City of Lowell, MA Article II Traffic Control Devices

§ 266-16 Responsibility for installation and maintenance; standards.

The Commissioner of Public Works is hereby authorized and, as to those signs and signals required hereunder, it shall be his duty to place and maintain or cause to be placed and maintained all official traffic signs, signals, markings and safety zones. All signs, signals, markings and safety zones shall conform to the standards as prescribed by the Department of Highways of the commonwealth.

§ 266-17 Installation required to make certain restrictions effective.

A. Articles V and VI of this chapter and §§ 266-37 and 266-40 and other sections relating to prohibited turns and § 266-9 relating to parades, etc., and § 266-36 shall be effective only when official signs and necessary markings are installed and maintained in each block designating the provisions of such sections.

B. Section 266-44 pertaining to one-way streets shall be effective only during such time as a sufficient number of official signs are erected and maintained at each of the exits of each one-way street, so that at least one sign will be clearly visible for a distance of 75 feet to drivers approaching the exit.

§ 266-18 Display of unauthorized devices.

No person shall place, maintain or display upon or in view on any street any unofficial device, sign, signal or curb or street marking which purports to be or is an imitation of or resembles an official traffic device, sign, signal or curb or street marking or which attempts to prohibit or limit parking or direct the movement of traffic or which hides from view any official sign, signal, marking or device.

§ 266-19 Tampering with official signs.

No person shall willfully deface, injure, move, obstruct or interfere with any official traffic sign, signal, device or marking.

§ 266-20 Obedience required.

The operator of any vehicle or bicycle shall obey the instructions of any official traffic control signal, sign, device, marking or legend unless otherwise directed by a police officer.

§ 266-21 Traffic control signal legend.

Colors and arrow indications in traffic control signals shall have the commands ascribed to them in this section and no other meanings, and every driver of a vehicle, railway car or other conveyance shall comply therewith, except when otherwise directed by an officer or by a lawful traffic regulating sign other than a stop sign, signal or device or except as provided in Subsection B of § 266-33. In no case shall a driver enter or proceed through an intersection without due regard to the safety of other persons within the intersection, regardless of what indications may be given by traffic control signals.

A. Green. While the green lens is illuminated, drivers facing the signal may proceed through the intersection but shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and vehicles lawfully within a crosswalk or intersection at the time such signal was exhibited. Drivers of vehicles making a right or left turn shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing with the flow of traffic.

B. Right, left and vertical green arrows.

(1) When a right green arrow is illuminated, drivers facing the signal may turn right. When a left green arrow is illuminated, drivers facing the signal may turn left. When a vertical green arrow is illuminated, drivers facing the signal may go straight ahead.

(2) When a green arrow is exhibited together with a red or yellow lens, drivers may enter the intersection to make the movement permitted by the arrow but shall yield the right-of-way to vehicles and pedestrians proceeding from another direction on a green indication.

C. Yellow. While the yellow lens is illuminated, waiting drivers shall not proceed and any driver approaching the intersection or marked stop line shall stop at such point unless so close to the intersection that a stop cannot be made in safety, provided that if a green arrow is illuminated at the same time, drivers may enter the intersection to make the movement permitted by such arrow.

D. Red.

(1) Traffic facing a steady circular red signal alone shall stop at a clearly marked stop line or, if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection and shall remain standing until an indication to proceed is shown, except as allowed by MGL c. 89, § 8.

(2) No driver of a vehicle facing a circular red signal indication shall make a right turn where official traffic signs are installed and maintained prohibiting such turn at the following intersections:

Aiken Street

[Added 9-25-2018]

Against eastbound traffic on Lakeview Avenue, no right turn on red onto Aiken Street

Against eastbound traffic on West Sixth Street, no right turn on red onto Aiken Street

Andover Street and High Street

Against northbound traffic on High Street, no right turn on red onto Andover Street

Against southbound traffic on High Street, no right turn on red onto Andover Street

Against westbound traffic on Andover Street, no right turn on red onto High Street

Against eastbound traffic on Andover Street, no right turn on red onto High Street[1]

Bedford Street and Pawtucket Boulevard

[Added 10-14-2008]

Against southbound traffic on Bedford Street, no right turn on red onto Pawtucket Boulevard

Bridge Street, Sixth Street and West Sixth Street

Against northbound traffic on Bridge Street, no right turn on red onto Sixth Street

