(A) Generally. Whenever traffic is controlled by traffic-control signals exhibiting different colored lights or colored lighted arrows, successively one at a time or in combination, only the colors green, red, and yellow shall be used, except for special pedestrian signals carrying a word legend or symbol and the lights shall indicate and apply to drivers of vehicles and pedestrians as follows.
(B) Specifically.
(1) (a) Vehicular traffic facing a circular green indication may proceed straight through or turn right or left unless a sign at the place prohibits either the turn, but 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 the indication is exhibited;
(b) Vehicular traffic facing a green arrow indication, shown alone or in combination with another indication, may cautiously enter the intersection only to make the movement indicated by the arrow or such other movement as is permitted by other indications shown at the same time, and the vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection; and
(c) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian-control 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.
(2) (a) Vehicular traffic facing a steady yellow indication 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, and upon display of a steady yellow indication, vehicular traffic shall stop before entering the nearest crosswalk at the intersection, but if the stop cannot be made in safety, a vehicle may be driven cautiously through the intersection; and
(b) Pedestrians facing a steady yellow indication, unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian-control 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.
(3) (a) Vehicular traffic facing a steady red indication alone shall stop at a clearly marked stop line or shall stop, if there is no such line, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if there is no crosswalk, before entering the intersection. The traffic shall remain standing until an indication to proceed is shown except as provided in divisions (B)(3)(b) and (B)(3)(c) below;
(b) Except where a traffic-control device is in place prohibiting a turn, vehicular traffic facing a steady red indication may cautiously enter the intersection to make a right turn after stopping as required by division (B)(3)(a) above. The vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection;
(c) Except where a traffic-control device is in place prohibiting a turn, vehicular traffic facing a steady red indication at the intersection of 2 one-way streets may cautiously enter the intersection to make a left turn after stopping as required by division (B)(3)(a) above. The vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection; and
(d) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian-control signal, pedestrians facing a steady red indication alone shall not enter the roadway.
(4) If a traffic-control signal is erected and maintained at a place other than an intersection, the provisions of this section shall be applicable except as to those provisions which by their nature can have no application. Any stop required shall be made at a sign or marking on the pavement indicating where the stop shall be made, but in the absence of any such sign or marking, the stop shall be made at the signal.
(1972 Code, § 5-201) (Ord. 932, passed 1-2-2001) Penalty, see § 70.99