Avenal Municipal Code Ch. 4 Traffic

Title 4 PUBLIC SAFETY Avenal, California, Code of Ordinances Page 8

Article 1. Title and Definitions 4-4.101 Title for citation. 4-4.102 Definitions generally. 4-4.103 Motor Vehicle Code definitions to be used. 4-4.104 Bus. 4-4.105 City Manager. 4-4.106 Council. 4-4.107 Curb. 4-4.108 Divisional island. 4-4.109 Holidays. 4-4.110 Loading zone. 4-4.111 Official time standard. 4-4.112 Parkway. 4-4.113 Passenger loading zone. 4-4.114 Pedestrian. 4-4.115 Police officer. 4-4.116 Stop. 4-4.117 Vehicle Code. 4-4.101 Title for citation. The provisions set forth in this title shall be known and may be cited as the "Avenal Traffic Ordinance." 4-4.102 Definitions generally. The following words and phrases when used in this title shall for the purpose of this title have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this chapter. 4-4.103 Motor Vehicle Code definitions to be used. Whenever any words or phrases used in this title are not defined, but are defined in the Vehicle Code of the State of California and amendments thereto, such definitions shall apply.

Title 4 PUBLIC SAFETY Avenal, California, Code of Ordinances Page 9 4-4.104 Bus. "Bus" means any motor bus, motor coach, trackless trolley or passenger stage used as a common carrier of passengers. 4-4.105 City Manager. "City Manager" means and includes any such person or public entity as the City Council may, by resolution designate; or as the City Manager, by written authorization, may designate to perform or administer provisions of this title. 4-4.106 Council. "Council" means the Council of the City of Avenal. 4-4.107 Curb. "Curb" means the lateral boundary of the roadway, whether such curb is marked by curbing construction or not so marked; the word "curb" as used in this title shall not include the line dividing the roadway of a street from parking strips in the center of a street, or from tracks or rights-of-way of public utility companies. 4-4.108 Divisional island. "Divisional island" means a raised island located in the roadway and separating opposing or conflicting streams of traffic. 4-4.109 Holidays. Within the meaning of this title, "holidays" are the first day of January, the twelfth day of February, the twenty-second day of February, the thirtieth day of May, the fourth day of July, the first Monday in September, the ninth day of September, the twelfth day of October, the eleventh day of November, Thanksgiving Day, and the twenty-fifth day of December. If the first day of January, twelfth day of February, twenty-second day of February, the thirtieth day of May, the fourth day of July, the ninth day of September, the twelfth day of October, the eleventh day of November, or the twenty-fifth day of December falls upon a Sunday, the Monday following is a holiday. 4-4.110 Loading zone. "Loading zone" means the space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers or materials. 4-4.111 Official time standard. Whenever certain hours are named in this title, they shall mean standard time or daylight savings time, as may be in current use in this City. 4-4.112 Parkway. "Parkway" means that portion of a street other than a roadway or a sidewalk.

Title 4 PUBLIC SAFETY Avenal, California, Code of Ordinances Page 10 4-4.113 Passenger loading zone. "Passenger loading zone" means the space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers. 4-4.114 Pedestrian. "Pedestrian" means any person afoot. 4-4.115 Police officer. "Police officer" means every officer of the Police Department of this City, or any officer authorized to direct or regulate or to make arrests for violations of traffic regulations. 4-4.116 Stop. "Stop," when required, means complete cessation of movement. 4-4.117 Vehicle Code. "Vehicle Code" means the Vehicle Code of the State of California. Article 2. Traffic Administration 4-4.201 Traffic section—Established in Police Department. 4-4.202 Traffic section—Powers and duties. 4-4.203 City Manager—Powers and duties—Deputies authorized when. 4-4.204 City Manager—Traffic engineering duties. 4-4.205 Traffic section—Accident report filing duties. 4-4.206 Traffic section—Annual traffic safety report required. 4-4.207 Traffic accident studies. 4-4.208 Property damage—Report requirements. 4-4.209 Intersection visibility requirements. 4-4.201 Traffic section—Established in Police Department. There is established in the Police Department a traffic section to be under the control of an officer of police appointed by and administratively responsible to the Chief of Police. 4-4.202 Traffic section—Powers and duties. It shall be the duty of the traffic section, with such aid as may be rendered by other members of the Police Department, to enforce the street traffic in this City, to make arrests for traffic violations, to investigate traffic accidents, to cooperate with the City Manager and other officers of the City in the administration of the traffic law and in developing ways and means to improve traffic conditions, and to

