Section
General Regulations
70.01 Definitions
70.02 Required obedience to traffic directions
70.03 Powers and duties of Police Department
70.04 Authority for enforcement
70.05 Temporary regulations
Traffic-Control Devices
70.15 Signal legends
70.16 Establishment and maintenance of traffic-control devices
70.17 Obedience to signals
70.18 Interference with signals
70.19 Unauthorized signals or markings
70.20 Device to be legible and in proper position
70.21 Temporary disregard of devices by police officers
70.22 Compression/release engine braking
70.99 Penalty
GENERAL REGULATIONS
For the purpose of this title, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLES. Vehicles of the Fire Department or Police Department, vehicles of the Commonwealth Attorney’s office when on official business and ambulances on an authorized emergency run.
BOULEVARD. Any legally designated street at which cross traffic is required to stop before entering or crossing the BOULEVARD.
BUSINESS DISTRICT. Any portion of any street between two consecutive intersections in which 50% or more of the frontage on either side of the street is used for business purposes.
CROSSWALK. The portion of the roadway included within the extension of the sidewalk across any intersection, and other portions of the roadway between two intersections that may be legally designated as crossing places and marked by stanchions, paint lines or otherwise.
CURB. The boundary of that portion of the street used for vehicles, whether marked by curbstones or not.
INTERSECTION. That part of the public way embraced within the extensions of the street lines of two or more streets which join at an angle, whether or not one street crosses the other.
OFFICIAL TRAFFIC-CONTROL DEVICES. All signs, signals, warnings, directions, markings and devices placed or erected or maintained by authority of the Chief of Police.
ONE-WAY STREET. A street on which vehicles are permitted to move in one direction only.
OPERATOR. Every person who is in actual physical control of the guidance, starting and stopping of a vehicle.
PARK. When applied to vehicles, to leave a vehicle standing, whether occupied or not, for a period of time longer than is necessary to receive or discharge passengers or property.
PEDESTRIAN. Any person afoot.
PLAY STREET. Any street or portion thereof so designated by the Chief of Police and reserved as a play area for children, from which all traffic is barred, except vehicles to and from abutting properties.
POLICE DEPARTMENT. The Police Department or other persons or agency authorized to perform the duties of § 70.03 or any other acts necessary to implement and enforce this traffic code.
PUBLIC WAY. The entire width between property lines of every way, dedicated passway or street set aside for public travel, except bridle paths and footpaths.
REVERSE TURN. To turn a vehicle on any street in such a manner as to proceed in the opposite direction.
RIGHT-OF-WAY. The privilege of the immediate and preferential use of the street.
ROADWAY. The portion of any street, improved, designated or ordinarily used for vehicular travel.
SIDEWALK. The portion of the street between the curb and the property line intended for the use of pedestrians.
STOPPING. As applied to vehicles, to stop a vehicle longer than is actually necessary to receive or discharge passengers.
STREET. Every public way, including alleys.
TRAFFIC. Pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, buses and other conveyances, individually or collectively, while using any street for the purpose of travel.
VEHICLE. Every device in, on or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn on any street, except devices moved by human power or used exclusively on stationary rails or tracks.
(A) It shall be unlawful for any person to fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order, signal or direction given by a uniformed police officer, or to fail or refuse to comply with any of the traffic regulations of this traffic code.
(B) The provisions of this traffic code shall apply to the driver of any vehicle owned or used in the service of the United States government, this state, county or city, and it shall be unlawful for any driver to violate any of the provisions of this traffic code, except as otherwise permitted in this traffic code or by state statute.
(C) Every person propelling any pushcart or riding a bicycle or an animal on any roadway, and every person driving any animal on any roadway, and every person driving any animal-drawn vehicle shall be subject to the provisions of this traffic code applicable to the driver of any vehicle, except those provisions of this traffic code which by their very nature can have no application.
Penalty, see § 70.99
It shall be the duty of the Police Department to direct all traffic in conformance with this traffic code and to enforce the traffic regulations as set forth in this traffic code, to make arrest for traffic violations, to investigate accidents, and to cooperate with other officers of the city in the administration of the traffic laws, and in developing ways and means to improve traffic conditions.
Authority to direct and enforce all traffic regulations of this city in accordance with the provisions of this traffic code and to make arrests for traffic violations is given to the Police Department, and, except in case of emergency, it shall be unlawful for any other person to direct or attempt to direct traffic by voice, hand, whistle or any other signal.
Penalty, see § 70.99
When required for the convenience and safety of the public and to alleviate unusual traffic problems, the Chief of Police or other authorized city official shall, at his or her discretion, have authority to impose traffic regulations as he or she may deem necessary for temporary periods not to exceed two weeks. If these temporary regulations are necessary for a period longer than two weeks, the City Clerk/Treasurer shall be notified in writing of the extended order.
