[Amended 3-11-2014]
Pedestrians shall obey the direction of police
officers directing traffic, and whenever there is an officer directing
traffic, a traffic control signal or a marked crosswalk within 300
feet of a pedestrian, no such pedestrian shall cross a way or roadway
except within the limits of such marked crosswalk and as hereinafter
provided in this article. For the purpose of this article, a marked
crosswalk shall only be construed to be that area of a roadway reserved
for pedestrian crossing which is marked in accordance with standards
established by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
Traffic control signal color indications and
legends shall have the commands ascribed to them in this section and
no other meaning, and every pedestrian shall comply therewith, except
when otherwise directed by an officer.
A. Red and yellow or the word "Walk." Whenever the red
and yellow lenses are illuminated together or the single word "Walk"
is illuminated, pedestrians facing such indications may proceed across
the roadway and in the direction of such signal only.
B. Red alone or "Don't Walk." Whenever the words "Don't
Walk" or any indication other than red and yellow shown together are
illuminated in a traffic control signal where pedestrian indications
are provided, pedestrians approaching or facing such indication shall
wait on the sidewalk, edge of roadway or in the pedestrian refuge
area of a traffic island and shall not enter upon or cross a roadway
until the proper indication is illuminated in the traffic control
signal, but any pedestrian who has partially completed his crossing
on the walk indication shall proceed or return to the nearest sidewalk
or safety island on the yellow indication, the red indication or when
the words "Don't Walk" are illuminated by rapid intermittent flashes.
C. Green alone. At traffic control signal locations where
no pedestrian indication is given or provided, pedestrians facing
the signal may proceed across the roadway within any marked crosswalk
in the direction of the green indication.
D. Yellow alone, red alone or flashing "Don't Walk."
Pedestrians approaching or facing a yellow, red or flashing "Don't
Walk" illuminated indication shall not start to cross a roadway.
E. Flashing red, yellow or green. At any traffic control
signal location where a flashing red, flashing yellow or flashing
green indication is being given facing a crosswalk, pedestrians shall
actuate, where provided, the pedestrian signal indication and cross
the roadway only on the red-yellow or "Walk" indication when such
indication is in operation. If no pedestrian signal is provided, pedestrians
shall cross within crosswalks with due care.
Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point
other than within a marked crosswalk shall yield the right-of-way
to all vehicles upon the roadway. At a point where a pedestrian tunnel
or overpass has been provided, pedestrians shall cross the roadway
only by the proper use of the tunnel or overpass.
The provisions of this article shall in no way
abrogate the provisions of MGL c. 90, §§ 14 and 14A
which provide "Precautions for Safety of Other Travelers" and for
the "Protection of Blind Persons Crossing Ways." Furthermore, notwithstanding
the provisions of this article, every operator of a vehicle shall
exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian upon the
roadway and shall give warning by sounding the horn when necessary
and shall exercise proper precautions which may become necessary for
safe operation.
No person shall stand in a roadway for the purpose
of soliciting a ride, employment or business from the operator or
occupant of any vehicle without the written permission of the board
or officer having control of such roadway or highway.
This article shall be enforced by all police
officers of the City.
The provisions of this article governing the
use of ways by pedestrians shall not apply to pedestrians actually
engaged in work upon a roadway closed to travel or under construction
or repair, to municipal, state, federal or public service corporation
employees while in the performance of their duties, to officers engaged
in the performance of their public duties or to pedestrians acting
in an emergency when such emergency necessitates departure from any
part of this article.
[Amended 10-26-1993]
Any person who violates the provisions of this
article which deal with the proper use of ways by pedestrians shall
be punished as provided in MGL c. 90, § 18A, insofar as
it provides that a police officer taking cognizance of any such violation
may request the offender to state his name and address. Whoever, upon
such request, refuses to state his name and address or states a false
name and address or any name and address which is not his name and
address in ordinary use shall be punished by a fine of not less than
$20 nor more than $50. Any such offender who refuses upon such request
to state his name and address may be arrested without a warrant. Any
person convicted of a violation of the provisions of this article
shall be punished by a fine of $300 for each offense.