Chapter 10.05 — MEDIANS

The city council finds that when persons remain on public medians and roundabouts without continuing on to cross the street, their presence and conduct in said medians and roundabouts obstruct traffic, distract drivers, and threaten their safety and the safety of others in the community. Accordingly, the purpose of regulating the use of medians and roundabouts in the community is to protect the public safety and the safety of the pedestrians and the traveling public. (Ord. 1208 § 2 (part), 2014)

For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:

“Median” means a traffic fixture consisting of a strip of ground dividing or separating a street, roadway or highway into lanes according to the direction of travel, whether said traffic fixture is paved, striped, landscaped or non-landscaped. These traffic fixtures are commonly referred to as median strips, median islands, chokers, curb bulb outs, diverter islands, traffic calming devices, and traffic circles.

“Remain” means using a median or roundabout other than actively crossing, or assisting another person crossing, the street, roadway or highway in a timely and safe manner.

“Roundabout” means a raised traffic fixture, typically circular in appearance, located in an intersection of two or more streets, roadways or highways around which vehicular traffic travels around it for the purpose of continuing through the intersection or moving from one of the intersection’s streets onto another of the intersection’s streets. Roundabouts may be paved, striped, landscaped or non-landscaped and may include roundabout median, splitter islands, and truck aprons. (Ord. 1208 § 2 (part), 2014)

Unless exempt under Section 10.05.040, it shall be unlawful for any person to remain on a public median or roundabout other than actively crossing, or assisting another person crossing, the street, roadway or highway in a timely and safe manner. (Ord. 1208 § 2 (part), 2014)

This chapter shall not apply to the following:

A. A pedestrian actively crossing a street, roadway or highway.

B. Any government employee or authorized agent while in the performance of official duties.

C. Utility or landscaping employees when performing utility work or landscape installation,
maintenance, or repair.

D. A motorist encountering an emergency or mechanical breakdown that requires public safety response.

E. Use of medians and/or roundabouts associated with a special event permit issued by the
city.

F. Medians located in residential neighborhoods where pedestrian occupancy was intended
based on the design of the median, and the speed limit on the street in which the median is
located is twenty-five miles per hour or less. Designs of a median permitting pedestrians
are limited to those with sidewalks within the median, medians with a width forty feet or
more, park benches, playground equipment, or drinking fountains.
(Ord. 1208 § 2 (part), 2014)

A. A verbal warning shall be issued by a peace officer for the first offense.

B. Subsequent violations involving the same individual may be enforced with a citation.
(Ord. 1208 § 2 (part), 2014)

The following penalties shall be imposed for violations of the provisions of this chapter:

A. The first violation shall constitute an infraction punishable by a fine not to exceed one hundred dollars.

B. A second violation within one year shall constitute an infraction punishable by a fine not to exceed two hundred dollars.

C. A third and subsequent violations within one year shall constitute an infraction punishable by a fine not to exceed three hundred dollars for each violation. (Ord. 1208 § 2 (part), 2014)