A. 
The words and phrases used in this chapter shall, for the purposes of this chapter, have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by Article 1 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York.
B. 
The following additional definitions shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section:
CONGESTED DISTRICT
The territory bounded and described as follows: beginning at the center line of Broadway at its intersection with Van Dam Street and running thence easterly along the center of Van Dam Street to the center of Maple Avenue; thence southerly along the center of Maple Avenue to the center of Lake Avenue; thence easterly along the center line of Lake Avenue to the center of Henry Street; thence southerly along the center line of Henry Street to the center line of Spring Street; thence easterly along the center line of Spring Street to the center line of Circular Street; thence southerly along the center line of Circular Street and westerly along the center line of West Circular Street to the center line of Hamilton Street; thence northerly along the center line of Hamilton Street to the center line of Congress Street; thence westerly along the center line of West Congress Street to Franklin Street; thence northerly along the center line of Franklin Street; through Franklin Square to the center line of Clinton Street; thence northerly along the center line of Clinton Street to the center line of Van Dam Street; thence easterly along the center line of Van Dam Street to the center line of Broadway, at or about the place of beginning.
CURBLINE
The prolongation of the lateral line of a curb or, in the absence of a curb, the lateral boundary line of the roadway.
HOLIDAYS
New Year's Day, Lincoln's Birthday, Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
OFFICIAL TIME STANDARD
Whenever certain hours are named herein or on traffic control devices, they shall mean the time standard which is in current use in this state.
A. 
The Commissioner of Public Safety shall install and maintain traffic control devices when and as required under the provisions of this chapter, to make effective the provisions of this chapter, and may install and maintain such additional traffic control devices as he may deem necessary to regulate, warn or guide traffic under the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York, subject to the provisions of §§ 1682 and 1684 of that law.
B. 
The Commissioner of Public Safety is hereby empowered to make and enforce regulations necessary to make effective the various provisions of this chapter and to make temporary regulations to cover emergencies or special conditions, provided that such regulations are not inconsistent with laws of the State of New York and this chapter.
C. 
The Commissioner of Public Safety is also authorized to permit a right-hand turn on a red signal at any intersection where, in his judgment, it would aid or assist traffic.
D. 
The hours of parking and all-night parking may be changed and regulated from time to time or from season to season, in accordance with Subsection G of this section, by the Commissioner of Public Safety.
E. 
The Commissioner of Public Safety may designate such streets as he deems necessary as one-way streets.
F. 
Pursuant to the authority conferred by Article 39, § 1640, of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York, authority is hereby delegated to the City Council to exercise the powers granted to the legislative body of this City by § 1640(a)1 to designate through highways and order stop signs, flashing signals or yield signs erected at specified entrances thereto or designate any intersection as a stop or yield intersection and order like signs or signals at one or more entrances to such intersection by official order.
G. 
Hours for parking and time limits can be changed from time to time or from season to season by the Commissioner of Public Safety, as his discretion may dictate, upon proper posting in conformity with the provisions of Subsections A through E hereof.
H. 
The Commissioner of Public Safety is authorized to designate public on-street parking spaces as handicapped parking spaces in accordance with §§ 1203-a and 1203-b of the Vehicle and Traffic Law. The Commissioner shall exercise this authority pursuant to written policies and regulations, and said policies and regulations shall not be inconsistent with the laws of the State of New York or this chapter.
[Added 5-6-2008]
It shall be unlawful for any person to place or maintain or to display upon or in view of any street any unofficial sign, signal or device which purports to be or is an imitation of or resembles any official traffic sign or signal or which attempts to direct movement of traffic or which conceals or hides an official sign or signal. Every such prohibited sign, signal or device is hereby declared to be a public nuisance, and the Commissioner of Public Safety is hereby empowered to remove the same or cause it to be removed without notice.
No motor vehicle shall be operated in the City in such a way as to emit unnecessary smoke or offensive gases.
No motor vehicle shall be equipped with any bell, gong, horn, siren or such other sounding or warning device as is used by the police cars and motorcycles or ambulances, except as allowed under § 375, Subdivision 26, of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law.
A. 
Distance from emergency vehicles. No person shall ride, drive or propel any vehicle upon any street or alley of the City within 600 feet of any apparatus of the Fire or Police Department when the same is responding to an alarm or call; nor shall the driver of any vehicle follow any such apparatus when so responding within 600 feet thereof; nor shall any vehicle approach or park within 600 feet of any fire apparatus after said apparatus shall have come to a stop in responding to an alarm or call; and the driver or owner of any vehicle parked in any street or alley of the City within 600 feet of the place where a fire occurs shall immediately remove or cause to be removed such vehicle to a place at least 600 feet from the scene of the fire.
B. 
Driving on fire hose. No vehicle shall be driven over any unprotected hose of the Fire Department when laid down on any street or private driveway, to be used at any fire or alarm of fire, without the consent of the Fire Department official in command.
A. 
Every person propelling any pushcart or riding any bicycle or an animal upon a street or highway and every person driving any animal shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter.
B. 
Exemption for emergency vehicles.
(1) 
Exemption is hereby granted to authorized vehicles, as defined in the definition of "authorized emergency vehicles" set forth in Article 1 of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law, as to the movement, parking or standing of such vehicles while in the performance of duty.
(2) 
This exemption shall not, however, protect the driver of any emergency vehicle from the consequences of a reckless disregard of the safety of others.
A. 
For the purpose of maintaining an accurate record of all regulations adopted under the provisions of this chapter, there is hereby established a system of schedules, appearing as Article IX of this chapter, in which shall be entered all regulations after adoption. Such schedules shall be deemed a part of the section to which they refer. All regulations shall be adopted with reference to the appropriate schedule as indicated in the various sections of this chapter.
B. 
Regulations shall be adopted by the Common Council in accordance with provisions of the Charter, the General City Law and the Vehicle and Traffic Law, or by an officer or agency authorized by the Common Council to adopt regulations pursuant to § 1603 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law.