CHAPTER 12-100. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1	The Traffic Code was approved and became effective May 6, 1958, and superseded the Traffic Ordinances of March 25, 1946, as amended. See 1958 Ordinances, p. 366.

§ 12-101. Short Title.

(1) This Title shall be known and may be cited as "The Traffic Code".

§ 12-102. Definitions.

In this Title the following definitions apply:

(1) Authorized Emergency Vehicle. Vehicles of the Fire and Police Departments, and such other emergency vehicles as meet the requirements of The Vehicle Code and are marked as specified by the Police Commissioner.

(2) Bicycle Lane. The portion of a street set aside primarily for bicycle travel.

(3) Bus Stand. A fixed area in the roadway to be occupied exclusively by buses for lay-over in operating schedules or waiting for passengers.

(4) Bus Stop. A fixed area in the roadway parallel and adjacent to the curb set aside for the expeditious loading and unloading of passengers only.

(5) Curb Loading Zone. A space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers or materials.

(6) Department. The Department of Streets.

(7.1) Inoperable Bicycle. A bicycle or portion of a bicycle determined to be inoperable due to two or more of the following: missing wheel and tire; significantly bent or corroded wheel; missing tire without missing wheel; significantly corroded and flat tire; missing seat; missing handlebars; missing pedals; missing, broken or inoperable chain; or broken or significantly bent frame.

(7.2) Laned Roadway. A roadway which is divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for vehicular traffic.

(8) Limited Access Highway. A public highway to which the owners or occupants of abutting property or the traveling public have no right of ingress or egress to, from or across such highway, except as may be provided by the authorities responsible therefor.

(8.1) Live Performing Artists. Live Performing Artists include natural persons or groups of natural persons who do live performance arts including, but not limited to, music, dance, comedy, theater, and opera.

(8.2) Live Performing Arts. Arts performed live including, but not limited to music, dance, comedy, theater, and opera.

(8.3) Live Performing Arts Venues. Venues that host Live Performing Arts performances on at least three separate days per week on a regular schedule and hire one or more Live Performing Artists to perform the equivalent of sixteen individual performances per week.

(9) Loading and Unloading. The transfer of persons or property between a vehicle and the sidewalk, or between a vehicle and a nearby building or buildings.

(10) Official Time Standard. Eastern Standard time or daylight saving time, as may be in current use in the City.

(11) Official Traffic-Control Device. All signs, signals, markings and devices placed or erected by state or city officials having jurisdiction for the purpose of regulating, warning, or guiding traffic, in accordance with the provisions of The Vehicle Code.

(12) Parking Lane. The portion of a street reserved for the parking of motor vehicles.

(13) Parking Meter. Any device, mechanism or internet-based application used to collect payment in exchange for on street vehicle parking. A parking meter must provide instructions indicating applicable fees and parking time limitations established by the City.

(14) Passenger Loading Zone. A place adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers.

(15) Pedestrian Traffic Control Signals Designed to Meet the Needs of the Disabled and Senior Citizens. A traffic signal that has been designed and/or modified to extend the WALK phase of traffic lights to allow the disabled and senior citizens sufficient time to safely cross through an intersection.

(16) Railroad. A carrier of persons or property upon cars, other than street cars, operated upon stationary rails.

(16.1) Self-Propelled Mobility Device. A self-balancing two non-tandem-wheeled device or a self-balancing one- wheeled device, designed to transport only one person with an electric propulsion system. This term includes, but is not limited to, hoverboards and one-wheeled electric transporters. This term does not include: (i) self-propelled wheelchairs; (ii) electrical mobility devices, operated and designed for the exclusive use of persons with mobility related disabilities; or (iii) electric personal assistive mobility devices ("EPAMDs"), regulated under the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, 75 Pa. C.S. §§ 101 et seq.

(17) Stop. Complete cessation of movement.

(18) Stop, Stopping or Standing. Any stopping or standing of a vehicle whether occupied or not, except where necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or traffic control device.

(19) Street. Every way or place, of whatever nature, open to the use of the public as a matter of right, for purposes of vehicular travel. The term "highway" shall not be deemed to include a roadway or driveway upon grounds owned by private persons, colleges, universities, or other institutions.

(20) Taxicab Stand. A place set aside for taxicabs to stand or wait for passengers.

(21) Travel Lane. The portion of a street available to travel by all vehicle types.

(22) The Vehicle Code. The Vehicle Code of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as amended.

(23) Valet Parking Zone. A place adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles for the expeditious loading and unloading of passengers and to turn control of the vehicle over to a valet parking operator for the expeditious removal of the vehicle from the valet parking zone to a licensed off-street parking facility.

(24) Variable Speed Limit Sign. The term shall include, but is not limited to, a blank-out message, a variable message, or a message in effect during the operation of flashing beacons.

(25) Watercraft. As defined in 30 Pa. C.S. § 102.

(26) Watercraft trailer. As defined in 30 Pa. C.S. § 5332.

Notes

2	Bill No. 050864 (approved January 24, 2006) would have amended and renumbered the provisions of this Section. Section 2 of Bill No. 050864 provides: "This Ordinance shall take effect only upon the enactment of Bill Number 050863 providing for metered parking for physically handicapped persons on even-numbered metered blocks rather than on each metered block." Because Bill No. 050863 was not enacted, Bill No. 050864 never became effective; hence, the amendments set forth therein are not shown. Amended, Bill No. 120327 (approved June 20, 2012).
3	Amended, Bill No. 120532 (approved January 8, 2013).
4	Added, Bill No. 150287 (approved June 2, 2015).
5	Renumbered, Bill No. 150287 (approved June 2, 2015).
6	Added, Bill No. 160026-A (became law October 24, 2019). Enrolled bill added this as subsection (9); added as subsection (8.1) at the discretion of the Code editor.
7	Added, Bill No. 160026-A (became law October 24, 2019). Enrolled bill added this as subsection (10); added as subsection (8.2) at the discretion of the Code editor.
8	Added, Bill No. 160026-A (became law October 24, 2019). Enrolled bill added this as subsection (11) and renumbered subsequent subsections; added as subsection (8.3) and subsequent subsections not renumbered at the discretion of the Code editor.
9	Amended, Bill No. 190463 (approved June 26, 2019).
10	Added, Bill No. 070698-A (approved November 15, 2007).
11	Added, Bill No. 160008 (approved March 8, 2016), effective April 7, 2016.
12	Added, Bill No. 970403 (approved May 19, 1998).
13	Added, Bill No. 070698-A (approved November 15, 2007).
14	Added, Bill No. 080648 (approved November 19, 2008).
15	Added, Bill No. 080648 (approved November 19, 2008).

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