Bell Municipal Code Ch. 10.08 Traffic-Control Devices

A. The city traffic engineer 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 chapter.

B. Whenever the Vehicle Code requires, or for the effectiveness of any provision thereof, traffic-control devices shall be installed to give notice to the public of the application of such law. The city traffic engineer is authorized to install or cause to be installed the necessary devices subject to any limitations or restrictions set forth in the laws applicable thereto.

C. The city traffic engineer may also place and maintain or cause to be placed and maintained, such additional traffic-control devices as he or she may deem necessary or proper to regulate traffic or to guide or warn traffic, but he or she 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 chapter.

(Prior code § 3130)

The operator of any vehicle or train shall obey the instructions of any official traffic-control device placed in accordance with this chapter 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.

(Prior code § 3131)

The city traffic engineer is authorized to remove, relocate or discontinue, subject to the approval of the chief administrative officer, the operation of any traffic-control device not specifically required by the Vehicle Code or this chapter whenever he or she shall determine in any particular case that the conditions which warranted or required the installation no longer exist or obtain.

(Prior code § 3135)

The city traffic engineer 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 chapter.

(Prior code § 3136)

A. The city traffic engineer is directed, subject to the approval of the chief administrative officer, to install and maintain official traffic signals at those intersections and other places where traffic conditions are such 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 traffic engineer 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 or her determinations therefrom shall be made in accordance with those traffic engineering and safety standards and instructions set forth in the California Planning Manual—Part 8, Traffic, issued by the Division of Highways of the State Department of Transportation.

C. Whenever the city traffic engineer installs and maintains an official traffic signal at any intersection he or she 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 such intersection.

(Prior code § 3132)

The city traffic engineer is authorized to mark center lines and lane lines upon the surface of the roadway to indicate the course 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 center line of the highway.

(Prior code § 3133)

The city traffic engineer 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 markings or signs and markings. Such marking or signs and markings shall have the same effect as similar markings placed by the State Department of Transportation pursuant to provisions of the Vehicle Code.

(Prior code § 3134)

A. Authority to Place Turning Markers. When determined to be necessary by the city traffic engineer, he or she shall place and maintain markers, buttons or signs within or adjacent to intersections indicating the course to be traveled by vehicles turning at such intersections, and he or she shall locate and indicate more than one lane of traffic from which vehicles may make right or left turns.

B. Obedience to Turning Markers. All motorists shall obey the directions of such turning markers placed in accordance with subsection A of this section.

(Prior code §§ 3140, 3141)

A. Authority to Place Restricted Turn Signs. The city traffic engineer shall determine those intersections at which vehicles should not make right, left or U-turns, and he or she shall place proper signs at such intersections regulating such turns.

B. Obedience to No-Turn Signs. All motorists shall obey the directions of such signs placed in accordance with subsection A of this section.

(Prior code §§ 3142, 3143)

A. When the city traffic engineer determines that the making of right turns against a traffic signal "Stop" indication would seriously interfere with the safe and orderly flow of traffic, he or she shall place appropriate signs prohibiting this traffic movement.

B. Obedience to No-Right-Turn-on-Red Signs. No motorist shall make a right turn against a red or stop signal at any intersection which is sign-posted giving notice of such restriction as provided in subsection A of this section.

(Prior code §§ 3144, 3145)

A. Whenever the city council designates any street or alley for one-way traffic, the city traffic engineer shall place and maintain signs giving notice thereof.

B. Traffic Flow on One-Way Streets. When all or a portion of any street or alley is designated for one-way traffic, no person shall operate a vehicle thereon in any direction except as indicated by signs giving notice of such restriction.

(Prior code §§ 3150, 3151)

A. City Traffic Engineer to Erect Stop Signs. Whenever any street or portion thereof is designated as a through street, or when the council directs the installation of special stop signs, the city traffic engineer shall erect and maintain stop signs on each and every street intersecting such through street or portion thereof, and at such other locations as may be designated by council resolution. Every such sign shall conform with and be placed as provided for in the Vehicle Code.

B. Stop at Through Street or Stop Signs Required. When any stop signs are in place, the driver of a vehicle shall stop in obedience to the same.

(Prior code §§ 3160, 3161)

A. Traffic Engineer to Establish Marked Crosswalks.

1. The city traffic engineer shall establish, designate and maintain crosswalks at intersections and other places by appropriate devices, marks or lines upon the surface of the roadway where the city traffic engineer determines that there is particular hazard to pedestrians crossing the roadway subject to the limitation contained in subsection (A)(2) of this section.

2. Other than crosswalks at intersections, no crosswalk shall be established in any block which is less than 400 feet in length except by direction of the chief administrative officer.

3. The city traffic engineer may place signs at or adjacent to an intersection in respect to any crosswalk directing that pedestrians shall not cross except in the crosswalk so indicated.

B. When Pedestrians Must Use Crosswalks. No pedestrian shall cross a roadway other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.

(Prior code §§ 3180, 3181; Ord. 1127, 1997)