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 pedestrian 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, 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 the words "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 across 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, flashing "Don't Walk" illuminated indication
shall not start to cross a 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 or Attempting to Cross 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 board or officer having
control of such roadway or highway.
These pedestrian control regulations shall be enforced by all
officers of the Town of West Springfield.
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 the ways by pedestrians shall be punished
as provided in MGL c. 90, § 18A.