Title 4 PUBLIC SAFETY Avenal, California, Code of Ordinances Page 11 carry out those duties specially imposed upon said section by this title and related traffic ordinances of this City. 4-4.203 City Manager—Powers and duties—Deputies authorized when. It shall be the general duty of the City Manager to determine the installation and proper timing and maintenance of traffic-control devices and signals, to conduct engineering analyses of traffic accidents and to devise remedial measures, to conduct engineering and traffic investigations of traffic conditions and to cooperate with other City officials in the development of ways and means to improve traffic conditions, and to carry out the additional powers and duties imposed by ordinances of this City. Whenever by the provisions of this title a power is granted to the City Manager or a duty imposed upon him, the power may be exercised or the duty performed by his deputy or by a person authorized in writing by him. 4-4.204 City Manager—Traffic engineering duties. The City Manager shall exercise the powers and duties as provided in this title and in related traffic ordinances of this City. Whenever the City Manager is required or authorized to place or maintain official traffic-control devices or signals, he may cause such devices or signals to be placed or maintained. 4-4.205 Traffic section—Accident report filing duties. The traffic section shall maintain a suitable system of filing traffic accident reports. Such reports shall be available for the use and information of the City Manager. 4-4.206 Traffic section—Annual traffic safety report required. The traffic section shall annually prepare a traffic report which shall be filed with the City Council. Such a report shall contain information on traffic matters in this City as follows: (a) The number of traffic accidents, the number of persons killed, the number of persons injured, and other pertinent traffic accident data; (b) The number of traffic accidents investigated and other pertinent data on the safety activities of the police; (c) The plans and recommendations of the section for future traffic safety activities. 4-4.207 Traffic accident studies. Whenever the accidents at any particular location become numerous, the traffic section shall cooperate with the City Manager in conducting studies of such accidents and determining remedial measures. 4-4.208 Property damage—Report requirements. (a) The operator of a vehicle or the person in charge of any animal involved in any accident resulting in damage to any property publicly owned or owned by a public utility, including but not limited to any fire hydrant, parking meter, lighting post, telephone pole, electric light or power pole, or resulting in damage to any tree, traffic-control device or other property of a like nature located in or along any street shall, within twenty-four hours after such accident, make a written report of such accident to the Police Department of this City.

Title 4 PUBLIC SAFETY Avenal, California, Code of Ordinances Page 12 (b) Every such report shall state the time when and the place where the accident took place, the name and address of the person owning and of the person operating or in charge of such vehicle or animal, the license number of every such vehicle, and shall briefly describe the property damage in such accident. (c) The operator of any vehicle involved in an accident shall not be subject to the requirements or penalties of this section if and during the time he is physically incapable of making a report, but in such event he shall make a report as required in subdivision (a) of this section within twenty-four hours after regaining ability to make such report. 4-4.209 Intersection visibility requirements. Whenever the City Manager finds that any hedge, shrubbery, or tree growing in a parkway obstructs the view of any intersection, or any traffic upon the streets approaching such intersection, he shall cause the hedge, shrubbery or tree to be immediately removed or reduced in height. Article 3. Enforcement 4-4.301 Authority of Police and Fire Department officials. 4-4.302 Obedience to police or authorized officers. 4-4.303 Persons other than officials shall not direct traffic. 4-4.304 Obstruction of or interference with police or authorized officers. 4-4.305 Regulations applicable to persons riding bicycles or animals. 4-4.306 Public employees—Obedience to regulations required. 4-4.307 Certain official vehicles exempt from regulations—Conditions. 4-4.308 Removal of vehicles from streets authorized when. 4-4.301 Authority of Police and Fire Department officials. Officers of the Police Department and such officers as are assigned by the Chief of Police are authorized to direct all traffic by voice, hand, audible or other signal in conformance with traffic laws, except that in the event of a fire or other emergency or to expedite traffic or to safeguard pedestrians, officers of the Police Department or members of the Fire Department may direct traffic as conditions may require, notwithstanding the provisions to the contrary contained in this title or the Vehicle Code. 4-4.302 Obedience to police or authorized officers. No person shall fail or refuse to comply with or to perform any act forbidden by any lawful order, signal or direction of a traffic or police officer, or a member of the Fire Department, or a person authorized by the Chief of Police or by law. Violation of this section is an infraction, as provided in Title 1, Chapter 2 of this Code. 4-4.303 Persons other than officials shall not direct traffic. No person other than an officer of the Police Department or members of the Fire Department or a person authorized by the Chief of Police or a person authorized by law shall direct or attempt to direct traffic by voice, hand or other signal, except that persons may operate, when and as herein provided, any

