Reedley Municipal Code Ch. 1 General Traffic Regulations

The words and phrases used in this chapter shall, unless the same be contrary to or inconsistent with the context, be construed as follows:

ALLEY: Any public highway of twenty feet (20') or less in width.

ANGULAR PARKING: That the vehicle shall be so placed that the right front wheel in the direction the vehicle is headed shall rest against the curb at an angle between twenty five degrees (25°) and ninety degrees (90°), and not closer than two feet (2') on each side of another vehicle.

PARALLEL PARKING: That such vehicle shall be placed parallel with the curb, and both right wheels in the direction in which the vehicle is headed are within ten inches (10") of the curb, and not closer than two feet (2'), either front or rear, of another vehicle.

PERSON: Includes natural persons, corporations, partnerships and associations. (Ord. 789, 9-28-1993; amd. 2007 Code)

A. Authority: The authority to mark streets, including, but not limited to, signs, stripings, signals and related regulatory and warning devices, within public rights of way shall be controlled by the city council and the following provisions:

1. Signs, signals and other related regulatory and warning devices shall conform to the current edition of the state of California department of transportation's traffic manual, chapter 4 on signs, to the greatest practical extent, and the California Vehicle Code.

2. The city council may delegate, by resolution, the authority to install or direct the installation of traffic control devices in accordance with said traffic manual to the city manager, city manager's designee or the city traffic safety commission.

3. Signs, warning devices and related devices in construction zones shall conform to manual of traffic controls for construction and maintenance work zones, chapter 5, of the traffic manual by the California department of transportation, current edition.

B. Emergency Traffic Controls: The city manager or city manager's designee is authorized to regulate traffic or cause to regulate traffic to the greatest extent possible in accordance with said traffic manual during emergencies as necessary for the health and safety of the general public. (Ord. 96-008, 7-23-1996)

Lawful speed limits of vehicles within the city shall be as follows:

A. Except as hereinafter provided, the maximum speed limit of vehicles within the business district and within any residential district shall be twenty five (25) miles per hour.

B. The city council may, by resolution, establish speed zones to regulate the maximum allowable vehicle speed on streets within the city. Said maximum speed limit shall only apply to those portions of said described streets which are within the present city limits. In the event of city streets partly within the city and partly within the county, the city council hereby adopts said speed limits to be in full force and effect pursuant to the provisions of this section regardless of the actions of the county. (Ord. 95-004, 2-28-1995)

A. Lanes Marked: The city manager, or his designee, is hereby authorized and required to mark and maintain and designate upon the surface of the roadway by appropriate devices, marks or painted lines, pedestrian lanes approximately twelve feet (12') in width at all places on public streets as designated by resolution of the city council or by the traffic safety commission. (Ord. 95-004, 2-28-1995; amd. 2007 Code)

B. Lanes Observed: It shall be unlawful for the operator of any motor driven or horse drawn vehicle to drive into any pedestrian lane, which is marked as in this chapter provided, while there is in such pedestrian lane, upon the half of the roadway upon which such vehicle is traveling, any pedestrian engaged in crossing the roadway, until such pedestrian shall have passed out of the half of the pedestrian lane over which such vehicle will cross. (Ord. 132, 1-26-1927)

It shall be unlawful for any person at any time to turn or cause to be turned any motor vehicle in a U-turn, or in a complete circle, or in such a manner as to proceed in the opposite direction upon the street in which the said vehicle is traveling at the time of entering said intersection on or at any street in the city, as established by resolution of the city council; provided however, that this section shall not apply to any emergency vehicle. (Ord. 95-004, 2-28-1995)

A. Routes Authorized: No truck or other vehicle described in subsection B of this section shall travel or be propelled along, over or upon any street except over the courses or routes designated by the city council by resolution, except as provided in subsection C of this section.

B. Definition: The vehicles referred to in subsection A of this section include and are all those trucks, trailers, wagons and other vehicles which shall exceed in weight ten thousand (10,000) pounds, or a maximum gross weight limit of five (5) tons.

C. Exceptions: Notwithstanding anything herein contained, all vehicles not prohibited by state law from traveling upon other streets, may travel upon and may use other streets of the city when actually engaged in picking up or delivering all or a portion of its load to a residence or a place of business which cannot be reached by traversing the routes described in subsection A of this section. (Ord. 283, 10-4-1955; amd. Ord. 96-008, 7-23-1996)

A. Stop Required: Whenever any person driving a vehicle approaches a railway grade crossing, and a flagman or electrical or mechanical signal gives warning of the approach of a railway train or car, it shall be unlawful for the driver of the vehicle to fail to bring the vehicle to a complete stop within fifty feet (50') but not less than fifteen feet (15') of the nearest railway tracks before traversing such grade crossing.

B. Applicability To Certain Vehicles: The operator of any motor vehicle carrying passengers for hire, and the operator of any school bus, and the operator of any motor truck carrying explosive substances or explosive or inflammable liquids as a cargo or part of a cargo shall, before crossing at grade any railway track, bring his vehicle, bus or truck to a complete stop within fifty feet (50'), but not less than fifteen feet (15') of the nearest railway tracks before traversing such grade crossing; provided, that this section shall not apply to railway tracks where city or county officers are on duty, or where said crossings are protected by flaggers or automatic devices to indicate the approach of trains on said rails, when said flaggers or automatic devices indicate that the tracks are clear and safe for crossing. (Ord. 152A, 5-14-1931; amd. 2007 Code)

It shall be and is hereby declared unlawful for any person to fail to come to a full stop when about to enter upon an intersecting highway from any alley before entering upon that portion of the intersecting highway that would be sidewalk if projected across said alley intersection. (Ord. 95, 9-5-1922; amd. 2007 Code)