CHAPTER 70: GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section
General Provisions
   70.01   Definitions
   70.02   Vehicle equipment
   70.03   Riding on portion of vehicle not intended for passengers
   70.04   Duty to stop in event of accident
   70.05   Accident reports
   70.06   Application of title to drivers of government vehicles
   70.07   Application of title to authorized emergency vehicles
   70.08   Application of title to persons propelling pushcarts, riding animals and the like
   70.09   Motor vehicles: racing motor; sudden starts or stops; unnecessary horn blowing; auxiliary or compression engine brakes
   70.10   Motor vehicles: accelerating or operating in manner that causes tires to break traction or to leave the pavement
   70.11   Abandoned vehicles
   70.12   Authority to take abandoned vehicle into custody
   70.13   Taking abandoned vehicle into custody; notice
   70.14   Storage, auction, proceeds and use of abandoned vehicles
Traffic-Control Devices
   70.15   Conformity with State Highway Department
   70.16   Council to designate location
   70.17   Installation and maintenance
   70.18   Designation and maintenance of crosswalks
   70.19   Marking traffic lanes
   70.20   Obedience to devices
   70.21   Necessity of signs
   70.22   Traffic-control signal legend generally
   70.23   Flashing signals
   70.24   Pedestrian walk and wait signals
   70.25   Unauthorized signs, signals and the like
   70.26   Defacing or injuring devices and the like
   70.27   Certain roadways designated “not for through traffic”
Motorcycles, Bicycles and Toy Vehicles
   70.35   Roller skates, coasters, and the like on roadway
   70.36   More than one person riding motorcycle, bicycle and the like
   70.37   Riding recreational equipment/vehicles on sidewalk
   70.38   Light and reflector for bicycles
Pedestrians
   70.50   Application of title
   70.51   Right-of-way in crosswalks
   70.52   Use of crosswalks; crossing between intersection
   70.53   Roadway to be crossed at right angles; exception
   70.54   Walking on roadways
   70.55   Hitchhikers not to stand in roadway
   70.56   Duty of drivers with regard to pedestrians
Administration and Enforcement
   70.65   Regulations of Chief of Police and City Manager
   70.66   Duty of police to enforce title
   70.67   Authority of police to direct traffic
   70.68   Authority of fire department officers to direct traffic
   70.69   Obedience to traffic officers
   70.70   Traffic Safety Coordinator; powers and duties; traffic register
 
   70.99   Penalty
Cross-reference:
   Ambulances, see Ch. 110
   Moving of buildings, see §§ 150.090 et seq.
   Power of city to control the operation of vehicles, see Charter § 2.1(c)(12)
   Railroads, see Ch. 73
   Streets and sidewalks, see Ch. 99
   Taxis; buses, see Ch. 117
   Wreckers, see Ch. 119
Statutory reference:
   Uniform Traffic Act, see Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat., Art. 6701d
GENERAL PROVISIONS
§ 70.01 DEFINITIONS.
   For the purpose of this title, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
   ALLEY. Any roadway set apart for public travel, but not named on the official map as a street.
   AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLE. Vehicles of the Fire Department (fire patrol), police vehicles, public and private ambulances for which permits have been issued by the State Board of Health, such emergency vehicles of municipal departments or public service corporations as are designated or authorized by the City Council, private vehicles operated by volunteer firefighters or certified Emergency Medical Services employees or volunteers while answering a fire alarm or responding to a medical emergency, industrial ambulances and other industrial emergency response vehicles when operating in an emergency situation provided the vehicle is also operated with criteria established by the state Industrial Fire Training Board of the state Firemen's and Fire Marshals' Association as the criteria are in effect on September 1, 1989, and vehicles operated by blood banks or tissue banks, accredited or approved under federal or state laws, while making emergency deliveries of blood, drugs or medicine, or organs.
   BUSINESS DISTRICT. The territory contiguous to and including a roadway when, within any 600 feet along such roadway, there are buildings in use for business or industrial purposes which occupy 300 feet of frontage on one side or 300 feet collectively on both sides of the roadway.
   CROSSWALK. That part of a roadway at an intersection included within the connections of the lateral lines of the sidewalks on opposite sides of the highway measured from the curbs, or in the absence of curbs, from the edges of the traversable roadway. The word “crosswalk” also includes any portion of a roadway at an intersection or elsewhere distinctly indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines or other markings on the surface.
   FREIGHT CURB LOADING ZONE. A space adjacent to a curb for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of freight or passengers.
   HAND SIGNALS. All signa]s made by the operator by use of the hand and forearm for the purpose of indicating his intention of turning, stopping, or changing the course of the vehicle.
   INTERSECTION. The area embraced within the prolongation or connection of the lateral curb lines or, if none, when the lateral boundary lines of the roadways of two highways which join one another at or approximately at right angles, or the area within which vehicles traveling upon different highways joining at any other angle may come in conflict. Where a highway includes two roadways 30 feet or more apart, then every crossing of each roadway of such divided highway by an intersecting highway shall be regarded as a separate intersection. In the event such intersecting highway also includes two roadways 30 feet or more apart, then every crossing of two roadways of such highways shall be regarded as a separate intersection.
   LEGAL HOLIDAYS. New Year's Day, Memorial Day, U.S. Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day, and Martin Luther King Day.
   LOADING ZONE. A space or section of the curb and adjacent street set aside far exclusive use of loading or unloading of persons, merchandise, supplies and materials.
   MOTOR VEHICLE. Every vehicle which is self-propelled and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated upon rails.
   OFFICIAL TRAFFIC-CONTROL DEVICES. All signs, signals, markings and devices, not inconsistent with this title, placed or erected by authority of a public body or official having jurisdiction, for the purpose of guiding, directing, warning or regulating traffic.
   OPERATOR or DRIVER. Any person who is in actual physical control of a vehicle.
   PARKING. The standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, upon a roadway, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading, or in obedience of traffic regulations or traffic signs and signals.
   PASSENGER CURB LOADING ZONE. A place adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers.
   PEDESTRIAN. Any person afoot.
   POLICE OFFICER. Every officer of the Police Department of the city or any officer authorized to direct or regulate traffic or to make arrests for violations of traffic regulations.
   PRIVATE ROAD or DRIVEWAY. Every way or place in private ownership and used for vehicular travel by the owner and those having express or implied permission from the owner but not by other persons.
   RIGHT-OF-WAY. The privilege of the immediate use of the street or highway.
   ROADWAY. That portion of a street or highway improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel. In the event a highway includes two or more separate roadways, the term “roadway” shall refer to any such roadway separately but not to all such roadways collectively.
   SIDEWALK. That portion of a street between the curb lines, or the lateral lines of a roadway, and adjacent property lines intended for the use of pedestrians.
   STREET or HIGHWAY. The entire width between the boundary lines of every public way pub-licly maintained when any part thereof is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel.
   TRAFFIC. Pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using any street for purposes of travel.
   TRAFFIC-CONTROL SIGNAL. Any device, whether manually, electrically, or mechanically operated, by which traffic is alternately directed to stop or to proceed.
   VEHICLE. Every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a public highway, excepting devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.
('68 Code, § 27-1) (Ord. 3-1978-12, passed 3-14-78; Am. Ord. 12-1983-47, passed 12-13-83)
Statutory reference:
   Similar provisions, see Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat., Art. 6701d, §§ 1 through 20H
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