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.