Any day of the week except Sunday.
It shall be the duty of the Police Traffic Division with such aid as may be rendered by other members of the Police Department of this City, under the direction of the Director of Public Safety, to:
A. 
Enforce the street traffic and parking regulations of this City and all of the state vehicle laws applicable to street traffic and parking in this City.
B. 
Make arrests for traffic violations.
C. 
Investigate accidents and to cooperate with the Director of Public Works or his/her designee and other officers of the City in the administration of the traffic laws and in developing ways and means to improve traffic conditions.
D. 
Carry out those duties specially imposed upon said Division by this chapter and the traffic ordinances of this City.
The Division of Traffic Engineering shall exercise the power and duties with respect to traffic as provided in this chapter. It shall be the general duty of the Director of Public Works or his/her designee to:
A. 
Determine the installation and proper placing, timing and maintenance of traffic-control signals, signs and road markings.
B. 
Conduct engineering analyses of traffic accidents and to devise remedial measures.
C. 
Conduct engineering investigations of traffic conditions.
D. 
Plan the operation of traffic on the streets and highways of this City.
E. 
Keep complete records of accident locations and all traffic signing and signal installations.
F. 
Cooperate with other City officials in the development of ways and means to improve traffic conditions.
G. 
Carry out additional powers and duties imposed by ordinances of this City.
H. 
Notify the Director of Public Safety in writing upon the completion of any changes and/or modification of any existing traffic regulations and temporary detour routes and the temporary closing of certain streets to traffic.
A. 
The Director of Public Safety is hereby empowered to make regulations necessary to make effective the provisions of the traffic ordinances of this City and to make and enforce temporary or experimental regulations as contrived by the Director of Public Works or his/her designee and to cover emergencies or special conditions as he/she may deem necessary. No such temporary or experimental regulations shall remain in effect for more than 180 days.
B. 
The Director of Public Works or his/her designee may test traffic control devices under actual conditions of traffic.
A. 
Any person who shall do an act forbidden or fails to perform an act required by this chapter or whoever violates any of the provisions, rules or regulations, whether permanent or temporary or experimental, which are contained herein or made pursuant to this chapter, shall be fined not exceeding $500.
[Amended 5-24-2018 by Ch. No. 3160]
B. 
Parking violation penalties.
(1) 
Penalties for parking violations shall be as follows:
[Amended 5-8-2003 by Ch. No. 2680; 12-19-2004 by Ch. No. 2753; 12-6-2007 by Ch. No. 2884; 8-20-2009 by Ch. No. 2927; 12-16-2010 by Ch. No. 2953]
Parking in a prohibited area
$25
Overtime parking
$25
Parking in violation of street sweeping
$15
Handicapped parking:
First offense
$75
Second offense
$150
Third and subsequent offenses
$300
Parking within 8 feet of a fire hydrant
$38
Parking within 20 feet of a corner
$25
Parking in a marked bus stop
$50
Parking with left wheels to curb
$25
Standing in prohibited area
$25
Parking in excess of one foot from curb
$25
Double parking
$25
Parking in loading zone
$25
Parking to obstruct driveway
$25
Parking on sidewalk
$25
Parking on marked crosswalk
$50
Angle parking
$25
Parking in a fire zone
$38
Commercial vehicle parked during prohibited hours (6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.)
$55
Hospital Zone parking without valid permit
$52
Parking in violation of winter rules
$100
(2) 
Failure to respond.
(a) 
Any fine for the following parking violations shall double the stated amount which appears on the notice of parking violation if the registered owner of the motor vehicle fails to plead not guilty within 14 days of the date of the violation and further fails to pay the stated amount of the fine within 14 days of the date of the violation. Absent a police court hearing, failure to pay after 28 days of the date of the violation shall result in triple the stated amount of the fine.
[1] 
Parking in prohibited area.
[2] 
Double parking.
[3] 
Parking in loading zone.
[4] 
Parking to obstruct driveway.
[5] 
Standing in prohibited area.
[6] 
Parking within 15 feet of corner.
[7] 
Parking with left wheels to curb.
[8] 
Parking within 8 feet of fire hydrant.
[9] 
Parking on sidewalk.
[10] 
Parking in fire zone.
[11] 
Parking during emergency.
[12] 
Parking so as to obstruct traffic.
[13] 
Parking in tow zone.
[14] 
Parking in handicapped zone.
[15] 
Parking in a Hospital Zone without valid permit.
