Pedestrians shall obey the directions of police officers directing
traffic and, whenever there is an officer directing traffic, a traffic
control signal or a marked crosswalk, shall remain within the limits
of a marked crosswalk and as hereinafter provided in this article.
For the purpose of these regulations, a marked crosswalk shall only
be construed to be that area of a roadway reserved for pedestrian
crossing located between two solid white reflectorized twelve-inch
pavement markings in rural areas or markings not less than six inches
wide in urban areas, said markings or lines being no less than six
feet apart.
Traffic control signal color indications and legends shall have
the commands ascribed to them in this section and no other meanings,
and every pedestrian shall comply therewith, except when otherwise
directed by an officer.
A. Red and yellow or the word "Walk." Whenever the red and yellow lenses
are illuminated together or the single word "Walk" is illuminated,
pedestrians facing such indication may proceed across the roadway
and in the direction of such signal only.
B. Red alone or "Don't Walk." Whenever the words "Don't Walk" or any
indication other than red and yellow shown together is illuminated
in a traffic control signal where pedestrian indications are provided,
pedestrians approaching or facing such indication shall wait on the
sidewalk, edge of roadway or in the pedestrian refuge area of a traffic
island and shall not enter upon or cross a roadway until the proper
indication is illuminated in the traffic control signal, but any pedestrian
who has partially completed his crossing on the walk indication shall
proceed or return to the nearest sidewalk or safety island on the
yellow indication, the red indication or when the words "Don't Walk"
are illuminated by rapid intermittent flashes.
C. Green alone. At traffic control signal locations where no pedestrian
indication is given or provided, pedestrians facing the signal may
proceed across the roadway within any marked crosswalk in the direction
of the green indication.
D. Yellow alone, red alone or flashing "Don't Walk." Pedestrians approaching
or facing a yellow, red or flashing "Don't Walk" illuminated indication
shall not start to cross a roadway.
E. Flashing red, yellow or green. At any traffic control signal locations
where a flashing red, flashing yellow or flashing green indication
is being given facing a crosswalk, pedestrians shall actuate, where
provided, the pedestrian signal indication and cross the roadway only
on the red-yellow or "Walk" indication when such indication is in
operation. If no pedestrian signal is provided, pedestrians shall
cross within crosswalks with due care.
At a traffic control signal location where pedestrian indications
are provided but which are shown only upon actuation by means of a
pedestrian push button, no pedestrian shall cross a roadway unless
or until the pedestrian control signal push button has been actuated,
and then cross only on the proper pedestrian signal indication. At
traffic control signal locations where no pedestrian indication is
provided, pedestrians shall cross only on the green indication. If
necessary, the green indication shall be actuated by the pedestrian
by means of a push button.
At a traffic control signal location, pedestrians shall yield
the right-of-way to vehicles of a funeral or other procession or authorized
emergency vehicle while in performance of emergency duties regardless
of the signal indication given, and they shall not attempt to cross
the roadway until such vehicles or procession has passed at which
time pedestrians shall then cross the roadway only as provided in
these regulations.
It is unlawful for any person to actuate a pedestrian control
signal or to enter a marked crosswalk unless a crossing of the roadway
is intended.
A. No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a sidewalk or safety island and
walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is
impossible for the driver to yield the right-of-way.
B. Pedestrians shall at all times attempt to cross a roadway using the
right half of crosswalks.
C. Where sidewalks are provided, it shall be unlawful for any pedestrian
to walk along and upon an adjacent roadway whenever the sidewalk is
open to pedestrian use.
D. Sidewalks not provided. Where sidewalks are not provided, any pedestrian
walking along and upon a highway shall, when practicable, walk only
on the left side of the roadway on its unfinished shoulder facing
traffic which may approach from the opposite direction.
E. Alighting from vehicles. Persons alighting from the roadway side
of any vehicle parked at the curb or edge of roadway shall proceed
immediately to the sidewalk or edge of roadway adjacent to the vehicle
and shall cross the roadway only as authorized by these regulations.
Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than
within a marked crosswalk shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles
upon the roadway. At a point where a pedestrian tunnel or overpass
has been provided, pedestrians shall cross the roadway only by the
proper use of the tunnel or overpass.
No person shall stand in a roadway for the purpose of soliciting
a ride, employment or business from the operator or occupant of any
vehicle without the written permission of the board or officer having
control of such roadway or highway.
The provisions of this article shall in no way abrogate the
provisions of MGL c. 90, §§ 14 and 14A, which provide
precautions for safety of other travelers and for the protection of
blind persons crossing ways. Furthermore, notwithstanding the provisions
of this article, every operator of a vehicle shall exercise due care
to avoid colliding with any pedestrian upon the roadway and shall
give warning by sounding the horn when necessary and shall exercise
proper precautions which may become necessary for safe operation.
A. When traffic control signals are not in place or not in operation,
the driver of a vehicle, which for the purpose of this article shall
include bicycles, shall yield the right-of-way, slowing down or stopping
if need be so to yield, to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within
a marked crosswalk when the pedestrian is upon the half of the roadway
upon which the vehicle is travelling or when the pedestrian approaches
from the opposite half of the roadway to within five feet of that
half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is travelling.
B. No operator of a vehicle shall pass any other vehicle which has been
stopped at a marked crosswalk to permit a pedestrian to cross a way,
nor shall any operator enter a marked crosswalk until there is sufficient
space on the other side of the crosswalk to accommodate the vehicle
he is operating, notwithstanding any traffic control signal indication
to proceed.
This article shall be enforced by all officers of the City on
and after December 6, 1965.
The provisions of this article governing the use of ways by
pedestrians shall not apply to pedestrians actually engaged in work
upon a roadway closed to travel or under construction or repair; municipal,
state, federal or public service corporation employees while in the
performance of their duties; officers engaged in the performance of
their public duties; or to pedestrians acting in an emergency when
such emergency necessitates departure from any part of this article.
[Amended 6-1-2020 by Order
No. 2020-012]
Any person who violates the provisions of this article which
deal with the proper use of ways by pedestrians shall be punished
as provided in MGL c. 90, § 18A. Any person convicted of
a violation of any other provisions of this article relative to the
operation of vehicles shall be punished by a fine of $20 for each
offense.
All existing rules and regulations governing the operation of
vehicles or the use of ways by pedestrians which are inconsistent
herewith are expressly repealed. This repeal shall not, however, affect
any punishment or penalty imposed or any complaint or prosecution
pending at the time of passage hereof for any offense committed under
any of said rules and regulations hereby repealed.