This chapter shall be known and may be cited
as the "Traffic Law of the Village of Owego, New York."
Except as expressly provided to the contrary,
under local power vested in the Village, and except as this chapter
expressly supplements the laws of the state by the exercise of that
local power, it is the public policy of this chapter to provide for
the control of traffic of all nature within the Village under the
provisions of the Vehicle and Traffic Law, but where this chapter
makes express provisions as to speed, restrictive boundaries, parking
places and traffic control signals or signs, those provisions in their
local application shall prevail over the Vehicle and Traffic Law and
Highway Law by virtue of the local authority given by those laws to
the Board of Trustees of the Village.
A.
The provisions of this chapter shall be effective
in the entire area of the Village, as bounded and defined by the corporate
Village lines, and shall automatically become effective in any area
which may, at any time, hereafter be incorporated within said Village
lines.
A.
In cases of emergency or at any time when it is deemed
for the best interest of public safety, the Mayor, Chief of Police
or Fire Chief may at his/her or their discretion or when so ordered
by the Board of Trustees close off any street or streets or portions
thereof, divert and otherwise regulate traffic, prohibit parking,
standing and/or unloading in such areas as the occasion may require
and direct the performance of any other act or acts necessary to promote
the public welfare in any such cases. All pedestrians, drivers and
operators of vehicles and bicycles shall conform to and obey all regulations
issued pursuant to this section when so ordered.
B.
In cases of emergency, hazard or unusual congestion
of traffic at any point upon any street, police officers, state troopers
or other lawfully designated officials shall have the power and authority
to temporarily suspend or otherwise modify traffic regulations at
any such point to accommodate the existing conditions where said police
officers, state troopers or other officials are or may be stationed
for the purpose of directing traffic at the time of such emergency,
hazard or congestion of traffic.
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply
to nor affect the vehicles of the Police or Fire Departments of the
Village nor any ambulance of any recognized hospital, corporation
or institution while being driven in the line of duty if, in the judgment
of the driver or operator of such vehicle or ambulance, such business
requires that he disregard the same, but such driver or operator of
such vehicle or ambulance shall at all times drive with all due care
and caution under the circumstances so as not to endanger the person
or property of himself or others. Vehicles of the Police and Fire
Departments and all of such ambulances and all vehicles conveying
the United States Mail shall have the right-of-way over all other
vehicles upon any street within the Village.
