San Marcos Municipal Code Ch. 12.12 Traffic Control Devices

The operator of a vehicle shall obey the instructions of any official traffic control device applicable thereto placed in accordance with the traffic regulations of the 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. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

No provisions of the vehicle code or of this chapter for which signs are required shall be enforced against an alleged violator unless appropriate legible signs are in place giving notice of such provisions of the traffic laws.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

(a)

The City Manager may by administrative resolution, or the City Council may, by resolution or ordinance, place and maintain or cause to be placed and maintained official traffic control devices when and as required to make effective the provisions of this Chapter.

(b)

The City Manager may place and maintain or cause to be placed and maintained official traffic control devices when and as required to make effective the provisions of this Chapter.

(c)

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 Manager is hereby authorized to install the necessary devices, subject to any limitations or restrictions set forth in the laws applicable thereto.

(Ord. No. 97-1006, 1-14-97; Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

The City Manager may place and maintain such additional traffic control devices as they deem necessary or proper to regulate traffic or guide or warn traffic, but shall make such determination only upon the basis of traffic investigation and in accordance with such standards, limitations, and rules as may be set forth by the Vehicle Code, the traffic ordinances of the City, or as may be determined by ordinance or resolution of the Council.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

The City Manager is hereby authorized to remove, or cause to be removed, to relocate, or to discontinue the operation of any traffic control device not specifically required by the Vehicle Code or this chapter whenever they determine in any particular case that the conditions which warranted or required the installation no longer exist.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

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 Code.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

No person, unless authorized by this City, by special permit, shall paint any street or curb surface in any manner. Curb house numbers painted on the curb shall be excluded from the general prohibition.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

No person not authorized by the City Council shall erect or maintain any device which directs a beam of light in a flashing sequence toward any street or highway, nor shall any person erect or maintain any electric advertising sign or similar device that interferes with the visibility of any official traffic control devices or warning signal.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

Whenever any ordinance or resolution of this City designates any one-way street or alley, City Traffic Engineer shall place and maintain signs giving notice thereof, and no such regulations shall be effective unless such signs are in place. Signs indicating the direction of lawful traffic movement shall be placed at every intersection where traffic movement in the opposite direction is prohibited.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

(a)

The City Traffic Engineer may, when a street or portion thereof has been designated and described as a through street, or any intersection at which vehicles are required to stop at one or more entrances thereto, or any railroad grade crossing at which vehicles are required to stop, erect and maintain stop signs in accordance with the Vehicle Code and the provisions of this chapter.

(b)

The City Traffic Engineer shall erect and maintain stop signs on each and every street intersecting such through street or portion thereof so designated and at those entrances of other intersections where a stop has been deemed required by engineering practices, and at any railroad grade crossing so designated. Every such sign shall conform with and shall be placed as provided in the Vehicle Code.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

The City Traffic Engineer is hereby authorized to determine those intersections at which drivers of vehicles shall not make a right, left, or U-turn, and shall 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 sign or they may be removed when such turns are permitted.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

The City Traffic Engineer shall erect and maintain yield right-of-way signs on any street or intersection when such signs are deemed necessary through engineering practices. When said yield right-of-way signs are erected as herein provided, every driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way required by the Vehicle Code.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

The City Traffic Engineer is authorized to place, or cause to be posted, official traffic-control devices within or adjacent to intersections and indicate the course to be traveled by vehicles turning at such intersections.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

The City Traffic Engineer is authorized to locate and indicate more than one lane of traffic from which operators of vehicles may make right or left turns, and the course to be traveled as so indicated may conform to or be other than as prescribed by law or ordinance.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

The City Traffic Engineer is hereby 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 highway.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

The City Traffic Engineer is hereby authorized to place and maintain distinctive roadway markings as described in the Vehicle Code of those streets or parts of streets where it is determined, through engineering practices, hazardous to drive on the left side of such markings or signs and markings. Other such markings shall include bike lines, shoulder stripes, etc. Such markings or signs and markings shall be consistent with the standards and practices established by the California Department of Transportation or Federal regulations.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

Whenever the City Traffic Engineer shall determine that an emergency traffic congestion is likely to result from the holding of public or private assemblages, gatherings or functions or for other reasons, they shall have power and authority to order temporary signs to be erected or posted indicating that the operation, parking or standing of vehicles is prohibited on such streets and alleys as they shall direct during the time such temporary signs are in place.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

Signs erected or posted pursuant to Section 12.12.170 shall remain in place only during the existence of such emergency and the City Traffic Engineer shall cause such signs to be removed promptly thereafter.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

The City Traffic Engineer shall determine the need for and locations of temporary traffic- control devices 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. The City Traffic Engineer is hereby directed to install and maintain these traffic control devices as required and consistent with the standards of the California Department of Transportation and Federal regulations.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

Whenever any official traffic control device is placed at any intersection, a street name sign shall be clearly visible to traffic approaching from all directions. This section shall not apply if such street name signs have previously been placed and are maintained at such intersections.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)