TRAFFIC-CONTROL DEVICES
Whenever traffic is regulated or controlled exclusively by a traffic-control sign or signs exhibiting the words “Go,” “Caution” or “Stop,” or exhibiting different colored lights for purposes of traffic control, the following colors only shall be used, and these terms and lights shall indicate and be obeyed as follows:
(A) Green alone or “Go.” Vehicular traffic facing the signal may proceed straight through or turn right or left unless a sign at that place prohibits either turn. However, vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to other vehicles and to pedestrians lawfully within the intersection at the time the signal is exhibited.
(B) Steady yellow alone or “Caution” when shown following the green or “Go” signal. Vehicular traffic facing a steady yellow signal is thereby warned that the related green movement is being terminated or that a red indication will be exhibited immediately thereafter when vehicular traffic shall not enter the intersection. Vehicular traffic facing a steady yellow signal may enter and clear the intersection.
(C) Red alone or double red or “Stop.” Vehicular traffic facing the signal shall stop before entering the nearest crosswalk at an intersection or at another point as may be indicated by a clearly visible line, and shall remain standing until green or “Go” is shown alone.
(D) Flashing red alone. Vehicular traffic facing the signal shall stop before entering the nearest crosswalk at an intersection or at another point as may be indicated by a clearly visible line, and shall not again proceed until it can do so without danger.
(E) Flashing amber alone. Vehicular traffic facing the signal shall reduce its speed and proceed cautiously across the intersection controlled by the signal.
(F) “Yield Right-of-Way.” Vehicular traffic facing the “Yield Right-of-Way” sign shall bear the primary responsibility of safely entering the primary intersecting or merging right-of-way. All traffic facing the sign shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles and pedestrians within the primary intersecting or merging right-of-way. No vehicle facing a “Yield Right-of-Way” sign shall enter the merging or intersecting right-of-way at a speed in excess of 15 miles per hour, except that this speed limit shall not apply to vehicles entering an expressway.
(G) Lane lights. When lane lights are installed over any street for the purpose of controlling the direction of flow of traffic, vehicular traffic shall move only in traffic lanes over which green arrows appear. However, when flashing amber lights appear above a lane, all left turns shall be made from that lane. Where red arrows appear above the lanes, vehicles shall not move against them. If flashing amber lights show above a lane, that lane shall be used only for passing and for left turns unless a sign at that place prohibits the turn.
Penalty, see § 70.99
Statutory reference:
Accident involving death or serious injury; penalty for not reporting, see KRS 189.990
Traffic-control signals, see KRS 189.338
The city shall establish and maintain all official traffic-control devices necessary within the city. All traffic-control devices, including signs, shall be employed to indicate one particular warning or regulation, shall be uniform, and as far as possible shall be placed uniformly. All traffic-control devices and signs shall conform to required state specifications.
(A) It shall be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle to disobey the signal of any official traffic- control device placed in accordance with the provisions of this traffic code or of a traffic barrier or sign erected by any of the public departments or public utilities of the city, or any electric signal, gate or watchman at railroad crossings, unless otherwise directed by a police officer. However, the type and the right to or necessity for the barrier or sign must be approved by the city.
(B) The sign, signal, marking or barrier shall have the same authority as the personal direction of a police officer.
Penalty, see § 70.99
No person shall without authority attempt to or in fact alter, deface, injure, knock down or remove any official control device or any railroad sign or signal, or any inscription, shield or insignia thereon, or any part thereof.
Penalty see § 70.99
(A) It shall be unlawful for any person to place, maintain or display on or in view of any street any unauthorized sign, signal, marking or device which purports to be or is an imitation of or resembles an official traffic device or railroad sign or signal which attempts or purports to direct the movement of traffic, or which conceals or hides from view or interferes with the effectiveness of any official control device or any railroad sign or signal. No person shall place or maintain, nor shall any public authority permit on any street, any traffic sign or signal or any commercial advertising. Nothing in this section shall be construed as restricting any public department or public utility of the city in any emergency or temporarily from marking or erecting any traffic barrier or sign whose placing has been approved by the city.
(B) Every prohibited sign, signal or marking is declared to be a public nuisance and the city is empowered forthwith to remove it or cause it to be removed.
Penalty, see § 70.99
No provision of this traffic code for which signs or any other traffic-control device is required shall be enforceable against an alleged violator if at the time and place of the alleged violation the required device was not in proper position and sufficiently legible to be seen by an ordinarily observant person.
No person shall operate or cause to be operated at or upon any public highway located within the city, any compression/engine brake on any vehicle for any reason. For purposes of this section, a COMPRESSION/RELEASE ENGINE BRAKE is defined as any mechanical exhaust device designed to aid in the braking or deceleration of any vehicle by converting engine power to compressed air which results in additional, excessive, loud or explosive noise from such vehicle.
(Ord. 2011-2, passed 5-9-2011) Penalty, see § 70.99
(A) Any person who violates any provision of this traffic code where no other penalty is specifically provided shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not less than $20 nor more than $500.
(Ord. 2011-2, passed 5-9-2011)