[Added 12-16-2010 by Ch. No. 2953]
(b) 
Multiple unanswered violations. Five or more unanswered violations shall result in the tow of the motor vehicle to a situs authorized by the Pawtucket Police Department to store said vehicles and shall remain there until released by the Public Safety Director or his/her designee after payment of all parking violations then due and owing. An unanswered violation is a parking violation for which no payment or responsive pleading has been filed within 14 days of the date of the violation.
(3) 
Owner's liability for parking tickets. Whenever any motor vehicle shall be parked illegally, the owner of the motor vehicle shall be jointly and individually liable with the operator for the payment of any fines imposed unless the owner of said vehicle has prima facie proof that the vehicle was parked illegally by another person who is not an employee of the owner. Any district court or municipal court citation for a nonmoving violation shall be deemed admitted and defaulted after two notices unanswered by the owner.
(4) 
Parking Violation Fund Committee. The President of the City Council shall appoint three members of the Council to serve on an ad hoc committee to administer disbursement of funds in Subsection B(5)(a) below. Said committee shall receive a separate accounting of all funds allocated in Subsection B(5) upon request.
(5) 
Allocation of moneys received.
[Amended 12-6-2007 by Ch. No. 2884; 7-24-2019 by Ch. No. 3200]
(a) 
Programs fund; disbursement limit.
[1] 
Three dollars collected from each parking violation shall be put in a fund for the purpose of providing programs for substance abuse prevention and/or nonviolence; or helping to sponsor activities for youth participating or volunteering in substance abuse prevention and/or nonviolence programs, or providing some type of substance abuse prevention and/or nonviolence message. These programs and messages shall be approved by the committee appointed in Subsection B(4) above prior to disbursement of any funds.
[2] 
The committee is authorized to set a maximum limit, by policy, on all disbursements from the fund allocated to an organization during a fiscal year.
(b) 
Five dollars collected from each parking violation shall be put into the police Community account for the operation of community-based programs. Said funds shall be administered by the Chief of Police or his/her designee.
(c) 
In addition to the $8 as outlined in Subsection B(5)(a) and (b), $30 collected from each violation for parking within eight feet of a fire hydrant and each violation for parking in a fire zone shall be allocated as follows:
[1] 
To the police equipment fund: $5.
[2] 
To the general fund: $10.
[3] 
To the fireman's fund for the renewal of capital equipment: $15.
(6) 
Purchases. All purchases from any of these funds must meet established purchasing procedures of the City.
C. 
Stopping, standing and parking violation penalties.
(1) 
Generally, the general penalties provided for by this chapter shall apply to violations of this subsection or any regulations made thereunder, except that any person electing to appear before the Clerk or court, or by mailing the same to the Pawtucket Police Department, in lieu of a personal appearance before the Pawtucket Municipal Court and admitting the violation charged, shall be punished by a fine as hereinafter respectively set forth.
(2) 
Payment of fines. Generally, a person charged with the violation of any traffic regulation relating to stopping, standing or parking may elect to appear in person or by one duly authorized by him, in writing, before the Clerk of said court and admit the truth of said charge and pay to said Clerk the designated fine; provided that such appearance, admission and payment be made at the office of said Clerk during regular business office hours, within seven days of such notification, and failure to so appear shall be deemed a waiver of the right to dispose of such charge without personal appearance in court.
(3) 
Same; payment by mail.
(a) 
Any person charged with any violation relating to stopping, standing or parking, except as otherwise, provided, may elect to mail in said violation tag to the Pawtucket Police Department, accompanied by payment of the designated fine, and the name and address of the violator. Such privilege of paying the fine by mail shall be exercised within seven days from the date of the offense by depositing the designated payment of such fine in a depository maintained by the United States Post Office Department for the collection of mails, and the postage cancellation shall be prima facie evidence of the time of deposit.
(b) 
In those cases where mail is used for payment of such fine, the payment may be in cash or by check or money order, and in those cases where payment is attempted with a check drawn against insufficient funds, an additional amount shall be imposed against the violator to defray administrative costs. In those cases where payment is by cash, it shall be at the risk of the sender, and the record of the Clerk within the Police Department shall be conclusive as to receipt and amount of the same.
(4) 
Same; effect of payment. The payment of a fine to the Clerk of the Municipal Court or by mail to the Pawtucket Police Department herein provided, for the violation of a traffic regulation pertaining to stopping, standing or parking, shall as a final disposition of the charge and such proceedings not be deemed criminal.
(5) 
Failure to comply. Any person charged with the violation of any traffic regulation relating to stopping, standing or parking in this Chapter 388 of the City of Pawtucket who fails to make payment within seven days as required may, in the discretion of any Judge of Pawtucket Municipal Court, be charged an additional sum to cover administrative costs which shall be payable to the Clerk of said court.