Title 4 PUBLIC SAFETY Avenal, California, Code of Ordinances Page 13 mechanical pushbutton signal erected by order of the City Manager. Violation of this section is an infraction as provided in Title 1, Chapter 2, of this Code. 4-4.304 Obstruction of or interference with police or authorized officers. No person shall interfere with or obstruct in any way any police officer or other officer or employee of this City in their enforcement of the provisions of this title. The removal, obliteration or concealment of any chalk mark or other distinguishing mark used by any police officer or other employee or officer of this City in connection with the enforcement of the parking regulations of this title constitutes such interference or obstruction. Violation of this section is an infraction as provided in Title 1, Chapter 2, of this Code. 4-4.305 Regulations applicable to persons riding bicycles or animals. Every person riding a bicycle or riding or driving an animal upon a highway has all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this title, except those provisions which by their very nature can have no application. 4-4.306 Public employees—Obedience to regulations required. The provisions of this title shall apply to the operator of any vehicle owned by or used in the service of the United States Government, this state, any county or City, and it is unlawful for any said operator to violate any of the provisions of this title except as otherwise permitted in this title or by the Vehicle Code. 4-4.307 Certain official vehicles exempt from regulations—Conditions. (a) The provisions of this title regulating the operation, parking and standing of vehicles shall not apply to vehicles operated by the Police or Fire Department, any public ambulance or any public utility vehicle or any private ambulance, which public utility vehicle or private ambulance has qualified as an authorized emergency vehicle, when any vehicle mentioned in this section is operated in the manner specified by the Vehicle Code in response to an emergency call. (b) The provisions of this title shall not, however, relieve the operator of any such vehicle from obligation to exercise due care for the safety of others or the consequences of his wilful disregard of the safety of others. (c) The provisions of this title regulating the parking or standing of vehicles shall not apply to any vehicle of a City department or public utility while necessarily in use for construction or repair work or any vehicle owned or operated by the United States Post Office Department while in use for the collection, transportation or delivery of United States mail. 4-4.308 Removal of vehicles from streets authorized when. Any regularly employed and salaried officer of the Police Department of this City may remove or cause to be removed: (a) Any vehicle that has been parked or left standing upon a street or highway for seventy-two (72) or more hours; (b) Any vehicle parked or left standing on a highway or alley when such parking or standing is prohibited by signs posted giving notice of removal; (c) Any vehicle which is parked or left standing upon a street or highway where the use of such street or highway or a portion thereof is necessary for the cleaning, repair, or construction of the street or highway or for the installation of underground utilities, or where the use of the street or highway or any portion thereof is authorized for a purpose other than the normal flow of traffic,

Title 4 PUBLIC SAFETY Avenal, California, Code of Ordinances Page 14 or where the use of the street or highway or any portion thereof is necessary for the movement of equipment, articles or structures of unusual size, and the parking of such vehicle would prohibit or interfere with such use or movement; provided, that signs giving notice that such vehicle may be removed are erected or placed at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the removal. (Ord. 2004-02, 2004) Article 4. Traffic-Control Devices 4-4.401 Installation—City Manager authority. 4-4.402 Signs required for enforcement purposes. 4-4.403 Driver obedience required—Exceptions. 4-4.404 Installation—Locations—Placement and maintenance. 4-4.405 Lane marking. 4-4.406 Distinctive roadway markings. 4-4.407 Hours of operation. 4-4.408 Removal, relocation or discontinuance authorized when. 4-4.409 Painting of curbs—Restrictions. 4-4.401 Installation—City Manager authority. (a) The City Manager shall have the power and duty to place and maintain or cause to be placed and maintained official traffic-control devices when and as required to make effective the provisions of this title. (b) Whenever the Vehicle Code requires for the effectiveness of any provision thereof that traffic-control devices be installed to give notice to the public of the application of such law, the City Manager is authorized to install or cause to be installed the necessary devices, subject to any limitations or restrictions set forth in the law applicable thereto. (c) The City Manager may also place and maintain or cause to be placed and maintained such additional traffic-control devices as he may deem necessary or proper to regulate traffic or to guide or warn traffic, but he shall make such determination only upon the basis of traffic engineering principles and traffic investigations and in accordance with such standards, limitations and rules as may be set forth in this title or as may be determined by ordinance or resolution of the Council. 4-4.402 Signs required for enforcement purposes. No provision of the Vehicle Code or of this title for which signs are required shall be enforced against an alleged violator unless appropriate legible signs are in place giving notice of such provisions of the traffic laws. 4-4.403 Driver obedience required—Exceptions. The operator of any vehicle or train shall obey the instructions of any official traffic-control device placed in accordance with this title unless otherwise directed by a police officer or other authorized person subject to the exceptions granted the operator of an authorized emergency vehicle when responding to emergency calls.

