San Bruno Municipal Code Ch. 7.12 City Traffic Engineer

A. The city engineer of the city shall function as the city traffic engineer unless a person has been specifically designated by the city manager to perform the duties of the city traffic engineer.

B. The city traffic engineer shall cause official traffic control devices or signals to be placed or maintained wherever he or she is required or authorized by law to do so.

C. Whenever by the provisions of this title a power is granted to the city traffic engineer or a duty is imposed upon him or her, the power may be exercised or the duty performed by this deputy or a person expressly authorized by the city traffic engineer.

(Prior code § 13-4.1; Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

In addition to those duties specified by the job description, the city traffic engineer shall have the following general duties:

A. To determine the installation and proper timing of traffic control devices and signals;

B. To conduct engineering analyses of traffic accidents and to devise remedial measures;

C. To conduct engineering and traffic analyses of traffic conditions;

D. To cooperate with other city officials in the development of methods of improvement of traffic conditions;

E. To carry out additional powers and duties, including the discretion to prepare, review, modify, approve, accept, or reject plans, specifications, designs, estimates, contracts, schedules, inspections, and to conduct project monitoring relating to construction of or improvements to public property.

(Prior code § 13-4.2(a); Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

The city traffic engineer shall have the following duties and responsibilities regarding traffic control devices:

A. To place and maintain or cause to be placed and maintained official traffic control devices when and as required to effectuate the provisions of this title;

B. To install or to cause to be installed the necessary devices so as to give adequate notice to the public of the application of the law, as required by the Vehicle Code;

C. To place and maintain or cause to be maintained such additional traffic control devices as he or she may deem necessary or proper to regulate traffic or to guide or warn traffic. 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 this title or by resolution of the city council;

D. To install and maintain official traffic control 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;

E. To ascertain and determine the locations where such signals are required by field investigation, traffic counts, and such other traffic information as may be pertinent. His or her determination therefrom shall be made in accordance with those traffic engineering and safety standards set forth in the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices issued by the Department of Transportation of the state of California and supplemented by other generally recognized traffic engineering and safety standards;

F. To maintain at intersections street name signs clearly visible to traffic approaching from all directions;

G. To mark center lanes and lane lines upon the surface of the roadway to indicate the course to be traveled by vehicles, and to place signs temporarily designating lanes to be used by traffic moving in a particular direction, regardless of the centerline of the highway;

H. 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 marking or signs and markings. Such markings or signs and markings shall have the same effect as similar markings placed by the State Department of Transportation pursuant to the Vehicle Code;

I. To remove, relocate, or discontinue the operation of any traffic control device not specifically required by the Vehicle Code or this title whenever he or she shall determine in the particular case that the conditions which warranted or required the installation no longer exist. Where the operation of such device required formal authorizing action by the city council, the city traffic engineer shall promptly report such removal, relocation, or discontinuation to the city council in writing, including the justification therefor. If the city council objects to such removal, relocation, or discontinuation, the city traffic engineer shall reinitiate the use of such device. If the city council concurs with the action of the city traffic engineer, it shall adopt a resolution eliminating the official designation of such device;

J. To 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 § 13-4.2(b); Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

The city traffic engineer shall be authorized to do the following with regard to turning movements:

A. To place official traffic control devices within or adjacent to intersections which indicate the course to be traveled by vehicles turning thereat;

B. To locate and indicate more than one lane of traffic from which operators of vehicles may make left or right turns and the course to be traveled;

C. To determine those intersections at which right, left, and U turns are prohibited, and to place proper signs at such intersections. The making of such turns may be prohibited between certain hours of any day and permitted at other hours, in which event the same shall be plainly indicated on the signs, or they may be removed when such turns are permitted;

D. To post appropriate signs prohibiting the making of right turns against traffic signal stop indication where he or she determines that the making of such turns against such indications would seriously interfere with the safe and orderly flow of traffic.

(Prior code § 13-4.2(c); Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

Whenever the city council designates any street or alley as a one-way street or alley, the city traffic engineer shall place and maintain signs as recommended by the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices giving notice thereof. No such regulations shall be effective unless such signs are in place.

(Prior code § 13-4.2(d); Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

Whenever the city council designates and describes any street or portion thereof as a through street, or at any intersection at which vehicles are required to stop at one or more entrances thereto, or at any railroad crossing at which vehicles are required to stop, the city traffic engineer shall erect and maintain stop signals on each and every street intersecting such through street or portion thereof so designated, and at those entrances to other intersections where a stop is required, and at any railroad grade crossing so designated. Stop signs shall not be erected or maintained at any entrance to an intersection when such entrance is controlled by an official traffic control signal. Every such sign shall conform with, and shall be placed as provided in, the Vehicle Code.

