Chapter 71 — TRAFFIC RULES

No operator of any vehicle shall drive between the vehicles comprising a funeral procession or a parade provided such vehicles are conspicuously so designated. The directing of all vehicles and traffic on any street over which such funeral procession or parade wishes to pass shall be subject to the orders of the Police Department.

('63 Code, § 3-6.801) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63) Penalty, see § 70.99

No person shall attach himself with his hands, or catch on, or hold on with his hands or by other means to any moving vehicle or train for the purpose of receiving motive power therefrom.

('63 Code, § 3-6.802) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63) Penalty, see § 70.99

(A) No person shall operate or drive a commercial vehicle in, on, or across any private driveway approach or sidewalk area or the driveway itself without the consent of the owner or occupant of the property if a sign or marking is in place indicating the use of such driveway is prohibited.

(B) For the purposes of this section, a commercial vehicle shall mean a vehicle having a rated capacity in excess of ½-ton. ('63 Code, § 3-6.803) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63) Penalty, see § 70.99

No person shall ride, drive, or propel, or cause to be propelled, any vehicle or animal across or upon any sidewalk, except over permanently constructed driveways, or when it is necessary for any temporary purpose to drive a loaded vehicle across a sidewalk provided written permission has been previously obtained from the Traffic Engineer, or when permitted by Cal. Vehicle Code, § 21663. Persons who, by reason of physical disability, are unable to move about as a pedestrian shall be exempt from the provisions of this section while operating self-propelled wheel chairs or invalid tricycles. ('63 Code, § 3-6.804) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63) Penalty, see § 70.99

No person shall ride or drive any animal or any vehicle over or across any newly made pavement or freshly painted markings in any street when a barrier sign, cone marker, or other warning device is in place warning persons not to drive over or across such pavement or marking or when any such device is in place indicating that the street, or any portion thereof, is closed. ('63 Code, § 3-6.805) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63) Penalty, see § 70.99

No person shall drive a vehicle on or from any limited access roadway except at such entrances and exits as are lawfully established.

('63 Code, § 3-6.806) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63) Penalty, see § 70.99

No person shall drive or operate any bicycle, motor-driven cycle, or any vehicle which is not drawn by a motor vehicle upon any street established as a freeway, as defined by state law, nor shall any pedestrian walk across or along any such street so designated

and described except in spaces set aside for the use of pedestrians provided official signs are in place giving notice of such restrictions.

('63 Code, § 3-6.807) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63) Penalty, see § 70.99

No person, public utility, or department of the city shall erect or place any barrier or sign on any street unless it is of a type approved by the Traffic Engineer, nor shall any person disobey the instructions, remove, tamper with, or destroy any barrier or sign lawfully placed on any street by any person, public utility, or department of the city.

('63 Code, § 3-6.808) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63) Penalty, see § 70.99

No operator of any vehicle shall enter an intersection or a marked crosswalk unless there is sufficient space on the other side of the intersection or crosswalk to accommodate the vehicle he is operating without obstructing the passage of other vehicles or pedestrians, notwithstanding any traffic control signal indication to proceed. ('63 Code, § 3-6.809) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63) Penalty, see § 70.99

No person shall operate a self-propelled wheel chair or invalid tricycle within any sidewalk area in the central traffic district; provided, however, such vehicles may be so operated by any person who, by reason of physical disability, is otherwise unable to move about as a pedestrian; and provided, further, written permission has been previously obtained from the Police Department. ('63 Code, § 3-6.811) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63) Penalty, see § 70.99

(A) It shall be unlawful for any person upon roller skates or riding in or by means of any coaster, toy vehicle, or similar device to go upon any roadway or upon the sidewalk in the central traffic district or the Henderson Center business district. ('63 Code, § 3-6.812)

(B) No person shall skate or use or ride any skateboard, or similar device in, upon, or around the following described publicly owned property in the city: The "Old Town Square," more commonly known as the "Old Town Gazebo," located at the corner of 2nd and F Streets, Clark Plaza, East Plaza, or any other publicly owned property within the city posted prohibiting skateboard use. ('63 Code, § 3-6.815)

