[Added 10-13-1997 by Ord. No. 555]
The Township Committee hereby finds and declares that problems of traffic control occur when traffic must be moved through or around street construction, maintenance operations and utility work, above and 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 force performing these operations. The Township of Boonton, in the County of Morris, State of New Jersey, does hereby adopt the current Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, hereafter known as "M.U.T.C.D.," except as hereby supplemented and amended, as it controls and regulates whenever construction maintenance operations of utility work obstructs the normal flow of traffic. Any person, contractor or utility who fails to comply with the provisions of M.U.T.C.D. while performing such work is in violation of this section. Copies of the M.U.T.C.D. are on file in the Township Clerk's office.
It shall be the responsibility of the person, contractor or in the case of a public utility, as required under the public utility agreement, wishing to conduct work on, under or above the roadway to contact the Boonton Township Police Department in order to arrange a preconstruction meeting to submit plans for the safe movement of traffic during such period of construction or work. Any person, contractor or utility who fails to comply with this section prior to the start of such work or whose plans are not approved by the Police Department is in violation of this section. The Police Department may waive the requirement of a preconstruction meeting in appropriate circumstances at the discretion of the Chief of Police or his designee.
The person, contractor or utility shall provide the Police Department with at least two emergency contact phone numbers to be called in case of emergency problems at the construction or maintenance site prior to the start of any work. If for any reason the emergency contact cannot be reached or if the emergency contact person does not respond to the call from the Police Department to correct a hazardous condition, the Township may respond to correct such hazardous conditions. The reasonable fees for such emergency service by the Township shall be charged to the person, contractor or utility responsible for such conditions.
There shall be no construction, maintenance operations or utility work on any roadway in the Township before the hour of 9:00 a.m. or after 4:00 p.m. This time limit may be adjusted to permit work prior to 9:00 a.m. or after 4:00 p.m. by the Chief of Police of the Boonton Township Police Department or his designee. If it is determined by the Chief of Police or his designee that the construction or maintenance operations prior to 9:00 a.m. or after 4:00 p.m. would substantially delay traffic or cause a safety or health hazard, the work shall then be permitted only between 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Road closings and/or traffic detours shall not be permitted unless approved by the Boonton Township Police Department.
Traffic directors shall be posted at all construction or maintenance sites when determined by the Boonton Township Police Department that the same is necessary to provide for the safe and expeditious movement of traffic.
The Boonton Township Police Department shall have the authority to stop work, including the removal of equipment and vehicles, stored material within the street right-of-way, backfilling of open excavations and/or other related work, in order to abate any nuisance and/or safety hazard or for any violation of this section.
It is to be expressly understood that no materials, vehicles or equipment are to be placed in the roadway or sidewalk area until all construction, signs, lights, devices and pavement markings are installed.
[Added 7-10-2023 by Ord. No. 925]
A. 
Any person, entity, contractor or utility wishing to conduct work on, under or above any roadway within the Township of Boonton which is anticipated to take longer than one hour shall be required to hire off-duty members of the Township of Boonton Police Department when determined by the Township of Boonton Chief of Police or designee to be necessary to ensure compliance with the M.U.T.C.D., as well as to control traffic through the work zone.
B. 
The Township of Boonton Police Department shall be contacted at least 48 hours before starting work to arrange for the hiring of off-duty police officers.
C. 
All work on, under or over any roadway within the Township of Boonton which is anticipated to take less than one hour may be controlled with civilian flagmen, unless off-duty officers are deemed necessary and approved by the Township of Boonton Chief of Police or designee. All civilian flagmen shall wear high-visibility safety apparel that meets the Performance Class 2 or 3 requirements of the ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 publication entitled "American National Standard for High-Visibility Apparel and Headwear" and must be trained in safe traffic control practices and public contact techniques. If flagmen cannot see each other, they must have radio communication between them.
D. 
The contracting and payment of all members of the Township Police Department shall at all times be in accordance with the provisions pertaining to outside employment of Township Police set forth at Chapter 28 of the Code of the Township of Boonton.
E. 
If the work requires any road to be closed to traffic 24 hours a day, the hiring of off-duty officers or special police officers shall only be required when deemed necessary and approved by the Township of Boonton Chief of Police or the Chief's designee.
[Added 7-10-2023 by Ord. No. 925]
A. 
In the case of emergency repair work where construction, maintenance operations or emergency utility work must be performed that will obstruct, interfere or detour traffic on any roadway in the Township, the person, contractor or utility performing such operation shall notify the Township of Boonton Police Department of such emergency operation. The person, contractor or utility shall disclose the nature of the emergency, location and hours of operation.
B. 
All emergency construction and maintenance operations shall be performed with full regard to safety and to keep traffic interference to an absolute minimum. During such emergency repair work, the person, contractor or utility shall comply with the provisions of the M.U.T.C.D. and this chapter while performing such emergency repair work.
[Amended 7-10-2023 by Ord. No. 925]
Any person, contractor or utility who commits a violation of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, for a first offense, pay a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500 and/or be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not exceeding 90 days and for a second offense, upon conviction thereof, pay a fine of not less than $250 and/or be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not exceeding 90 days. A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.