(Rev. Ords. 1976, T.O. Art. I; amended as part of October 2021 update)
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
(a)
Bus stop means an area in the roadway set aside for the boarding of or alighting from and the parking of buses.
(b)
Crosswalk means that portion of a roadway ordinarily included within the prolongation or connection of curb lines and property lines at intersections or at any portion of a roadway clearly indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines on the road surface or by other markings or signs.
(c)
Emergency vehicle means vehicles of the fire department, police vehicles, ambulance and emergency vehicles of federal, state and municipal departments or public service corporations when the latter are responding to an emergency in relation to the police or fire departments.
(d)
Funeral means any procession of mourners, properly identified as such, accompanying the remains of a human body.
(e)
Heavy commercial vehicle means a vehicle having a carrying capacity of more than two (2) tons.
(f)
Intersection means the area embraced within the extensions of the lateral curb lines, or, if none, then the lateral boundary lines, of intersecting ways as defined in section 1 of chapter 90 of the General Laws, including divided ways. The provisions of this chapter governing and restricting the movement of vehicles at and near intersecting ways shall apply at any place along any way at which drivers are to be controlled by traffic control signals, whether or not such place is an intersection as herein defined.
(g)
Lane means a longitudinal division of a roadway into a strip of sufficient width to accommodate the passage of a single line of vehicles.
(h)
Officer means any person who has police powers to act within the jurisdiction of the city.
(i)
Official street marking means any painted line, marking or marker placed in or upon any way by authority of these ordinances and which complies with the standards of the state department of public works.
(j)
Official traffic signals means all signals, conforming to the standards as prescribed by the state department of public works.
(k)
Official traffic signs means all signs, markings and devices, other than signals, not inconsistent with these ordinances, and which conform to the standards prescribed by the state department of public works.
(l)
Parking means the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading, or in obedience to an officer or traffic signs or signals, or while making emergency repairs or, if disabled, while arrangements are being made to move such vehicle.
(m)
Pedestrian means any person afoot or riding on a conveyance by human power, except bicycles or tricycles.
(n)
Railroad crossing means any intersection of ways with a railroad right-of-way.
(o)
Roadway means that portion of a street or highway between the regularly established curb lines or that part, exclusive of shoulders, improved and intended to be used for vehicular traffic.
(p)
Rotary traffic means the counter-clockwise operation of a vehicle around an object or structure.
(q)
Safety zone means any area or space set aside within a roadway for the exclusive use of pedestrians and which has been indicated by signs, lines or markings, conforming to the standards of the state department of public works.
(r)
Service zone means an area in the roadway set aside for the accommodation of commercial and transient vehicular traffic.
(s)
Sidewalk means that portion of a street or highway set aside for pedestrian travel.
(t)
Street or highway means the entire width between property lines of every way open to the use of the public for purposes of travel.
(u)
Taxicab stands means an area in the roadway in which certain taxicabs are required to park while waiting to be engaged.
(v)
Traffic means pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, or other conveyances either single or together, while using any street or highway for the purpose of travel.
(w)
Traffic control area means any area along any way, other than an intersecting way, at which drivers are to be controlled by traffic control signals.
(x)
Traffic control signal means any device using colored lights which conforms to the standards as prescribed by the state department of public works, whether manually, electrically or mechanically operated, by which traffic may be alternately directed to stop and to proceed.
(y)
Traffic island means any area or space set aside, within a roadway, which is not intended for use by vehicular traffic.
(z)
U-turn means the turning of a vehicle by means of a continuous left turn whereby the direction of such vehicle is reversed.
(aa)
Vehicle means every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, including bicycles when the provisions of these rules are applicable to them, except other devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks and devices which derive their power for operation from stationary overhead wires.