Chapter 10.12 — TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES

* For statutory provisions authorizing local authorities to place and maintain traffic control devices as required by statute or as necessary to implement statutes or local ordinances, see Vehicle Code §21351 et seq.

A.

The chief of police shall have the exclusive 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 of this state 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 chief of police is hereby authorized to install the necessary devices subject to any limitations or restrictions set forth in the law applicable thereto.

C.

The chief of police may also place and maintain such additional traffic control devices as he may deem necessary to regulate traffic or to guide or warn traffic, but he 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 regulations of this city or as may be determined by ordinance or resolution of the legislative body of this city.

(Ord. 67-NS Art. 3 §22, 1952).

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.

(Ord. 67-NS Art. 3 §23, 1952).

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

(Ord. 67-NS Art. 3 §24, 1952).

A.

The chief of police 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 chief of police 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 determinations therefrom shall be made in accordance with those traffic engineering and safety standards and instructions set forth in the California Maintenance Manual issued by the Division of Highways of the State Department of Public Works.

C.

At each signal-controlled intersection there should be a street name sign so erected as to be visible to traffic approaching from all directions.

(Ord. 74-173, 1973; Ord. 67-NS Art. 3 §25, 1952).

The chief of police 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 determines in any particular case that the conditions which warranted or required the installation no longer exist or obtain.

(Ord. 67-NS Art. 3 §26, 1952).

The chief of police 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.

(Ord. 67-NS Art. 3 §27, 1952).