The following was duly passed: The Select Board
of the Town of Dalton, acting by virtue of the power given to it by
Section 22 of Chapter 40 of the General Laws of Massachusetts and
by virtue of any other power it hereto enabling, hereby adopts and
makes the rules and orders for the regulation of carriages and vehicles
used in the said Town for regulating traffic upon the streets and
highways of said Town which are hereto annexed, the same to be known
as the "Traffic Code of the Town of Dalton." Insofar as the said rules
and orders or any of them are the same as the regulations, rules,
and orders now in force they shall be deemed to be a continuation
thereof.
For the purpose of this code, the words and
phrases used herein shall have the following meanings except in those
instances where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
BUS STOP
An area in the roadway set aside for the boarding of or alighting
from and the parking of buses.
CROSSWALK
That portion of roadway ordinarily included within the prolongation
or connection of curblines and property lines at intersections, or
at any portion of a roadway clearly indicated for pedestrian crossing
by lines on the road surface or by other markings or signs.
EMERGENCY VEHICLE
Vehicles of the Fire Department (Fire Patrol), police, ambulances,
and emergency vehicles of federal, state, and municipal departments
or public service corporations when the latter are responding to an
emergency in relation to the Police or Fire Departments.
INTERSECTION
The area embraced within the extensions of the lateral curblines
or, if none, then the lateral boundary lines of intersecting ways
as defined in MGL c. 90, § 1, including divided ways. The
rules and regulations herein contained governing and restricting the
movement of vehicles at and near intersecting ways shall apply at
any place along any way at which drivers are to be controlled by traffic
control signals whether or not such place is an intersection as herein
defined.
LANE
A longitudinal division of a roadway into a strip of sufficient
width to accommodate the passage of a single line of vehicles.
OFFICER
Any officer of the Dalton Police Department or any officer
authorized to direct or regulate traffic or to make arrests for the
violation of traffic regulations.
PARKING
The standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise
that temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in
loading or unloading or in obedience to an officer or traffic signs
or signals, or while make emergency repairs or, if disabled, while
arrangements are being made to move such vehicle.
PERSON
Includes any individual, firm, copartnership, association,
or corporation.
ROADWAY
That portion of a street or highway between the regularly
established curbline or that part, exclusive of shoulders, improved
and intended to be used for vehicular traffic.
STREET or HIGHWAY
The entire width between property lines of every way open
to the use of the public for purposes of travel.
STREET MARKING, OFFICIAL
Any painted line, legend, marking or marker of any description
painted or placed upon any way which purports to direct or regulate
traffic and which has been authorized by the Select Board and which
has the written approval of the Department of Public Works, Commonwealth
of Massachusetts.
TAXICAB STANDS
An area in the roadway in which certain taxicabs are authorized
and required to park while waiting to be engaged.
TRAFFIC
Pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars
or other conveyances either singly or together while using any street
or highway for the purpose of travel.
TRAFFIC SIGNS, OFFICIAL
All signs, markings and devices, other than signals, not
inconsistent with these rules and orders, and which conform to the
standards prescribed by the Department of Public Works of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts and placed or erected by authority of a public body
or official having jurisdiction for purposes of guiding, directing,
warning, or regulating traffic.
VEHICLE
Every device in, upon or by which any person or property
is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, including bicycles
when the provisions of these rules are applicable to them, except
other devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary
rails or tracks and devices which derive their power for operation
from stationary overhead wires.