Every opening in any vault or coalhole or aperture in the sidewalk over such coalhole or vault shall be covered with a substantial iron plate with a rough surface to prevent crashes, and the entire construction of coalholes and vaults shall be subject to the direction and supervision of the commissioner of transportation or such other person as the city council may designate.
No person shall remove or insecurely fix, or cause, or procure, or permit to be removed or to be insecurely fixed so that the same can be moved in its bed, any grate or covering of any coalhole, vault, or chute under any public way or other public place; provided, that nothing herein contained shall prevent the owner or occupant of the building with which such coalhole, vault, or chute shall be connected from removing the grate or covering for the proper purpose of such opening, in case he encloses such opening or aperture, and keeps the same enclosed while such grate or covering shall be removed, with a strong box or curb at least 24 inches high, firmly and securely made; provided further, that he shall not remove such grate or covering until after sunrise of any day and shall replace such grate or covering before one- half hour after sunset.
It shall be unlawful for any person owning or using any coalhole, sidewalk lift, outside stairway, or other opening in any public sidewalk to allow the same to remain uncovered or opened, except while the same is actually being used for the purpose of entrance or exit or for the purpose of introducing or removing any article through such opening; and it shall be unlawful to use a sidewalk lift, or trap door, between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., also between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., and between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.; and in the area bounded on the east by the west line of Michigan Avenue, on the south by the south line of Van Buren Street, on the west by the east line of Wacker Drive, and on the north by the south line of Wacker Drive, it shall be unlawful to use any sidewalk lift or trapdoor which serves any building which has access by means of an adjacent alley between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. weekdays, Monday through Friday except New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day; and it shall be unlawful to use any sidewalk lift or trapdoor which serves any building which has no access by means of an adjacent alley between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., also between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and between 4:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. weekdays, Monday through Friday, except New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Sidewalk lifts or trapdoors excepted by permits issued by the commissioner of transportation are exempt from the provisions of this section. Any person violating this provision shall be fined not less than $10.00 nor more than $200.00 for each offense.
(Prior code § 34-43; Amend Coun. J. 12-11-91, p. 10832; Amend Coun. J. 5-4-94, p. 49718; Amend Coun. J. 11-17-21, p. 41319, Art. VI, § 1)