The following words and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall, for the purpose of this chapter, have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section:
Abandoned motor vehicle.
Shall have the meaning ascribed by Texas Transportation Code section 683.002, as amended. For purposes of this chapter, the term shall also include motor vehicles left unattended on the right-of-way of a city street for more than forty-eight (48) hours.
Alley.
Any street herein defined having no legal or official name other than “alley” or twenty (20) feet or less in width.
Bus.
Every motor vehicle designed for carrying ten (10) or more passengers and used for the transportation of persons, and every motor vehicle other than a taxicab designed and used for the transportation of persons for compensation.
Commercial passenger transportation.
A mode of transportation provided by a bus or motor coach designed to accommodate more than ten (10) passengers, including the operator, for compensation, and that is powered by a primary propulsion engine, not including railroad, light rail or taxicabs.
Crosswalk.
(1) 
That part of a roadway at an intersection included within the connections of the lateral lines of the sidewalk on opposite sides of the highway measured from the curbs, or in the absence of curbs, from the edge of the traversable roadway.
(2) 
Any portion of a roadway at an intersection or elsewhere distinctly indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines or other makings on the surface.
Curb.
The line adjacent to the edge of the roadway which may be either raised or lowered, surface marked, or understood.
Double park.
Parking of a vehicle alongside of a vehicle that is parked parallel to a curb or behind a vehicle that is angle-parked at a curb or curbline.
Driver.
Every person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle or assumes control of a vehicle.
Fire lane.
Any street or part upon which parking either is restricted or prohibited for the purpose of facilitating the use or passage of equipment of the fire department or is restricted or prohibited as an escape route for persons from a public place.
Flammable fluid.
Any liquid which has a flash point of 70 degrees F or less as determined by a Tagliabue or equivalent closed cup test device.
Highway, limited access or controlled access.
Every highway, street or roadway in respect to which owners or occupants of abutting lands and other persons have no legal right of access to or from the same except only at such points and in such a manner as may be determined by the public authority having jurisdiction over such highway, street or roadway.
Horse.
Any saddle or harness animal.
Idle.
The operation of an engine in the operating mode, where the engine is not engaged in gear, where the engine operates at a speed at the revolutions per minute specified by the engine or vehicle manufacturer for when the accelerator is fully released, and there is no load on the engine.
Injury, personal.
A wound or injury to any part of the human body which necessitates treatment.
Intersection.
(1) 
The area embraced within the prolongation or connection of the lateral curblines, or if none, then the lateral boundary lines of the roadways, of two (2) streets which join one another at, or approximately at, right angles, or the area within which vehicles traveling upon different streets joining at any other angle may come in conflict.
(2) 
Where a highway includes two (2) roadways thirty (30) feet or more apart, then every crossing of each roadway of such divided highway by an intersecting highway shall be regarded as a separate intersection. In the event such intersecting highway shall also include two (2) roadways thirty (30) feet or more apart, then every crossing of two (2) roadways of such highways shall be regarded as separate intersections.
Limit lines.
Boundaries of parking areas, loading zones, safety or danger zones, or crosswalks, and lines marked for the purpose of excluding traffic or parking.
Liquefied petroleum gas.
Any material which is composed predominantly of any of the following hydrocarbons or mixtures of them: propane, propylene, butanes (normal butane or isobutane and butylenes).
Loading zone.
A space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers or materials.
Mechanical operations.
The use of electrical tools or equipment in construction, maintenance, or repair of facilities.
Motor vehicle.
A self-propelled vehicle.
Motorcycle.
Every motor vehicle having a saddle for the use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than three (3) wheels in contact with the ground, but excluding a tractor.
Negligence.
Negligence is the want of such care and caution as a person of ordinary prudence would use under like or similar circumstances. Negligence shall be prima facie presumed from the fact of collision.
Official time standard.
Whenever certain hours are named herein they shall mean Central Standard Time.
Operator.
Any person in control of or assuming control of a vehicle.
Owner.
A person who holds the legal title of a vehicle, or in the event a vehicle is the subject of an agreement for the conditional sale or lease thereof with the right of purchase upon performance of the conditions stated in the agreement and with the immediate right of possession vested in the conditional vendee or lessee or mortgager [then such conditional vendee or lessee or mortgager] shall be deemed the owner for the purpose of this chapter.
Parkway.
That portion of a street between the curbline or the lateral line of a roadway and the adjacent property line.
Passenger transit operations.
A regional mode of public transportation that is funded through a portion of sales tax for such region being served.
Pedestrian.
Any person afoot.
Person.
Every natural person, firm, co-partnership, association, or corporation.
Police officer.
Every officer of the municipal police department or any officer authorized to direct or regulate traffic or to make arrests for violations of traffic regulations.
Primary propulsion engine.
A gasoline or diesel fueled internal combustion engine attached to a motor vehicle that provides the power to propel the motor vehicle into motion and maintain motion.
Private road or driveway.
Every way or place in private ownership and used for vehicular travel by the owner and those having express or implied permission from the owner but not by other persons.
Public place.
A place where people are assembled or to which people commonly resort for the purpose of business, amusement, recreation or other lawful purposes.
Recreational vehicle.
Any motor vehicle or trailer designed for temporary or seasonal dwelling, camping, or recreational purposes. The term shall include travel trailers, pick-up campers, camping trailers, motor coach homes, converted trucks, vans, and buses, boats, boat trailers, personal watercraft, and personal watercraft trailers.
Residential subdivision.
Any platted subdivision zoned or used for any permitted residential use in the city.
Right-of-way.
The privilege of the immediate lawful use of the roadway.
Roadway.
That portion of a highway improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel. In the event a highway includes two (2) or more separate roadways, the term “roadway” as used herein shall refer to any such roadway separately but not to all roadways collectively.
