§ 11-35. Traffic-control devices.

(a)

Conformity with manual and specifications of state highway department; uniformity. All traffic-control signs, signals and devices shall conform to the manual and specifications approved by the state highway department. All signs and signals required under this chapter for a particular purpose shall, so far as practicable, be uniform as to type and location throughout the city. All traffic-control devices so erected and not inconsistent with the provisions of state law or this chapter shall be official traffic-control devices.

(b)

Placement and maintenance. The chief of police shall place and maintain traffic-control signs, signals and devices when and as required under this section to make effective the provisions of this chapter, and may place and maintain such additional traffic-control devices as deemed necessary by the city council to regulate traffic under this chapter or under state law, or to guide or warn traffic.

(c)

Obedience to traffic-control devices. The driver of any vehicle shall obey the instructions of any official traffic-control device applicable thereto, placed in accordance with this chapter and other traffic ordinances of this city, unless otherwise directed by a police officer, subject to the exceptions granted the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle.

(d)

Ratification of existing traffic-control devices. All traffic-control signs, signals, devices, and markings placed or erected prior to the adoption of this Code and in use for the purpose of regulating, warning or guiding traffic are hereby affirmed, ratified and declared to be official traffic-control devices, provided such traffic-control devices are not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter or state law.

(e)

Unauthorized signs, signals, etc.

(1)

No person shall place, maintain or display upon or in view of any road, street or highway any unauthorized sign, signal, marking or device which purports to be or is an imitation of or resembles an official traffic-control device or railroad sign or signal, or which attempts to direct the movement of traffic, or which hides from view or interferes with the effectiveness of any official traffic-control device or any railroad signal or sign, and no person shall place or maintain nor shall any public authority permit upon any highway or street any traffic signal or sign bearing thereon any commercial advertising. This shall not be deemed to prohibit the erection, upon private property adjacent to streets or highways, of signs giving useful directional information and of a type that cannot be mistaken for official signals.

(2)

Every such prohibited sign, signal or marking is hereby declared to be a public nuisance and the chief of police is hereby empowered to improve the same or cause it to be removed without notice.

(f)

Altering, defacing, injuring, etc., traffic-control devices. No person shall, without lawful authority, attempt to or in fact alter, deface, injure, knock down or remove any official traffic-control device or any railroad sign or signal or any inscription, shield or insignia thereon or any other part thereof.

(g)

Traffic-control signal legend generally. Whenever traffic is controlled by traffic-control signals exhibiting the words "go", "caution", or "stop" or exhibiting different colored lights successively one at a time, or with arrows, the following colors only shall be used and such terms and lights shall indicate and apply to drivers of vehicles and pedestrians as follows:

(1)

Green alone or "go."

a.

Vehicular traffic facing the signal may proceed straight through or turn right or left, unless a sign at such place prohibits either such turn. But vehicular traffic, including vehicles turning right or left, shall yield the right-of-way to other vehicles and to pedestrians lawfully within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk at the time such signal is exhibited.

b.

Pedestrians facing the signal may proceed across the roadway within any marked or unmarked crosswalk.

(2)

Yellow alone or "caution" when shown following the green or "go" signal.

a.

Vehicular traffic facing the signal is thereby warned that the red or "stop" signal will be exhibited immediately thereafter and such vehicular traffic shall not enter or be crossing the intersection when the red or "stop" signal is exhibited.

b.

Pedestrians facing such signal are thereby advised that there is insufficient time to cross the roadway, and any pedestrian then starting to cross shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles.

(3)

Red alone or "stop."

a.

Vehicular traffic facing the signal shall stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection and shall remain until green or "go" is shown alone; provided that, after stopping and yielding to all pedestrians and vehicles, the driver of a vehicle may enter the intersection for the purpose of making a right turn only, if a sign is in place indicating that such turn can be legally made.

b.

No pedestrian facing such signal shall enter the roadway unless he can do so safely and without interfering with any vehicular traffic.

(4)

Red and green arrow.

a.

Vehicular traffic facing such signal may cautiously enter the intersection only to make the movement indicated by such arrow, but shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within a crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.

b.

No pedestrian facing such signal shall enter the roadway unless he can do so safely and without interfering with any vehicular traffic.

In the event an official traffic-control signal is erected and maintained at a place other than an intersection, the provisions of this section shall be applicable except as to those provisions which, by their nature, can have no application. Any stop required shall be made at a sign or marking on the pavement indicating where the stop shall be made, but in the absence of any such sign or marking, the stop shall be made at the signal.

(h)

Flashing signals. Whenever flashing red or yellow signals are used they shall require obedience by vehicular traffic as follows:

(1)

Flashing red (stop signal). When a red lens is illuminated by rapid intermittent flashes, drivers of vehicles shall stop before entering the nearest crosswalk at an intersection or at a limit line when marked and the right to proceed shall be subject to the rules applicable after making a stop at a stop sign.

(2)

Flashing yellow (caution signal). When a yellow lens is illuminated with rapid intermittent flashes, drivers of vehicles may proceed through the intersection or past such signal only with caution.

(Code 1968, §§ 24-63—24-70)