(A) Authority to install traffic-control devices. The Chief of Police shall place and maintain traffic-control signs, signals and devices when and as required under the traffic regulations of the City to make effective the provisions of said regulations, and may place and maintain such additional traffic-control devices as they may deem necessary.
(B) Specifications for traffic-control devices. All traffic-control signs, signals and devices shall conform to the approved specifications. All signs and signals required hereunder for a particular purpose shall so far as practicable be uniform as to type and location throughout the City. All traffic-control devices so erected and not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter shall be official traffic-control devices.
(C) Obedience to traffic-control devices. The driver of any vehicle and the motorman of any bus shall obey the instructions of any official traffic-control device applicable thereto placed in accordance with the traffic regulations of the City, unless otherwise directed by a law enforcement officer, subject to the exceptions granted the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle.
(D) When traffic-control devices required for enforcement purposes. No provisions of this chapter for which signs are required shall be enforced against an alleged violator if at the time and place of the alleged violation an official sign is not in proper position and sufficiently legible to be seen by an ordinarily observant person. Whenever a particular section does not state that signs are required, such section shall be effective even though no signs are erected or in place.
(E) Traffic-control signal legend. Whenever traffic is controlled by traffic-control signals exhibiting the words “Go”, “Caution” or “Stop”, or exhibiting different colored lights successively one at a time or with arrows, the following colors only shall be used and said terms and lights shall indicate and apply to drivers of vehicles and pedestrians as follows:
(1) Green alone or “Go”.
(a) Vehicular traffic facing the signal may proceed straight through or turn left or right unless a sign at such place prohibits either such turn. Vehicular traffic, including vehicles turning left or right, shall yield the right-of-way to other vehicles and to pedestrians lawfully within the intersection of an adjacent crosswalk at the time such signal is exhibited.
(b) Pedestrians facing the signal may proceed across the roadway within any marked or unmarked crosswalk.
(2) Yellow alone or “Caution” when shown following the green or “Go” signal.
(a) Vehicular traffic facing the signal is thereby warned that the red or “Stop” signal will be exhibited immediately thereafter and such vehicular traffic shall not enter or be crossing the intersection when the red or “Stop” signal is exhibited.
(b) Pedestrians facing such signals are thereby advised that there is insufficient time to cross the roadway and any pedestrian then starting to cross shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles.
(3) Red alone or “Stop”.
(a) Vehicular traffic facing the signal shall stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection and shall remain standing until green or “Go” is shown alone, until a right turn can safely be made, or until a left turn can safely be made from the far left lane if the turn is made from a one-way street onto another one-way street going left. In making such turn vehicular traffic must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within the crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection. If a traffic sign legend indicating that no right turn on red or no left turn on red may be made after a stop is posted at said intersection, such movement cannot be made until green or “Go” is shown alone.
(b) No pedestrian facing such signal shall enter the roadway unless they can do so safely and without interfering with any vehicular traffic.
(4) Red with green arrow.
(a) Vehicular traffic facing such signal may cautiously enter the intersection only to make the movement indicated by such arrow but shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within the crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.
(b) No pedestrian facing such signal shall enter the roadway unless they can do so safely and without interfering with any vehicular traffic.
(c) In the event an official 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 very nature can have no application.
(d) 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.
(F) Pedestrian control signals. Whenever special pedestrian control signals exhibiting the words “Walk”, “Wait” or “Don’t Walk” are in place, such signals shall indicate as follows.
(1) “Walk”. Pedestrians facing such signal may proceed across the roadway in the direction of the signal and shall be given the right-of-way by the drivers of all vehicles.
(2) “Wait” or “Don’t Walk”. No pedestrian shall start to cross the roadway in the direction of such signal, but any pedestrian who has partially completed their crossing on the walk signal shall proceed to a sidewalk or safety island while the wait signal is showing.
(G) Flashing signals.
(1) Whenever an illuminated flashing red or yellow signal is used in a traffic sign or signal, it shall require obedience by vehicular traffic as follows.
(a) Flashing red (stop signal). When a red lens is illuminated with rapid intermittent flashes, drivers of vehicles shall stop before entering the nearest crosswalk at an intersection or at a limit line when marked, or, if none, then before entering the intersection and the right to proceed shall be subject to the rules applicable after making a stop at a stop sign.
(b) 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.
(2) This section shall not apply at railroad grade crossings. Conduct of drivers of vehicles approaching railroad grade crossings shall be governed by the rules as set forth herein.
(H) Display of unauthorized signs, signals or markings.
(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to place, maintain or display upon or in view of any highway any unauthorized signs, signals, markings or devices which purport to be or are an imitation of, or resemble official traffic-control devices or railroad signs, or signals, or which attempt to direct the movement of traffic, or which hide from view or interfere with the effectiveness of any official traffic-control devices or any railroad signs or signals.
(2) It shall be unlawful for any person to place or maintain, or for any public authority to permit upon any highway, any traffic sign or signal bearing thereon any commercial advertising.
(3) This section shall not be deemed to prohibit the erection upon private property adjacent to highways of signs giving useful directional information and of a type that cannot be mistaken for official signs.
(4) The prohibition of this section shall not apply to portable “Caution” signs placed in the vicinity of schools at those times during which school children are going to and coming from school.
(5) Every such prohibited sign, signal or marking is hereby declared to be a public nuisance and the authority having jurisdiction over the highway is hereby empowered to remove the same or cause it to be removed without notice.
(I) Interference with official traffic-control devices or railroad signs or signals. It shall be unlawful for any person, without lawful authority, to attempt to or in fact alter, deface, injure, knock down or remove any official traffic-control device or any railroad sign or signal or any inscription, shield or insignia thereon or any part thereof.
(J) Authority to establish play streets. The Chief of Police shall have authority to declare any street or part thereof a play street and to place appropriate signs or devices in the roadway indicating the same.
(K) Play street. Whenever authorized signs are erected indicating any street or part thereof as a play street, it shall be unlawful for any person to drive a vehicle upon any such street or portion thereof, except drivers of vehicles having business or whose residences are within such closed area and then any said driver shall exercise the greatest care in driving upon any such street or portion thereof.
(L) Chief of Police to designate crosswalks and establish safety zones. The Chief of Police is hereby authorized:
(1) To designate and maintain crosswalks at intersections by appropriate devices, marks or lines upon the surface of the roadway, where in their opinion there is particular danger to pedestrians crossing the roadway and at such other places as they may deem necessary; and
(2) To establish safety zones of such kind and character and at such places as they may deem necessary for the protection of pedestrians.
(M) Traffic lanes.
(1) The Chief of Police is hereby authorized to mark traffic lanes upon the roadway of any street or highway where a regular alignment of traffic is necessary.
(2) Where such traffic lanes have been marked, it shall be unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to fail or refuse to keep such vehicle within the boundaries of such lane except when lawfully passing another vehicle or preparatory to making a lawful turning movement.(1985 Code, § 10.02.030)