(A) Signs and signals.
(1) It shall be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle to disobey the instructions of any traffic sign or signal placed in view by authority of the City Council or in accordance with the laws of the state.
(2) Whenever vehicular traffic upon the streets of the city is controlled by traffic control signals exhibiting different colored lights successively, the following colors shall be used and vehicular and pedestrian traffic upon said streets and, upon the sidewalks adjoining said streets, shall respond to said colors as follows.
(a) Green. Vehicular traffic facing the signal may proceed straight ahead or turn right or left unless such right or left turn is further regulated by other signals placed at the site, pursuant to authority of the Council; provided, before proceeding, such vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to other vehicles or pedestrians lawfully within the street at the time such color is exhibited; pedestrians facing the signal may proceed across the street or public way within any marked or unmarked crosswalk.
(b) Yellow. Vehicular traffic facing the signal shall stop before entering the crosswalk, if any, at the site, and respond to the color following yellow as such response may be directed by this section. Pedestrians upon the sidewalks shall maintain their position thereon and shall not enter into the public way.
(c) Red. Vehicular traffic facing the signal shall stop before entering the nearest crosswalk at the site and shall remain stopped until the green color is shown; pedestrians facing such signal shall remain upon the sidewalk and shall not enter into the public way.
(d) Flashing yellow. Vehicular and pedestrian traffic facing the signal may proceed straight ahead or turn right or left unless such right or left turn is otherwise prohibited by the traffic ordinances of the city but shall yield the right-of-way to any other traffic, vehicular or pedestrian, within the public way.
(e) Flashing red. Vehicular traffic facing the signal shall come to a full stop before entering the nearest crosswalk at the site and may, thereafter, proceed straight ahead or turn right or left, unless such right or left turn is otherwise prohibited by the traffic ordinances of the city but shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicular traffic approaching the site from the right or left; pedestrians upon the sidewalks shall maintain their position thereon and shall not enter the public way until vehicular traffic in or approaching the intersection shall have passed.
(Prior Code, Chapter 13, Article 1, § 4)
(B) Unauthorized signs. It shall be unlawful for any person to piece, maintain, or display any device, other than official warning or direction sign or signal authorized by statute or ordinance upon or in view of any street, if such device purports to be or is an imitation of an official warning or direction, sign, or signal or directs or purports to direct the movement of traffic. Any such unauthorized device is hereby declared to be a nuisance and may be removed by any police officer.
(Prior Code, Chapter 13, Article 1, § 5)
(C) Interference with signs. It shall be unlawful for any person to deface, injure, move, or interfere with any official traffic sign or signal.
(Prior Code, Chapter 13, Article 1, § 6)
(D) Signal regulation.
(1) Electric traffic signs and signals. It shall be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle to disobey the instructions of any electric traffic sign or signal placed in the city, excepting on direction of a police officer.
(2) Definitions. For the purpose of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
FLASHING SIGNAL.
1. Flashing red (stop signal). When a red lens is illuminated with rapid intermittent flashes, drivers of vehicles shall stop at a clearly marked stop line but, if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, at the point nearest the intersecting roadway where the driver has a view of approaching traffic on the intersecting roadway before entering the intersection, 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.
GREEN.
1. Traffic, except pedestrians, facing a circular green may proceed straight through or turn right or left except as such movement is modified by lane-use signs, turn prohibition signs, land markings, or roadway design. However, 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 indication is exhibited.
2. Traffic, except pedestrians, facing a green arrow, shown alone or in combination with another indication, may cautiously enter the intersection only to make the movement indicated by such arrow or such other movement as is permitted by other indications shown at the same time. Such vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.
3. Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian signal, pedestrians facing any green indication, except when the sole green indication is a turn arrow, may proceed across the roadway within any marked or unmarked crosswalk.
STEADY RED.
1. Vehicular traffic facing a steady, circular red signal alone shall top at a clearly marked stop line but, if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection and shall remain standing until an indication to proceed is shown except as provided in division (D)(2)(c)3. below.
2. Vehicular traffic facing a steady, red arrow signal shall not enter the intersection to make the movement indicated by the arrow and, unless entering the intersection to make a movement permitted by another signal, shall stop at a clearly marked stop line but, if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection and shall remain standing until an indication permitting the movement indicated by such red arrow is shown except as indicated in division (D)(2)(c)3. below.
3. Except when a sign is in place prohibiting a turn, vehicular traffic facing any steady red signal may cautiously enter the intersection to turn right or to turn left from a one-way street into a one-way street after stopping as required by (D)(2)(c)1. and (D)(2)(c)2. above. Such vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.
4. Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian signal, pedestrians facing a steady, circular red or red arrow signal alone shall not enter the roadway.
STEADY YELLOW.
1. Traffic, except pedestrians, facing a steady, circular yellow or yellow arrow 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.
2. Pedestrians facing a steady, circular yellow or yellow arrow signal, unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian signal, are thereby advised that there is insufficient time to cross the roadway before a red indication is shown, and no pedestrian shall then start to cross the roadway.
OTHER SIGNS AND SIGNALS. Each driver of any type of vehicle, whether motorized or not, and where it applies, motorcycle, moped, and bicycle operators shall obey all signs and signals directing traffic, giving information about special speed zones, hazardous conditions, road work, and any other special directions.
(Prior Code, Chapter 13, Article 9)
(Ord. 19 (Series 1960-1961), passed - -; Ord. 4 (Series 1997-1998), passed 6-2-1997) Penalty, see § 70.99