HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 79-28 - Traffic Control DevicesAN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING EXISTING TRAFFIC CONTROL
DEVICES THE INSTALLATION OF NEW TRAFFIC CONTROL
DEVICES, SIGNALS AND SIGNS, AND DIRECTING THE CHIEF
OF POLICE TO ERECT SUCH DEVICES, SIGNALS AND SIGNS'
AS MAY BE PROVIDED FOR IN ANY SUBSEQUENT ORDINANCE
AND PROVIDING FOR THE PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE RULE WITH
RESPECT TO SUCH DEVICES, SIGNALS AND SIGNS AS MAY BE
ACTUALLY INSTALLED.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN, TEXAS.
Section 1. All traffic control devices including signs, signals and mark—
ings (pavement and/or curb) installed or used for the purpose of directing and
controlling traffic with the City of Georgetown shall conform with the Texas
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, VolumeI
and II hereafter called t e anuel). Article 6701d, Vernon's civil Statutes
states; all signs, signals and marking erected or used by the City of George-
town shall be uniform and be located so far as practicable according to the
directions shown in the Manual throughout the city. All existing traffic con-
trot -devices and those erected in the future by the city being consistant with
. the�Manual,,Stdte last and thaTs Ordinance shall be official traffic control de -
Vices,
Section 2. The driver of any vehicle, motor vehicle or animal shall obey
the instructions of any official traffic control device, sign, signal or mark -
Ing aPelItable,thereto placed in accordance with this Ordinance, unless other-
Ki~se directe6 by"a police officer, subject to the exceptions granted the driver
of an authorized emergency vektcle permitted by this Ordinance.
Section 3. Cal The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle,as the term
" authorized emergency vehicle" is defined by State Law, when responding to an
emergency call or when in the pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the
law, or when responding to but not upon returning from a fire alarm, may exer-
cise the privileges set forth in this section, but subject to the conditions
herein stated,
Viil The dxiver of an authorized emergency vehicle may:
C1 Park or stand, Irrespective of the provisions of this or any or
dinance;
C2) Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after
slowing down as Tnay be necessary for safe operation;
C31 Exceed the prima facie speed limits so long as he does not en-
danger life or property;
C41 Disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning
in specified directions.
Ccl The exemptions herein granted to an authorized emergency vehicle shall
appply only when the driver of any said vehicle in motion sounds audible signal by
bell, siren, or exhaust whistle as may be reasonably necessary, and when the ve-
hicle is equipped with at least on lighted lamp displaying a red light visible
under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of five hundred feet to the
front of such vehicle, except that an authorized emergency vehicle operated as a
police vehicle need not be equipped with or display a red light visible from in
front of the vehicle.
CdJ The foregoing provisions shall not relieve the driver of an authorized
emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all
persons, nor shall such provisions protect the driver from the consequences of
his reckless disregard for the safety of others.
Section 4. Call No person shall place, maintain, or display upon or in view
of any highway, street or alley any unauthorized signs, signal, marking= or device
which purports to be or is an imitation of or resembles an official traffic con-
trol device or railroad sign or signal, or which attempts or direct the movement
of traffic, or which hides from view or interferes with the effectiveness of any
official control device or any railroad sign or signal.
Cbz) No person shall place or maintain nor shall any public authority permit
upon any highway, street or alley any traffic sign or signal bearing thereon any
commercial advertising.
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(c) This section shall not be deemed to prohibit the erection upon
private property adjacent to highways, streets or alleys of signs giving
useful directional information and of a type that cannot be mistaken for
official signs.
(d) Every such prohibited sign, signal or marking is hereby declared
to be a public nuisance, and the Chief of Police is hereby empowered to
remove the same or cause it to be moved without notice.
Section 5. No person shall without lawful authority attempt to or in
fact alter, deface, injure, knockdown or remove any official traffic con-
trol device, sign or signal or any railroad sign or signal or any inscrip-
tion, shield, or insignia thereon, or any part thereof.
Section 6. (a) The City Council of the City of Georgetown shall by
Ordinance direct that the Chief of Police shall have the duty of erecting
or installing upon, over, along, or beside any highway, street or alley
signs, signals and markings, or cause the same to be erected, installed
or placed in accordance with this Ordinance and consistant with the Manual.
Said traffic control devices shall be installed immediately, or as soon as
such specific device, sign or signal can be procured.
(b) Whenever the Chief of Police has erected and installed any of-
ficial traffic control device, signal or sign at any location in the City
of Georgetown, or has caused the same to be done under his direction, in
obedience to this Ordinance and the Manual shall thereafter file a report
with the City Secretary in writing and signed officially by the Chief of
Police, stating the type of traffic control device, sign or signal, and when
and where the same was e'rected,5and :installed. The City Secretary shall file
and maintain such report of the Chief of Police among the official papers
of the office of the City Secretary.
Section 7, It being unlawful for any person other than the Chief of
Police, acting pursuant to an Ordinance of the City, to install or cause to
be installed any signal, sign or device purporting to direct the use of the
streets or the activittes.on those streets of pedestrians, vehicles, motor
vehicles, or animals, proof, in any prosecution for a violation of this Or-
dinance or any traffic Ordinance of the City of Georgetown, that any traffic
control device, sign, signal or marking was actually in place on any street
shall constitute prima facie evidence that the same was installed by the
Chief of Police pursuant to the authority of this Ordinance and of the ordinance
directing the installation of such device, signal or marking.
Section 8. Any person convicted of violating any of the provisions of
this Ordinance shall be punished by a fine of not less than One Dollar C$11
nor more than Two Hundred Dollars ($200).
Passed, adopted and approved, this the 4� 'ay of y
Passed, adopted and approved, this the day of A , 19
ATTEST:
Mayor
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