[Added 11-16-1992 by Ord. No. 1992-18]
A.
The Mount Laurel Township Council 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 safety and expeditious movement of traffic through construction
and maintenance zones and to provide safety for the work force performing
these operations.
B.
The Township of Mount Laurel in the County of Burlington,
State of New Jersey, does hereby adopt the current Manual on Uniform
Traffic Control Devices, hereafter known as the "MUTCD," as hereby
supplemented and amended, as it controls and regulates construction
maintenance operations or utility work which obstructs the normal
flow of traffic. Any person, contractor or utility who fails to comply
with the provisions of the MUTCD while performing such work is in
violation of this Article.
It shall be the responsibility of the person,
contractor or public utility wishing to conduct work on, under or
above the roadway to contact the Operations Division of the Mount
Laurel Police Department in order to arrange a preconstruction meeting
in order to submit plans for the safe movement of traffic during periods
of construction work. Any person, contractor or utility who or which
fails to comply with this section prior to the start of such work
or whose plans are not approved by the Operations Division of the
Mount Laurel Police Department is in violation of this section. Nothing
contained herein shall require compliance with this section in the
event of an emergency requiring the opening of a road in the interests
of health or public safety. However, the Mount Laurel Police Department
shall still be notified of the emergency road opening, and the applicable
sections of this chapter will nevertheless apply.
Prior to the start of any work, the person,
contractor or utility shall provide to the Operations Division of
the Mount Laurel Police Department at least two emergency contact
phone numbers to be called in the case of an emergency problem at
the construction or maintenance site. If for any reason an emergency
contact cannot be reached, or if the emergency contact person does
not respond to the call from the Mount Laurel Police Department to
correct a hazardous condition, the reasonable fees for such emergency
service by the Township shall be charged to the person, contractor
or utility responsible for the work site.
There shall be no construction maintenance operations
or utility work on any roadway in the Township before the hours of
9:00 a.m. or after the hour of 3:30 p.m. This time limit may be adjusted
to permit work prior to 9:00 a.m. or after 3:30 p.m. by the officer
in charge of the Operations Division of the Mount Laurel Police Department
or his designee. If it is determined by the Operations Division that
the construction or maintenance operations prior to 9:00 a.m. or after
3:30 p.m. would delay traffic or cause a safety or health hazard,
the work shall then be permitted only between the hours of 9:00 a.m.
and 3:30 p.m.
Road closings and/or traffic detours shall not
be permitted unless approved by the Operations Division of the Mount
Laurel Police Department.
Traffic directors shall be posted at all construction or maintenance sites when determined by the Operations Division of the Mount Laurel Police Department. Such determination by the Operations Division shall be made at the time of the preconstruction approval as set forth in § 148-52 hereof. The cost of employing, hiring and maintaining such traffic directors shall be exclusively upon the contractor, person or utility whose work makes the presence of the traffic director(s) necessary, when the same is necessary to provide for safety and expeditious movement of traffic.
The Director of Public Safety of the Mount Laurel
Police Department, or his designee, shall have the authority to stop
work, including the removal of equipment and vehicles and stored materials
within the street right-of-way and/or cause 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 Article.
It is 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.
Any person, contractor or utility who or which
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. For a second or subsequent offense, upon conviction thereof,
such person, contractor or utility shall pay a fine of not less than
$250 nor more than $500 and/or serve a period of not greater than
30 days in jail, or both.