Against southbound traffic on Bridge Street, no right turn on red onto West Sixth Street

Against westbound traffic on Sixth Street, no right turn on red onto Bridge Street

Against eastbound traffic on West Sixth Street, no right turn on red onto Bridge Street

Broadway Street and Fletcher Street

Against northbound traffic on Fletcher Street, no right turn on red onto Broadway Street

Against southbound traffic on Fletcher Street, no right turn on red onto Broadway Street

Against westbound traffic on Broadway Street, no right turn on red onto Fletcher Street

Against eastbound traffic on Broadway Street, no right turn on red onto Fletcher Street

Broadway Street and School Street

Against northbound traffic on School Street, no right turn on red onto Broadway Street

Against southbound traffic on School Street, no right turn on red onto Broadway Street

Against westbound traffic on Broadway Street, no right turn on red onto School Street

Against eastbound traffic on Broadway Street, no right turn on red onto School Street

Chelmsford Street, Liberty Street, Temple Street and Lincoln Street

[Added 2-27-1990]

Against southbound traffic on Chelmsford Street, no right turn on red onto Liberty Street or Temple Street.

Against northbound traffic on Chelmsford Street, no right turn on red onto Lincoln Street

Against eastbound traffic on Liberty Street, no right turn on red onto Chelmsford Street

Chelmsford Street, Plain Street and Powell Street

Against northbound traffic on Chelmsford Street, no right turn on red onto Plain Street[2]

Against southbound traffic on Chelmsford Street, no right turn on red onto Plain Street

[Added 8-14-2007]

Against southbound traffic on Powell Street, no right turn on red onto Plain Street

Against eastbound traffic on Plain Street, no right turn on red onto Chelmsford Street

Against westbound traffic on Plain Street, no right turn on red onto Chelmsford Street

Gorham Street and Appleton Street

Against southbound traffic on Gorham Street, no right turn on red onto Appleton Street

Against eastbound traffic on Appleton Street, no right turn on red onto Gorham Street

Lord Overpass

[Added 12-4-2012]

Against eastbound traffic on Middlesex Street, no right turn on red onto the overpass.

Market Street, Central Street and Prescott Street

Against northbound traffic on Central Street, no right turn on red onto Prescott Street

Against eastbound traffic on Market Street, no right turn on red onto Central Street

Merrimack Street, Bridge Street, Prescott Street and Paige Street

Against northbound traffic on Prescott Street, no right turn on red onto Merrimack Street

Against southbound traffic on Bridge Street, no right turn on red onto Paige Street

Against southbound traffic on Bridge Street, no right turn on red onto Merrimack Street

Against westbound traffic on Merrimack Street, no right turn on red onto Bridge Street

Merrimack Street and Cabot Street

Against northbound traffic on Cabot Street, no right turn on red onto Merrimack Street

Against southbound traffic on Cabot Street, no right turn on red onto Merrimack Street

Against eastbound traffic on Merrimack Street, no right turn on red onto Cabot Street

Against westbound traffic on Merrimack Street, no right turn on red onto Cabot Street

Nesmith Street and Stackpole Street

[Added 10-25-2011]

Against westbound traffic on Stackpole Street, no right turn on red onto Hunts Falls Bridge

Pawtucket Street and School Street

[Added 3-26-2013]

Against westbound traffic on Pawtucket Street, no right turn on red onto School Street

Thorndike Street and Highland Street

Against northbound traffic on Thorndike Street, no right turn on red onto Highland Street

Against northbound traffic on Thorndike Street, no right turn on red onto Highland Street

[1] Editor's Note: The original entry titled "Appleton and Church," which immediately followed this entry, was repealed 12-23-2008.

[2] Editor's Note: This entry was added again 8-14-2007.

E. (Reserved)[3]

[3] Editor's Note: Former Subsection E, Red or yellow, was repealed 1-31-2012.

F. Flashing red. When a red lens is illuminated in a traffic control signal by rapid intermittent flashes and its use has been specifically authorized by the Department of Highways of the commonwealth, drivers shall stop before entering the nearer line or crosswalk of the street intersection, or at a stop line when marked, and the right to proceed shall then be governed by the provisions of MGL c. 89, § 8.

G. Flashing yellow. A flashing yellow lens shall indicate the presence of a hazard and drivers may proceed only with caution.[4]

[4] Editor's Note: Former Subsection H, Flashing green, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed 1-31-2012.