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Earlier editions: 2026-07

Title 10 — Vehicles and Traffic

Imperial Beach Municipal Code Ch. 10.20 Traffic-Control Devices

Imperial Beach Municipal Code · 2026-10 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · Imperial Beach

Cite as: Imperial Beach Municipal Code Chapter 10.20 · Text as of 2026-10-04

§ 10.20.010. Installation authority.

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 under the traffic ordinances of this City to make effective the provisions of said ordinances.

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 Traffic Engineer 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 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 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 the traffic ordinances of the City or as may be determined by ordinance or resolution of the legislative body of the City.

(Prior code §§ 6031—6031.2; Ord. 53 § 50, 1957)

Exceptions & meaning →

§ 10.20.020. Removal, relocation or discontinuance authority.

The City Traffic Engineer is authorized to remove, relocate or discontinue the operation of any traffic-control device not specifically required by state law or this title whenever he or she determines in any particular case that the conditions which warranted or required the installation no longer exist or obtain.

(Prior code § 6035; Ord. 53 § 57, 1957)

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§ 10.20.030. Devices required to enforce provisions.

No provision of the Vehicle Code or of this title for which signs are required shall be enforced against an alleged violator unless appropriate signs are in place and sufficiently legible to be seen by an ordinarily observant person, giving notice of such provisions of the traffic laws.

(Prior code § 6032.1; Ord. 53 § 51, 1957)

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§ 10.20.040. Obedience required.

The driver of any vehicle shall obey the instructions of any official traffic-control device applicable thereto placed in accordance with the traffic-control ordinances of this City unless otherwise directed by a law enforcement officer, subject to the exceptions granted the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle when responding to emergency calls.

(Prior code § 6032; Ord. 53 § 52, 1957)

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§ 10.20.050. Hours of operation.

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 title.

(Prior code § 6035.1; Ord. 53 § 57, 1957)

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§ 10.20.060. Installation methods.

A. The City Traffic Engineer is 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 Traffic Engineer shall ascertain and determine the locations where such signals are required by resort to field observation, 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 Planning Manual of Instructions, Part 8, Traffic, issued by the Division of Highways of the 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 visible to the principal flow of traffic unless such street name signs have previously been placed and are maintained at any such intersection.

(Prior code §§ 6033—6033.2; Ord. 53 § 53, 1957; Ord. 456 § 14, 1979)

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§ 10.20.070. Lane-marking authority.

The City Traffic Engineer is authorized to mark centerlines 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 centerline of the highway.

(Prior code § 6034; Ord. 53 § 54, 1957)

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§ 10.20.080. Distinctive roadway markings.

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 markings or signs and markings shall have the same effect as similar markings placed by the Department of Transportation pursuant to provisions of the Vehicle Code.

(Prior code § 6034.1; Ord. 53 § 55, 1957)

Exceptions & meaning →

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