The mayor and City council shall have authority
to place and maintain a stop sign or yield right-of-way sign on every
street, highway or road intersecting a through street or intersecting
that portion thereof described and designated as such by any ordinance
of the City, unless traffic at any such intersection is being controlled
by traffic control signals; provided, that at the intersection of
two such through streets or at the intersection of a through street
and a heavy traffic street not so designated, stop or yield right-of-way
signs shall be erected at the approaches of either of such streets
as may be determined by the mayor and City council upon the basis
of a traffic study.
[Amended by Ord. No. 81-41]
A. Every sign erected pursuant to section
12-48 or any amendment thereof shall bear the words "Stop" or "Yield Right-of-Way," as the case may be, in letters of sufficient height and design so as to make them conspicuous to the driver of an approaching vehicle. Every stop sign and yield right-of-way sign shall be located as near as practicable at the nearest line of the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, at the nearest line of the roadway.
B. When stop signs are erected as herein authorized at
or near the entrance to any intersection, every driver of a vehicle
shall stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection,
or in the event there is no crosswalk, shall stop at a clearly marked
stop line, but if none, at a point nearest the intersecting roadway
where the driver has a view of approaching traffic on the intersecting
roadway, before entering the intersection, except when directed to
proceed by a police officer or traffic control signal.
C. When yield right-of-way signs are erected as herein
authorized at or near the entrance to any intersection, every driver
of a vehicle approaching such intersection shall yield the right-of-way
to other vehicles which have entered the intersection from such through
highway, street or road or which are approaching so closely on such
through highway, street or road as to constitute an immediate hazard,
but may then proceed.
D. Any person violating any of the terms or provisions
of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon
conviction thereof, fined not more than seven hundred fifty dollars
or imprisoned in the City jail for not more than six months.
Whenever traffic is controlled by traffic control
signals exhibiting the words "Go," "Caution" or "Stop" or exhibiting
different colored lights successively one at a time, or with arrows,
the following colors only shall be used, and such terms and lights
shall indicate and apply to drivers of vehicles and pedestrians as
follows:
A. Green alone or "Go":
(1) Vehicular traffic facing the signal may proceed straight
through or turn right or left, unless a sign at such place prohibits
either such turn, but vehicular traffic, including vehicles turning
right or left, 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 the signal may proceed across the
roadway within any marked or unmarked crosswalk.
B. Yellow alone or "Caution," when shown following the
green or "Go" signal:
(1) Vehicular traffic facing the signal is thereby warned
that the red or "Stop" signal will be exhibited immediately thereafter,
and such vehicular traffic shall not enter or be crossing the intersection
when the red or "Stop" signal is exhibited.
(2) Pedestrians facing such signal 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.
C. Red alone or "Stop":
(1) Vehicular traffic facing the signal shall stop before
entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, or if
none, before entering the intersection and shall remain standing until
green or "Go" is shown alone, except as provided in paragraph (2)
of this subsection.
(2) Except when a sign is in place prohibiting a turn,
vehicular traffic stopped in the lane nearest the right-hand side
of the highway may, after giving the signal required by law indicating
a right-hand turn, cautiously enter the intersection for the purpose
of making a turn to the right and shall turn so as not to interfere
with other traffic or endanger pedestrians within a crosswalk.
(3) No pedestrian facing the signal shall enter the roadway.
D. Red with green arrow:
(1) Vehicular traffic facing such signal may cautiously
enter the intersection only to make the movement indicated by such
arrow but shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within
a crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.
(2) No pedestrian facing such signal shall enter the roadway
unless he can do so safely and without interfering with any vehicular
traffic.
E. Signals at places other than intersections. In the
event an official traffic control signal is erected and maintained
at a place other than an intersection, the provisions of this section
shall be applicable, except as to those provisions which by their
nature can have no application.
F. Place to stop. Any stop required shall be made at
a sign or marking on the pavement indicating where the stop shall
be made, but in the absence of any such sign or marking, the stop
shall be made at the signal.
Whenever special pedestrian control signals
exhibiting the words "Walk" or "Wait" or "Don't Walk" are in place,
such signals shall indicate as follows:
A. "Walk." Pedestrians facing such signal 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 "Don't Walk." No pedestrians 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 a sidewalk or safety island while the wait signal is showing.
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:
A. Flashing red (stop signal). When a red lens is illuminated
with rapid intermittent flashes, drivers of vehicles shall stop before
entering the nearest crosswalk at an intersection or at a limit line
when marked, or if none, before entering the intersection, and the
right to proceed shall be subject to the rules applicable after making
a stop at a stop sign.
B. Flashing yellow (caution signal). When a yellow lens
is illuminated with rapid intermittent flashes, drivers of vehicles
may proceed through the intersection or past such signal only with
caution.
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.