Title 4 PUBLIC SAFETY Avenal, California, Code of Ordinances Page 15 4-4.404 Installation—Locations—Placement and maintenance. (a) The City Manager is hereby directed to install and maintain official traffic signals at those intersections and other places where traffic conditions are such as to require that the flow of traffic be alternately interrupted and released in order to prevent or relieve traffic congestion or to protect life or property from exceptional hazard. (b) The City Manager shall ascertain and determine the locations where such signals are required by field investigation, traffic counts and other traffic information as may be pertinent, and his determinations therefrom shall be made in accordance with those traffic engineering and safety standards and instructions set forth in the California Manual issued by the Division of Highways of the State Department of Transportation. (c) Whenever the City Manager installs and maintains an official traffic signal at any intersection, he shall likewise erect and maintain at such intersection street name signs clearly visible to traffic approaching from all directions unless such street name signs have previously been placed and are maintained at any said intersection. 4-4.405 Lane marking. The City Manager is authorized to mark centerlines and lane lines upon the surface of the roadway to indicate the courses to be traveled by vehicles, and may place signs temporarily designating lanes to be used by traffic moving in a particular direction, regardless of the centerline of the highway. 4-4.406 Distinctive roadway markings. The City Manager is authorized to place and maintain distinctive roadway markings, as described in the Vehicle Code, on those streets or parts of streets where the volume of traffic or the vertical or other curvature of the roadway renders it hazardous to drive on the left side of such marking or signs and markings. Such marking or signs and markings shall have the same effect as similar markings placed by the State Department of Public Works pursuant to provisions of the Vehicle Code. 4-4.407 Hours of operation. The City Manager shall determine the hours and days during which any traffic-control device shall be in operation or be in effect, except in those cases where such hours or days are specified in this ordinance or by ordinance/resolution of the City Council. 4-4.408 Removal, relocation or discontinuance authorized when. The City Manager is authorized to remove, relocate or discontinue the operation of any traffic-control device not specifically required by the Vehicle Code or this title whenever he shall determine, in any particular case, that the conditions which warranted or required the installation no longer exist or remain. 4-4.409 Painting of curbs—Restrictions. No person, unless authorized by this City, shall paint any street or curb surface; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to the painting of numbers on a curb surface by any person who has complied with the provisions of any resolution or ordinance of this City pertaining thereto. Article 5. Speed Limits 4-4.501 State speed limit increased in certain zones. 4-4.502 State speed limits decreased in certain zones.

