Lake Forest Municipal Code Ch. 14.12 Protection During Construction

A. Highway Construction. Whenever any public highway, City road, street, or State highway, within the City of Lake Forest, State of California, shall be hereafter in course of construction or improvement, paved, surfaced, or overlaid with cement, asphaltic concrete or any other substance that is soft when first applied, it shall be unlawful for any person to step, walk, ride or drive upon, that portion of any such public highway, City road or State highway, which is being at the time so improved, until after the same shall become set or hard.

B. Pavement and Markings. No person shall ride or drive any animal or any vehicle over or across any newly made pavement, or any pavement under construction, or any freshly painted markings upon any public road or highway when a barrier or sign is in place warning persons not to drive over or across such pavement or markings, or when a sign is in place stating that the street is closed.

(Ord. 165 § 1, 2007)

A. Streets. "Streets," as used in this section shall include all streets, highways, public roads, County roads, County highways, avenues, lanes, alleys, courts, places, or other public ways in the City which have been or may hereafter be dedicated to public use.

B. Necessity Determined by Director of Public Works/City Engineer. Whenever it shall be deemed necessary by the Director of Public Works/City Engineer to restrict the use of, or close any street within the City for the protection of the public, for the protection of such street from damage during storms or during construction, or for improvements or maintenance operations thereon, the Director of Public Works/City Engineer may close or restrict the use of the whole or any part of such street deemed necessary to be excluded from public travel.

C. Warning Signs, Lights and Devices Required for Closed Street or During Construction. While any such street or portion thereof is so closed, or while such street or portion thereof is in the process of construction or repair or maintenance, the Director of Public Works/City Engineer, his/her employees, or the contractor under authority of such Director shall erect or cause to be erected suitable barriers or obstructions thereon, shall post or cause to be posted conspicuous notices that such street, or portion thereof, is closed or directing the traffic, and shall place or cause to be placed warning lights or devices on such street or portion thereof. All warning signs, lights and devices shall conform to the State of California, Division of Highways Uniform Sign Chart and the County of Orange Road Department Manual of Warning Signs, Lights and Devices.

D. Violation—Damage to Barrier, Notices, Warning Signs. When such street or portion thereof is closed to the public or is in process of construction, repair or maintenance, as provided herein, any person who willfully breaks down, removes, injures or destroys any such barrier or obstruction, or tears down, removes, or destroys any such notices, or extinguishes, removes, injures or destroys any such warning lights or devices so erected, posted, or placed by the Director of Public Works/City Engineer, his/her employees, or contractor, or willfully enters upon or drives any vehicle on or over said street or portion thereof when in the process of construction, repair, or maintenance, without first obtaining a permit so to do from the City, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to punishment in accordance with Section 1.01.200 et seq. of this Code.

(Ord. 165 § 1, 2007)