Roadway or highway, divided.
A highway divided into two (2) roadways by leaving an intervening space, or by a physical barrier, or by a clearly marked and indicated dividing section between the two (2) roadways.
Roadway, laned.
A roadway which is divided into two (2) or more clearly marked lanes for vehicular travel.
Safety zone.
The area or space officially set apart within a roadway for the exclusive use of pedestrians and which is protected or is so marked or indicated by adequate signs as to be plainly visible at all times while set apart as a safety zone.
School bus.
Every motor vehicle bearing clearly visible signs with the words “school bus” in letters not less than eight (8) inches high, owned by a public or governmental agency and operated for the transportation of children to and from school or privately owned and operated for compensation for the transportation of children to and from school.
Semi-trailer.
Every vehicle with or without motive power, other than a pole trailer, designed for carrying persons or property and for being drawn by a motor vehicle and so constructed that some part of its weight [or] load rests upon or is carried by another vehicle.
Sidewalk.
That surfaced portion of a street between either the curbline or the lateral line of a roadway and the adjacent property line and intended for the use of the pedestrians.
Stopping, standing, and parking.
Shall have the meanings ascribed to them in Texas Transportation Code section 541.401, as it may be amended.
Street or highway.
The entire width between the boundary lines of every way publicly maintained when any part thereof is open to the use of the public for the purpose of vehicular travel.
Street, through.
Every street or highway or portion thereof at the entrance to which vehicular traffic from intersecting streets or highways is required by law to stop before entering or crossing the same and when stop signs are erected as provided for in this chapter.
Street, one-way.
Any street or highway on which traffic is restricted to proceed in one (1) direction only.
Tire, metal.
Every tire, the surface of which is in contact with the highway, and is wholly or partly of metal or other hard, nonresilient material.
Tire, pneumatic.
Every tire in which compressed air is designed to support the load.
Tire, solid.
Every tire of rubber or other resilient material which does not depend upon compressed air for the support of the load.
Tractor, farm.
Every motor vehicle designed and used primarily as a farm implement for drawing plows, mowing machines and other implements of husbandry.
Tractor, road.
Every motor vehicle designed and used for drawing other vehicles and not so constructed as to carry any load thereon either independently or any part of the weight of a vehicle or load so drawn.
Tractor, truck.
Every motor vehicle designed and used primarily for drawing other vehicles and not so constructed so as to carry a load other than a part of the weight of the vehicle and load so drawn.
Traffic.
Pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles and other conveyances either singly or together while using any street for the purpose of travel.
Traffic-control devices, official.
All signs, signals, markings and devices not inconsistent with this chapter placed or erected by authority of a public body or official having jurisdiction, for the purpose of regulating, warning or guiding traffic.
Traffic-control signal.
Any device, whether manually, electrically or mechanically operated, by which traffic is alternately directed to stop and proceed.
Traffic section.
The traffic section of the police department of the city.
Trailer.
Every vehicle with or without motive power, other than a pole trailer, designed for carrying persons or property and for being drawn by a motor vehicle and so constructed that no part of its weight rests upon the towing vehicle.
Trailer, house.
Every vehicle without motive power designed for human habitation and for carrying persons and property upon its own structure and for being drawn by a motor vehicle.
Trailer, pole.
Every vehicle without motive power designed to be drawn by another vehicle and attached to the towing vehicle by means of a reach or pole, or by being boomed or otherwise secured to the towing vehicle, and used ordinarily for the transportation of long or irregular shaped loads such as poles, pipes or structural members capable, generally, of sustaining themselves as beams between the supporting connections.
Truck.
Every motor vehicle designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transportation of property.
Vehicle.
Every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, except devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.
Vehicle, authorized emergency.
Vehicles of the police department or fire department and such ambulances and emergency vehicles as are designated and authorized by the chief of police of the city.
(1987 Code, ch. 9, sec. 1; Ordinance 897, sec. 1, adopted 11/11/08; 2004 Code, art. 12.100; Ordinance 1145, sec. 3, adopted 6/11/19)
The city council hereby adopts the Texas Uniform Act Regulating Traffic on Highways, known as article 6701d of the Revised Civil Statutes of Texas, as passed and amended by the legislature of the state, and ordains that such act shall be and is hereby in full force and effect upon all streets, roads, alleys and thoroughfares within the city limits.
Editor’s note–Since adoption of this provision, the regulations contained in the Uniform Act Regulating Traffic on Highways (V.T.C.S., article 6701d) have been recodified and are now located in V.T.C.A., Transportation Code.
(1987 Code, ch. 9, sec. 19; 2004 Code, art. 12.1900)
If there be a conflict between any of the provisions of this chapter and the Uniform Act Regulating Traffic on Highways as enacted by the legislature of the state, or the rules, regulations and requirements of the Interstate Commerce Commission or the state railroad commission, relating to the equipping and other safety requirements of vehicles, motor vehicles, truck-tractors, trucks, buses, trailers, semi-trailers, or pole trailers, compliance by the owners or operators of such vehicles with statutes, orders, rules and regulations of the Interstate Commerce Commission and the state railroad commission shall be deemed in compliance with this chapter, except that any requirement of this chapter in addition to, but not in conflict with, said statute or requirement of the Interstate Commerce Commission or the railroad commission shall be complied with.
(1987 Code, ch. 9, sec. 20; 2004 Code, art. 12.2000)
No person upon roller skates or riding in or by means of any coaster, toy vehicle or similar device shall go upon any roadway except while crossing a street or a crosswalk, and when so crossing such person shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to pedestrians.
(1987 Code, ch. 9, sec. 3E; 2004 Code, sec. 12.305)