Title 4 PUBLIC SAFETY Avenal, California, Code of Ordinances Page 16 4-4.503 Timing of traffic signals to regulate speed. 4-4.501 State speed limit increased in certain zones. It is determined upon the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that the speed permitted by state laws upon the following streets is less than is necessary for safe operation of vehicles thereon by reason of the designation and sign posting of said streets as through highways and/or by reason of widely spaced intersections, and it is declared that the prima facie speed limit shall be as hereinafter set forth in this chapter on those streets or parts of streets designated in this article when signs are erected giving notice thereof. 4-4.502 State speed limits decreased in certain zones. It is determined upon the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that the speed permitted by the state law outside of business and residence districts as applicable upon the following streets is greater than is reasonable or safe under the conditions found to exist upon such streets, and it is declared that the prima facie speed limit shall be as set forth in this section on those streets or parts of streets designated as follows when signs are erected giving notice thereof. 4-4.503 Timing of traffic signals to regulate speed. The City Manager is authorized to regulate the timing of traffic signals so as to permit the movement of traffic in an orderly and safe manner at speeds slightly at variance from the speeds otherwise applicable within the district or at intersections, and shall erect appropriate signs giving notice thereof. Article 6. Turning Movements, Special Stops and One-Way Streets 4-4.601 Turning markers—Placement authorized when. 4-4.602 Restricted turn signs. 4-4.603 Signal-controlled intersections—Right turns at stop signals authorized when. 4-4.604 One-way streets and alleys. 4-4.605 Stop signs—Locations—Placement authorized when. 4-4.606 Stops—At through streets or stop signs. 4-4.607 Stops—Emerging from alley, driveway or building. 4-4.601 Turning markers—Placement authorized when. The City Manager is authorized to place official traffic-control devices with or adjacent to intersections and indicating the course to be traveled by vehicles turning at such intersections, and the City Manager is authorized to locate and indicate more than one lane of traffic from which drivers of vehicles may make right to left hand turns, and the course to be traveled as so indicated may conform to or be other than as prescribed by law or ordinance.

Title 4 PUBLIC SAFETY Avenal, California, Code of Ordinances Page 17 4-4.602 Restricted turn signs. The City Manager is authorized to determine those intersections at which drivers of vehicles shall not make a right, left or U turn, and shall place proper signs at such intersections. The making of such turns may be prohibited between certain hours of any day and permitted at other hours, in which event the same shall be plainly indicated on the signs or they may be removed when such turns are permitted. 4-4.603 Signal-controlled intersections—Right turns at stop signals authorized when. (a) No driver of a vehicle shall make a right turn against a red or stop signal at any intersection which is sign-posted giving notice of such restriction as hereinafter provided in this section. (b) The City Manager shall post appropriate signs giving effect to this section where he determines that the making of right turns against traffic-signal stop indication would seriously interfere with the safe and orderly flow of traffic. 4-4.604 One-way streets and alleys. Whenever any ordinance or resolution of this City designates any one-way street or alley, the City Manager shall place and maintain signs giving notice thereof, and no such regulations shall be effective unless such signs are in place. Signs indicating the direction of lawful traffic movement shall be placed where movement of traffic in the opposite direction is prohibited. 4-4.605 Stop signs—Locations—Placement authorized when. Whenever any ordinance or resolution of this City designates and describes any street or portion thereof as a through street, or any intersection at which vehicles are required to stop at one or more entrances thereto, or any railroad grade crossing at which vehicles are required to stop, the City Manager shall erect and maintain stop signs as follows: A stop sign shall be erected on each and every street intersecting such through street or portion thereof so designated and at those entrances to other intersections where a stop is required and at any railroad grade crossing so designated; provided, however, stop signs shall not be erected or maintainedat any entrance to an intersection when such entrance is controlled by an official traffic-control signal. Every such sign shall conform with, and shall be placed as provided, in the Vehicle Code. 4-4.606 Stops—At through streets or stop signs. (a) Those streets and parts of streets established by resolution of the Council are declared to be through streets for the purposes of this section. (b) The provisions of this section shall also apply at one or more entrances to the intersections as such entrances are established by resolution of the City Council. (c) The provisions of this section shall apply at those highway railway grade crossings as established by resolution of the City Council. 4-4.607 Stops—Emerging from alley, driveway or building. The driver of a vehicle emerging from an alley, driveway or building shall stop such vehicle immediately prior to driving onto a sidewalk or into the sidewalk area extending across any alleyway or driveway.

Title 4 PUBLIC SAFETY Avenal, California, Code of Ordinances Page 18 Article 7. Stopping, Standing and Parking 4-4.701 Time when provisions are applicable. 4-4.702 No-stopping zones—Designation—Driver obedience required. 4-4.703 No-stopping zones and no-parking areas—Maintenance —Driver obedience required. 4-4.704 Twenty-four minute parking—Green curb marking—Driver obedience required. 4-4.705 Forty-minute parking. 4-4.706 One-hour parking. 4-4.707 Two-hour parking. 4-4.708 Emergency parking. 4-4.709 Parking adjacent to schools. 4-4.710 Diagonal parking. 4-4.711 Parking parallel on one-way streets.