(Ord. 462-C.S., passed 5-21-87; Am. Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63; Am. Ord. 701-C.S., passed 10-18-05) Penalty, see § 70.99

(A) Doors in sidewalks used to cover an opening for an elevator, stairway, or chute shall be kept in such condition that they will not endanger persons or property, and it shall be unlawful for any person owning or being in charge or control of any such doors in sidewalks or other openings in the sidewalk leading to the basement to permit such doors to remain open except when such elevator, stairway, or chute is being used for loading, unloading, or transferring merchandise or material.

(B) The requirements of this section shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other laws of the city pertaining to doors or other openings in sidewalks.

('63 Code, § 3-6.814) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63) Penalty, see § 70.99

Whenever any ordinance or resolution of the city designates any one-way street or alley, the Traffic Engineer 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 at every intersection where movement of traffic in the opposite direction is prohibited.

('63 Code, § 3-6.601) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63)

(A) Use by pedestrians. No pedestrian shall be in or upon any grade separation except such grade separations as shall have pedestrian walks specifically designated or constructed thereon; provided, however, the provisions of this section shall not apply, in the event of an emergency, to persons employed to do work or labor upon such grade separations or to members of the Police Department when engaged in law enforcement or traffic regulations.

('63 Code, § 3-6.1601)

(B) Use by bicycles. No person shall ride a bicycle upon any grade separation.

('63 Code, § 3-6.1602)

(C) Use by animals. No person shall ride or drive any animal, even though tethered or harnessed, in or upon any grade separation.

('63 Code, § 3-6.1603)

(D) Use by vehicles. Unless otherwise directed by a member of the Police Department or other authorized person, vehicles in or upon any grade separation shall at all times stay to the right of the center of all grade separations, slow moving vehicles shall remain as close as possible to the right-hand side or curb of the grade separation, and where a grade separation is marked with traffic lanes, vehicles shall cross the markings only when overtaking and passing other vehicles. It shall be unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to cross any such marking unless such movement can be made with safety. ('63 Code, § 3-6.1604)

(E) Stopping, standing, or parking. No operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand, or park such vehicle in or upon any grade separation except in the event of an emergency, or when necessary to avoid injury or damage to persons or property, or in compliance with the direction of a member of the Police Department or other authorized person, or with the direction of a sign or signal.

('63 Code, § 3-6.1605)

(F) Removal of vehicles. When any vehicle in or on any grade separation is stopped for any reason and is obstructing or may obstruct the flow of traffic, any member of the Police Department may move such vehicle or have such vehicle moved to the nearest terminus of such grade separation and beyond to a place of safety. The registered owner and the operator of such vehicle shall be responsible for all reasonable charges for such moving services.

('63 Code, § 3-6.1606)

(Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63) Penalty, see § 70.99

No person shall cause or permit any railroad train or railroad cars, or similar vehicle on rails, to stop or stand or be operated in such a manner as to prevent the use of any street for the purposes of travel for a period of time longer than ten minutes; provided, however, the provisions of this section shall not apply to railroad trains, cars, or similar vehicles on rails while blocking or obstructing a crossing because of an accident which requires the operator of the train, car, or similar vehicle on rails to stop at or near the scene of the accident.

('63 Code, § 3-6.1701) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63) Penalty, see § 70.99

The Traffic Engineer is hereby 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.

('63 Code, § 3-6.1403) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63)

TURNING MOVEMENTS

(A) Turning markers. The Traffic Engineer is hereby authorized to place official traffic-control devices within or adjacent to intersections indicating the course to be traveled by vehicles turning at such intersections, and the Traffic Engineer is hereby authorized to locate and indicate more than one lane of traffic from which drivers of vehicles may make right or 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. ('63 Code, § 3-6.501)

(B) Restricted turn signs. The Traffic Engineer is hereby 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, and such signs may be removed when such turns are permitted.

