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City of Meriden, CT
New Haven County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
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As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLES
Vehicles of the Fire Department and the Police Department and ambulances and emergency vehicles of City departments.
OPERATOR
The person operating or in control of a vehicle.
PARKING
The standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, upon a street otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in receiving or discharging passengers, loading or unloading merchandise or in obedience to traffic regulations or signs or signals.
PARKING METER
A mechanism having a visible time indicator and a coin-receiving and a coin-actuating mechanism, all enclosed and mounted on top of a post.
PARKING METER ZONE
Any restricted street upon which parking meters are installed and in operation.
TRAFFIC
Pedestrians, parades, ridden or herded animals, vehicles and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using any street for purposes of travel.
VEHICLE
Every device in, upon or by which any person or property may be transported or drawn upon a street, except devices used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.
[Amended 9-15-1980]
There shall be a Traffic Authority as designated by Chapter 6, Boards, Commissions and Appointed Positions, Article XI.
A. 
The Chief of Police shall cause to be erected and maintained, at such places in the City and in such manner as the Traffic Authority may designate, signs and markings for the direction and regulation of traffic and the parking of vehicles upon the streets, and he shall cause to be erected and maintained all traffic control signal lights authorized by such Authority.
B. 
The City Council or the Chief of Police may cause appropriate signs or warnings to be posted temporarily along any street or public place for the purpose of prohibiting the parking of vehicles while the Department of Public Works is engaged in the performance of its duties in connection with any public work or undertaking in such street or public place, and the Chief of Police may suspend traffic regulations and prohibit parking temporarily in any areas where, in his opinion, it is necessary in order to facilitate the removal of snow or to prevent the obstruction of traffic in times of heavy snowfall or other emergency. The Chief of Police shall give notice of such temporary prohibition by causing appropriate signs to be placed indicating that parking is prohibited and, if practicable, by publication through radio and newspaper.
[Amended 9-15-1980]
Any police officer may orally direct traffic or prohibit the parking of any vehicle on any street or public place in the City for the purpose of preventing any obstruction or impediment to the safe travel of vehicles thereon.
[Added 9-2-1986]
All school crossing guards who have been duly appointed are hereby empowered and authorized to stop and/or direct traffic in those areas designated by the Chief of Police as necessary for the protection and safety of children traveling to and from school.
It shall be unlawful for any person to fail to comply with any law, ordinance or rule or regulation of the Traffic Authority relating to traffic or parking or for any person to fail to comply with any direction by voice, hand or sign of any member of the Police Department in connection therewith or for any person to fail to comply with any traffic sign, marking or signal unless otherwise directed by a member of the Police Department.
[Amended 9-15-1980]
No unauthorized person shall deface, injure, remove or destroy any traffic sign, signal or marker erected or affixed by the direction of the Traffic Authority or under authority of state law or by or under the direction of the Chief of Police.
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any vehicle upon any street in the City at a rate of speed exceeding 25 miles per hour.[2]
[1]
Editor's Note: For speed limits in parks, see Ch. 150, Parks and Recreation.
[2]
Editor's Note: Former § 200-8, Street parades and processions, which immediately followed this section and was amended 9-15-1980, was repealed 10-5-1981.
No vehicle, except authorized emergency vehicles, shall pass through a funeral procession. If the head of a funeral procession, whether vehicles or persons, has started past a traffic signal light on the green light, such procession may continue to proceed past such signal light continuously regardless of whether such signal light changes from green to any other color while such funeral procession is passing, and while such funeral procession is so passing all other traffic shall refrain from crossing or passing through such funeral procession.
It shall be unlawful for any person to ride, drive or lead any horse or draft animal upon any sidewalk in the City.
It shall be unlawful for any person to roll any wheelbarrow or handcart, except a baby carriage, or to course, coast or slide on any sled, sleigh or other device or vehicle, except toy vehicles, upon any sidewalk in the City.
[Added 4-3-1978]
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate, and no owner shall permit the operation of, any snowmobile on a sidewalk or school safety walk in the City of Meriden.
B. 
No snowmobile will be permitted to operate on any public highway or City street, except that such snowmobile, if operated by a licensed motor vehicle operator, may cross a public highway or City street if the crossing is made at an angle of approximately 90° to the direction of the highway or street at a location where no obstruction prevents a quick and safe crossing and the snowmobile is completely stopped before entering the traveled portion of the highway or street.
C. 
Any person who violates any provision of this section shall have committed an infraction of this section and shall be fined $25.
No person upon roller skates or riding in or by means of any coaster, sled, toy vehicle or similar device shall go upon any roadway except while crossing a street on a crosswalk and except upon streets set aside for such purposes.
[Amended 9-15-1980]
The City Council may, under such restrictions as the Traffic Authority may deem proper, designate certain streets or portions of streets in the City upon which coursing, coasting or sliding shall be permitted. It may make any restrictions and regulations which it deems necessary as to such use of the streets so designated and shall publish in a newspaper in the City the names of the streets so designated and the restrictions and regulations relating thereto imposed by it.
No person shall play at any game of ball or fly any kite or balloon or throw any stones or other missiles or engage in any other game or exercise in any street in the City, except those designated for such use under the preceding section, which interferes with the free, safe and convenient use of such street by traffic.
No operator shall permit more persons to ride upon a bicycle at any one time than the vehicle is designed to carry or permit such bicycle to be drawn by clinging to or otherwise attaching such bicycle to any other moving vehicle.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 73, Bicycles.
It shall be unlawful for any person to drive any sled, sledge or sleigh drawn by a horse or other animal on any street in the City unless there are bells attached to such vehicle or to the horse or animal drawing the same.