Pedestrians shall obey the direction of police officers directing
traffic, and whenever there is an officer directing traffic, a traffic-control
signal or a marked crosswalk within 300 feet of a pedestrian, no such
pedestrian shall cross a way or roadway except within the limits of
a marked crosswalk, and as hereinafter provided in these regulations.
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, such 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 are 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 or red indication or a flashing "Don't Walk" illuminated
indication shall not start to cross the roadway.
E. Flashing red, yellow or green At any traffic-control signal location
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.
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.
The provisions of these regulations 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 these regulations, 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.
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 City Council or officer
having control of such roadway or highway.
These pedestrian-control regulations shall be enforced by all
officers of the City.
The provisions of these rules and regulations 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, to municipal, state, federal or public service corporation
employees while in the performance of their duties, to 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 these rules and regulations.
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 these regulations relative
to the operation of vehicles shall be punished by a fine not exceeding
$20 for each offense.