('63 Code, § 3-6.502)

(Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63; Am. Ord. 34-C.S., passed 4-3-65)

(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.

(B) The Traffic Engineer shall post appropriate signs giving effect to the provisions of this section where he determines that the making of right turns against a traffic signal stop indication would seriously interfere with the safe and orderly flow of traffic. ('63 Code, § 3-6.504) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63) Penalty, see § 70.99

SPECIAL STOPS

Whenever any ordinance or resolution of the 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 Traffic Engineer shall erect and maintain stop signs 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 crossing so designated; provided, however, stop signs shall not be erected or maintained at 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.

('63 Code, § 3-6.701) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63; Am. Ord. 34-C.S., passed 4-3-65)

(A) Those streets and parts of streets established by resolution of the Council are hereby declared to be through streets for the purposes of this section.

(B) The provisions of this section shall apply at one or more entrances to intersections as such entrances and intersections are established by resolution of the Council.

(C) The provisions of this section shall apply at those highway railroad grade crossings as established by resolution of the Council.

('63 Code, § 3-6.702) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63)

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.

('63 Code, § 3-6.703) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63) Penalty, see § 70.99

OBSTRUCTIONS

(A) Corners of intersecting streets. It shall be unlawful for the owner or occupant of any corner lot or premises in the city to install, set out, maintain, permit, or allow the installation, setting out, maintenance, or existence of any sign, fence, hedge, shrubbery, tree, natural growth, or other obstruction to a view higher than three feet above the adjacent street curb level between the curb line and the property line or within that triangular area of the private lot or premises between the property lines adjacent to the corner and a diagonal line joining points on the property lines 20 feet from the point of their intersection, or in the case of rounded corners, the area circumscribed by the curve and a chord to the curve, said chord being a line drawn between the point of tangency at the beginning of the curve and the point of tangency at the end of the curve. ('63 Code, § 3-7.01)

(B) Alleys and driveways. It shall be unlawful for any owner or occupant of any premises of the city to install, set out, maintain, permit, or allow the installation, setting out, maintenance, or existence of any sign, fence, hedge, shrubbery, tree, natural growth, or other obstruction to a view higher than three feet above the adjacent street curb level between the curb line and the property line or within that triangular area of the private lot or premises between the property lines adjacent to the corner of a private or public alley or driveway and a diagonal line joining points on the property or driveway line five feet from the point of their intersection. ('63 Code, § 3-7.02)

(Ord. 2822, passed 11-18-59) Penalty, see § 70.99

The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to intersections in commercial districts controlled by an official traffic-control device or signal, permanent buildings, public utility poles, official warning signs or signals, or to places where the contour of the ground is such that there can be no cross visibility at the intersection.

('63 Code, § 3-7.03) (Ord. 2822, passed 11-18-59; Am. Ord. 328-C.S., passed 9-16-80)

No obstruction to cross visibility shall be deemed to be excepted from the application of the provisions of this chapter because of its being in existence on November 18, 1959, the date of adoption of this chapter, unless expressly excepted by the terms of this chapter.

('63 Code, § 3-7.06) (Ord. 2822, passed 11-18-59) Penalty, see § 70.99

The enforcement of the provisions of this chapter shall be under the direction of the Traffic Engineer. The Traffic Engineer may designate representatives who may investigate violations of this chapter, give such notice as may be required to carry out the provisions of this section, and perform such other duties in connection with the enforcement of this chapter as may be imposed upon them by the Traffic Engineer.

('63 Code, § 3-7.04) (Ord. 2822, passed 11-18-59)

In addition to the remedy by prosecution for violation of this chapter, any obstruction maintained in violation of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed a nuisance, and upon failure to abate the same within 20 days after the posting upon the premises of a notice to abate the nuisance, signed by the Traffic Engineer or his authorized representative, the Traffic Engineer or his authorized representative may enter upon the premises and remove or eliminate the obstruction. In such event the cost to the city of the abatement of the nuisance shall be a personal obligation against the owner of the premises upon which the nuisance was maintained, recoverable by the city in an action before any court of competent jurisdiction. ('63 Code, § 3-7.05) (Ord. 2822, passed 11-18-59)

TRUCKS; HEAVY VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT

(A) Whenever any resolution of the city designates and describes any street, or portion thereof, as a street, the use of which is permitted by any vehicle exceeding a maximum gross weight limit of three tons, the Traffic Engineer is hereby authorized to designate such street by appropriate signs as “Truck Routes” for the movement of vehicles exceeding a maximum gross weight limit of three tons.

