All traffic control signs, signals and devices
required under this chapter shall be approved and authorized by the
Commissioners and shall be operated by employees of the City of Rehoboth
Beach or by automatic devices.
No driver of any vehicle or any pedestrian shall
disobey the directions indicated by any official traffic control sign,
signal, marking or device applicable thereto and placed in accordance
with the provisions of this chapter at the following locations, unless
otherwise directed by a traffic or police officer, subject to the
exceptions in this chapter granted the driver of any emergency vehicle:
A.
Eastbound traffic on Rehoboth Avenue at First Street.
B.
Westbound traffic on Rehoboth Avenue at First Street.
C.
North and southbound traffic on First Street at Rehoboth
Avenue.
D.
Eastbound traffic on Rehoboth Avenue at Second Street.
E.
Westbound traffic on Rehoboth Avenue at Second Street.
F.
North and southbound traffic on Second Street at Rehoboth
Avenue.
No provision of this article for which traffic
control devices are required shall be enforced against an alleged
violator if at the time and place of the alleged violation an official
sign is not in proper position and sufficiently legible to be seen
by an ordinarily observant person. Whenever a particular section does
not state that signs are required, such section shall be effective
even though no signs are erected or in place.
A.
Whenever official traffic control devices are placed
in position approximately conforming to the requirements of this article,
such devices shall be presumed to have been so placed by the official
act or direction of lawful authority, unless the contrary shall be
established by competent evidence.
B.
Any official traffic control device placed pursuant
to the provisions of this article and purporting to conform to the
lawful requirements pertaining to such devices shall be presumed to
comply with the requirements of this chapter, unless the contrary
shall be established by competent evidence.
In the event that an official or authorized
traffic control signal is erected and maintained at a place other
than an intersection, the provisions of this article shall be applicable
except as to those provisions which by their nature can have no application.
Whenever traffic is controlled by traffic control
signals exhibiting different colored lights or colored lighted arrows,
successively one at a time or in combination, only the colors green,
red and yellow shall be used, except for special pedestrian signals
carrying a word legend, and such lights shall include and apply to
drivers of vehicles and pedestrians as follows:
A.
Green alone or "Go." Vehicular traffic facing the
signal may proceed straight through or turn right or left unless a
sign at such place prohibits either such turn. Vehicular traffic,
including vehicles turning right or left, shall yield the right-of-way
to other vehicles and to pedestrians lawfully within the intersection
of an adjacent crosswalk at the time such signal is exhibited.
B.
Full yellow when shown following any green signal,
full or arrow, or full amber shown at the same time.
(1)
Vehicular traffic facing the signal is thereby warned
that a red signal for the previously permitted movement will be exhibited
immediately thereafter, and such vehicular traffic shall not enter
the intersection or be crossing the stop limit whether marked by a
sign or painted line when the red is exhibited.
(2)
Pedestrians facing a steady yellow signal, unless
otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal, are thereby advised
that there is insufficient time to cross the roadway before a red
indication is shown, and no pedestrian shall then start to cross the
roadway.
C.
Full red or red arrow shown following a full amber
or red arrow following an amber arrow.
(1)
Vehicular traffic facing the signal shall stop before
crossing the stop limit, whether marked by sign or painted line, or,
if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection
shall remain standing until a green signal of one of the types listed
herein is shown.
(2)
No pedestrian facing such signal shall enter the roadway
unless he can do so safely and without interfering with any vehicular
traffic.
(3)
When a traffic control device is not in place prohibiting
such turn, vehicular traffic facing a circular red signal may cautiously
enter the intersection to turn right, or to turn left from a one-way
roadway onto a one-way roadway.
(4)
When turns on red are permitted, the right to proceed
to turn after stopping shall be subject to the rule applicable after
making a stop as at a stop sign.
D.
Green arrow or arrows alone.
(1)
Vehicular traffic facing a green arrow signal, shown
alone or in combination with another indication, may cautiously enter
the intersection only to make the movement indicated by such arrow,
or such other movement as is permitted by other indications shown
at the same time. Such vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way
to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other
traffic lawfully using the intersection.
(2)
Vehicles facing such signals are thereby advised that
no other traffic movements may be made from the lane or lanes that
the signal indication controls. Making or attempting to make any other
movement is hereby prohibited.
