[Added 9-14-1987 by Ord. No. 0-87-20]
A.
The Township Committee finds and declares that problems
of traffic control occur when traffic must be moved through or around
road or street construction, maintenance operations and utility work,
above or below ground which requires blocking the roadway or obstructing
the normal flow of traffic; and that such obstructions are or can
become dangerous when not properly controlled. In order to better
promote the public health, safety, peace and welfare, it is necessary
to establish controls and regulations directed to the safe and expeditious
movement of traffic through construction and maintenance zones and
to provide safety for the work forces performing these operations.
B.
The Township of Plainsboro, in the County of Middlesex,
State of New Jersey, does hereby adopt the current Manual on Uniform
Traffic Control Devices, 1978 Edition, and all supplements and amendments
thereto, hereafter known as "MUTCD" except as hereby supplemented
and amended, as it controls and regulates whenever construction, maintenance
operations or utility work obstructs the normal flow of traffic. Any
person, contractor or utility who fails to comply with the provisions
of MUTCD while performing such work is in violation of this article.
A.
It shall be the responsibility of the person, contractor
or public utility, wishing to conduct work on, under, above or along
a public right-of-way, to contact the Traffic Safety Officer of the
Plainsboro Township Police Department in order to arrange a preconstruction
meeting to submit plans for the safe movement of traffic during such
period of work. Any person, contractor or utility who fails to comply
with this section prior to the start of such work or whose plans are
not approved by the Traffic Safety Officer of the Plainsboro Township
Police Department is in violation of this section.
B.
Public utilities conducting routine maintenance work
need not comply with the preconstruction meeting requirement.
The person, contractor or utility shall provide
the traffic Safety Officer with at least two emergency contact phone
numbers to be called in case of emergency problems at the construction
or maintenance site prior to the start of any work. If, for any reason,
emergency contacts cannot be reached or if the emergency contact person
does not respond within a reasonable period of time to a call from
the Police Department to correct a hazardous condition, the Township
may respond to correct such hazardous condition. The reasonable fees
for such emergency services by the Township shall be charged to the
person, contractor or utility responsible for such condition.
A.
There shall be no construction, maintenance operations
or utility work under, above, on or along any public right-of-way
in the Township before the hour of 9:00 a.m. or after the hour of
4:00 p.m. or on weekends or holidays.
B.
This time limit may be adjusted or modified by the
Traffic Safety Officer to permit work before 9:00 am. or after 4:00
p.m. or on weekends or holidays, if it is determined by the Traffic
Safety Officer that the construction or maintenance operations would
not substantially delay or hinder traffic or cause a safety or health
hazard.
Road closings and/or traffic detours shall not
be permitted unless approved by the Traffic Safety Officer of the
Plainsboro Township Police Department.
Traffic directors shall be posted at all construction
or maintenance sites when determined by the Traffic Safety Officer
that same are necessary to provide for the safe and expeditious movement
of traffic and pedestrians.
The Traffic Safety Officer of the Plainsboro
Township Police Department shall have the authority to stop work,
including the removal of equipment and vehicles, stored material within
the street right-of-way, backfilling of open excavations and/or other
work, in order to abate any nuisance, traffic delay and/or safety
hazard or for any violation of this article.
A.
In the case of emergency repair work where the construction,
maintenance operations or emergency utility work must be performed
that will obstruct, interfere or detour traffic on any roadway within
the Township, the person, contractor or utility performing such operation
shall notify the Plainsboro Township Police Department of such emergency
operation. The person, contractor or utility shall disclose the nature
of the emergency, location and hours of operation.
B.
All emergency construction and maintenance operations
shall be performed with full regard to safety and to keep traffic
interference to a minimum. During such emergency repair work, the
person, contractor or utility shall comply with the provisions of
the MUTCD.
A.
Any person, contractor or utility who commits a violation
of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, for a first offense
pay a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500; for a second
offense, upon conviction thereof, pay a fine of not less than $250;
and for a third or subsequent offense, upon conviction thereof, pay
a fine of not less than $500.
B.
A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each
day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.