(B) When any such truck routes are established and designated by appropriate signs, the operator of any vehicle exceeding a maximum gross weight limit of three tons shall drive on such routes and none other; provided, however, the operator of any vehicle exceeding a maximum gross weight of three tons may come from a truck route having ingress and egress by direct route to and from restricted streets when necessary for the purpose of making pickups or deliveries of goods, wares, and merchandise from or to any building or structure located on such restricted streets or for the purpose of delivering materials to be used in the actual and bona fide repair, alteration, remodeling, or construction of any building or structure upon such restricted streets for which a building permit has previously been obtained therefor.

• (C) The provisions of this section shall not apply to:

• (1) Passenger buses under the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission of the state; or

(2) Any vehicle owned by a public utility while necessarily in use in the construction, installation, or repair of any public utility.

(D) Those streets and parts of streets established by resolution of the Council are hereby declared to be truck routes for the movement of vehicles exceeding a maximum gross weight of three tons.

('63 Code, § 3-6.1301) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63)

(A) Whenever any resolution of the city designates and describes any street, or portion thereof, as a street, the use of which is prohibited by any commercial vehicle, the Traffic Engineer shall erect and maintain appropriate signs on those streets affected by such resolution.

(B) Those streets and parts of streets established by resolution of the Council are hereby declared to be streets, the use of which is prohibited by any commercial vehicle. The provisions of this section shall not apply to passenger buses under the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission of the state.

('63 Code, § 3-6.1302) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63)

(A) No person shall move or operate upon any of the city streets any vehicle with a load in excess of that permitted by the Vehicle Code without a written permit from the Traffic Engineer.

(B) The Traffic Engineer may, by written permit, authorize a load in excess of that permitted by the Vehicle Code if, in his judgment, the streets upon which such vehicle is to be operated can safely withstand the additional weight or if the applicant shall guarantee to the city that all costs of repair to the streets or to the public property of the city damaged by the movement of such load shall be paid in full. Such permit shall be granted upon such conditions and upon depositing such bond as the Traffic Engineer in his discretion may require.

('63 Code, § 3-6.1501) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63) Penalty, see § 70.99

No person shall operate over the city streets any vehicle, piece of equipment, or machinery which has lugs, cleats, flanges, or other projections on the wheels or tracks. If the tread of the track has projections or corrugations, a filler block may be placed on each section so that a flat bearing surface will be in contact with the pavement at all times. ('63 Code, § 3-6.1502) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63) Penalty, see § 70.99

PEDESTRIANS

(A) Authority to establish.

(1) The Traffic Engineer is hereby authorized to establish and maintain crosswalks and to designate them by appropriate devices or painted signs upon the surface of the roadway.

(2) The Traffic Engineer may place signs at or adjacent to an intersection in respect to any crosswalk directing that pedestrians shall not cross in the crosswalk so indicated.

(3) Other than crosswalks at intersections, no crosswalk shall be established in any block which is less than 480 feet in length, and such crosswalk shall be located as nearly as practicable at mid-block.

('63 Code, § 3-6.901)

(B) Crossing in crosswalks. No pedestrian shall cross a roadway other than by a crosswalk in the central traffic district or in any business district.

('63 Code, § 3-6.902)

(Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63) Penalty, see § 70.99

Pedestrians shall obey the indication of special traffic signals installed for pedestrians only and shall disregard the indication of a vehicular traffic signal at any location where special pedestrian traffic signals are in place.

('63 Code, § 3-6.903) (Ord. 2930, passed 4-17-63)