(3)
Pedestrians facing such signals shall not enter the
roadway unless they can do so safely and without interfering with
any vehicular traffic.
E.
Amber arrow following a green arrow or arrows.
(1)
Vehicular traffic facing the signal is thereby warned
that the red signal for traffic moving in the direction of the amber
arrow will be exhibited immediately thereafter, and such vehicular
traffic shall not enter the intersection or be crossing the stop limit
whether marked by sign or painted line when the red signal for the
particular movement is exhibited.
(2)
Pedestrians facing such signals are thereby advised
that there is insufficient time to cross the roadway, and any pedestrian
then starting to cross shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles.
F.
Full red with green arrow or arrows.
(1)
Vehicular traffic facing such signals may enter the
intersection only to make the movement indicated by such arrow or
arrows, except no vehicle shall at any time be driven through or within
a safety zone. Vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to other
vehicles and to pedestrians lawfully within the intersection or an
adjacent crosswalk at the time such signal is exhibited.
(2)
Pedestrians facing such signals shall not enter the
roadway unless they can do so safely and without interfering with
any vehicular traffic.
G.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this
section shall, upon conviction, pay a fine of not less than $75 or
more than $230 and pay the cost of prosecution. For each subsequent
offense, he shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500 and
shall pay the cost of prosecution.
[Added 4-21-2003 by Ord. No. 0503-3]
Whenever special pedestrian control signals
exhibiting the words "Walk" or "Wait" or "Stop" or "Don't Walk" are
in place, such signals shall apply as follows:
A.
"Walk." Pedestrians facing such signals may proceed
across the roadway in the direction of the signal and shall be given
the right-of-way by the drivers of all vehicles.
B.
"Wait" or "Stop" or "Don't Walk." No pedestrian shall
start to cross the roadway in the direction of such signal, but any
pedestrian who has partially completed his crossing on the walk signal
shall proceed to the nearest sidewalk or safety island.
A.
Whenever an illuminated flashing red or yellow signal
is used in a traffic sign or signal it shall require obedience by
vehicular traffic as follows:
(1)
Flashing red (stop signal). When a red lens is illuminated
with intermittent flashes, drivers of vehicles shall stop before entering
the nearest crosswalk at an intersection, and the right to proceed
shall be subject to the rules applicable after making a stop at a
stop sign.
(2)
Flashing yellow (caution signal). When a yellow lens
is illuminated with intermittent flashes, drivers of vehicles may
proceed through the intersection or past such signal only with caution.
B.
This section shall not apply at railroad grade crossings.
A.
No person shall place, maintain or display upon or
in view of any street any unauthorized sign, signal, marking or device
which purports to be or is an imitation of or resembles an official
traffic control device or railroad sign or signal, or which attempts
to direct the movement of traffic, or which hides from view or interferes
with the effectiveness of any official traffic control device or any
railroad sign or signal.
B.
No person shall place or maintain nor shall any lawful
authority permit upon any street any traffic sign or signal bearing
thereon any commercial advertising, and no person shall attach to
any traffic sign or signal any other sign containing commercial advertising.
C.
This section shall not be deemed to prohibit the erection
upon private property adjacent to streets of signs giving useful directional
information and of a type that cannot be mistaken for official signs.
D.
Every such prohibited sign, signal or marking is hereby
declared to be a public nuisance, and the authority having jurisdiction
over the street is hereby empowered to remove the same or cause it
to be removed without notice.
[Amended 4-21-2003 by Ord. No. 0503-3]
No person shall, without lawful authority, attempt
to or in fact alter, deface, injure, knock down or remove any official
traffic control device or any railroad sign or signal or any inscription,
shield or insignia thereon or any other part thereof. Any person violating
any of the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction, pay
a fine of not less than $57.50 and not more than $230 and pay the
cost of prosecution.
The City Manager is hereby authorized to:
A.
Designate and maintain, by appropriate devices, marks,
or lines upon the surface of the roadway, crosswalks at intersections
where in his opinion there is particular danger to pedestrians crossing
the roadway, and at such other places as he may deem necessary.
B.
Establish safety zones of such kind and character
and at such places as he may deem necessary for the protection of
pedestrians.