(Prior code § 13-4.2(e); Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

The city traffic engineer shall have the following powers and duties with regard to crosswalks:

A. To establish, designate, and maintain crosswalks at intersections and other places by appropriate devices, marks, or lines upon the roadway in accordance with this section, provided, that crosswalks between intersections shall be established by resolution of the city council. The establishment and designation of crosswalks shall be pursuant to engineering studies;

B. He or she shall establish and maintain crosswalks at all intersections within the central traffic district;

C. To establish and maintain crosswalks at such intersections outside such district, and at other places within or outside such district where he or she determines that there is particular hazard to pedestrians crossing the roadway, subject to the limitation contained in the following sentence. Other than crosswalks at intersections, no crosswalk shall be established in any block which is less than four hundred feet in length. Crosswalks in locations other than intersections shall be located as nearly as practicable at midblock;

D. To place signs at or adjacent to an intersection directing pedestrians not to cross thereat;

E. To eliminate a crosswalk and all markings pertinent thereto, where he or she determines that the conditions which warranted the establishment of a crosswalk at that location no longer exist, and in compliance with Vehicle Code Section 21950.5 (as may be amended) and any other law requiring notice and opportunity to be heard prior to the proposed removal. Where the establishment of the crosswalk required formal authorizing action by the city council, the city traffic engineer shall promptly report such proposed elimination to the city council in writing, including the justification therefor, and the city council shall act on the recommendation by resolution or ordinance, as required by law.

(Prior code § 13-4.2(f); Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

The city traffic engineer shall have the following duties and responsibilities regarding parking and stopping of vehicles:

A. To maintain, by appropriate signs or by paint upon the curb surface, all no stopping zones, no parking areas, and restricted parking areas, as described and defined in this title;

B. To install and maintain parking space markings to indicate parking spaces adjacent to curbings where authorized parking is permitted. Such markings shall be white in color;

C. To place and maintain appropriate signs indicating that the stopping of vehicles is prohibited, and indicating the hours of the day when stopping is prohibited, whenever the city council has designated no stopping zones;

D. To place curb markings to indicate parking or standing regulations, subject to the provisions and limitations of this title;

E. To eliminate such signs and markings where he or she determines that the conditions which warranted the establishment of restricted area, zone, or regulation no longer exist. Where the imposition of the restriction or regulations requires formal action by the city council, the city traffic engineer shall promptly report such elimination to the city council in writing, including the justification therefor. If the city council objects to such elimination, the city traffic engineer shall restore the sign or marking. If the city council concurs with the action of the city traffic engineer, it shall adopt a resolution eliminating the restriction as to the area in question.

(Prior code § 13-4.2(g); Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

The city traffic engineer is authorized to post signs designating bus zones, as established pursuant to resolution of the city council, opposite curb space for the loading or unloading of buses or common carriers of passengers, and to determine the location thereof.

(Prior code § 13-4.2(h); Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

The city traffic engineer shall cause to be posted by appropriate signs such streets or portions thereof which have been established by the city council for use by commercial vehicles in excess of a specified weight.

(Prior code § 13-4.2(i); Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

The city traffic engineer in conjunction with the police department shall be responsible for conducting speed surveys and shall cause to be posted by appropriate signs such streets or portions thereof with speed limits in excess of the prima facie speed limit otherwise permitted by state law, or with speed limits below such prima facie speed limit, in accordance with the actions of the city council.

(Prior code § 13-4.2(j); Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

The city traffic engineer is authorized to regulate the timing of traffic signals so as to permit the movement of traffic in an orderly and safe manner at speeds slightly at variance from the speeds otherwise applicable within the district or at intersections. He or she shall cause appropriate signs to be erected giving notice thereof.

(Prior code § 13-4.2(k); Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

The city traffic engineer shall designate special "blue curb" on-street parking spaces and parking stalls or spaces in publicly owned, leased, or controlled off-street parking facilities for exclusive use by the disabled as defined and in possession of a placard issued by the state.

(Prior code § 13-4.2(l); Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

The city traffic engineer shall undertake traffic and engineering surveys to justify the establishment of prima facie speed limits pursuant to Chapter 7.20.

(Prior code § 13-4.2(m); Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

The city traffic engineer shall make recommendations to the traffic safety and parking committee with regard to the performance of its functions.

(Prior code § 13-4.2(n); Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

The city traffic engineer, chief of police, and fire chief are authorized to regulate the functioning of traffic signals.

(Prior code § 13-4.3; Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

A. Whenever the chief of police or fire chief determine that an emergency traffic congestion is likely to arise from any event, they are authorized to order temporary signs to be erected or posted indicating that the operation, parking, or standing of vehicles is prohibited.

B. Such signs shall remain in place only during the existence of such emergency. The chief of police or fire chief shall cause such signs to be removed promptly thereafter.

(Prior code § 13-4.4; Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)