Chapter 20 - TRAFFIC AND MOTOR VEHICLES

Footnotes:

--- (1) --- Cross reference— Fire prevention and protection, Ch. 6; nuisances, Ch. 10; transportation of cesspool matter restricted, § 10-29; noise regulations, § 10-51 et seq.; the sounding of horns or other signal devices by automobiles, buses, etc., restricted, § 10-53; peddlers and solicitors, Ch. 12; police, Ch. 14; secondhand goods, Ch. 15; automobile junkyards, § 15-51 et seq.; streets, sidewalks and other public places, Ch. 17; sleeping in vehicles prohibited, § 17-5; off-street parking requirements, App. A, Art. IV.

State Law reference— Motor and other vehicles, G.L. 1956, § 31-1-1 et seq.

ARTICLE I. - IN GENERAL#

Sec. 20-1. - Transportation of waste materials.#

No person shall transport on any street or highway in the town in any vehicle, rubbish or garbage or wastepaper, rags, shavings, sticks, crates or boxes or any other waste material unless such vehicle is properly covered so as to prevent the escape from the vehicle of any such rubbish, garbage or other such materials.

(Ch. 20, § 2, 6-2-69)

Cross reference— Nuisances, Ch. 10; health and sanitation nuisances, § 10-26 et seq.; streets, § 17-36 et seq.

Secs. 20-2—20-25. - Reserved.#

ARTICLE II. - SPECIFIC STREET REGULATIONS#

Footnotes:

--- (2) --- Cross reference— Streets, § 17-36 et seq.

DIVISION 1. - GENERALLY#

Sec. 20-26. - Vehicles restricted on Nichols Lane.#

(a)

No vehicle with more than two (2) axles shall be allowed to traffic or pass over such Nichols Lane with the exception of service vehicles.

(b)

There shall be no through traffic of any truck on such Nichols Lane.

(Ch. 62, § 3, 7-20-81)

Secs. 20-27—20-40. - Reserved.#

DIVISION 2. - SPEED LIMITS#

Sec. 20-41. - Nichols Lane.#

The speed limit for all traffic on Nichols Lane shall not exceed fifteen (15) miles per hour.

(Ch. 62, § 1, 7-20-81)

Sec. 20-42. - Brook Drive.#

The speed limit for all traffic on Brook Drive shall not exceed twenty (20) miles per hour.

(Ch. 164, 1-7-02)

Secs. 20-43—20-60. - Reserved.#

ARTICLE III. - STOPPING, STANDING, PARKING#

Footnotes:

--- (3) --- Cross reference— Streets, § 17-36 et seq.

State Law reference— Nonmoving traffic violations, G.L. 1956, § 45-6.1-1 et seq.

Sec. 20-61. - Parking prohibited.#

It shall be unlawful for any person to cause, allow, permit or suffer any vehicle registered in the name of, or operated by such person to be parked at any time on any of the following streets or parts thereof within the town: (1)

Village of Hope Valley:

Both sides of Arcadia Road (Bridge Street) from Prospect Square to Bank Street.

North side of Aldrich Street from Prospect Street to Arcadia Road.

West side of Route 3 from Richmond town line to Nichols Lane.

East side of Route 3 from Richmond town line to South boundary of playground.

North side of Route 138 from Route 3 West to Narragansette Electric Company Pole No. 65K.

South side of Route 138 from a point one hundred (100) feet from Route 3 West to Soapbox Lane.

Both sides of Mechanic Street from Route 3 to Nichols Lane.

West side of Mechanic Street from High View Avenue to Nichols Lane.

North side of Nichols Lane.

(2)

Village of Hopkinton City:

Both sides of Route 3 from Woodville Road north a distance of five hundred (500) feet.

North side of Woodville Road from Route 3 east a distance of five hundred (500) feet.

East side of Town House Road.

West side of Town House Road one hundred and thirty (130) feet from the intersection of Route 3.

(3)

Village of Ashaway:

Both sides of Chase Hill Road from Route 3 to Route 216.

North side of Route 216 from Chase Hill Road to Route 91.

West side of Route 3 from River Road to Cemetery Lane.

East side of Laurel Street from Maxson Street to Main Street.

West side of Laurel Street from High Street south to Ashaway River.

Both sides of High Street north to the Connecticut state line.

North side of Hillside Avenue (Exception: loading and unloading of school buses).

(4)

Village of Hope Valley:

Both sides of Highview Avenue from the Mechanic Street entrance through the intersection with Hill Street.

(Ch. 32, § 2, 10-24-72; Ch. 53, 1-14-80; Ch. 58, 10-2-80; Ch. 153, 11-6-00)

Sec. 20-62. - Snow alerts.#

It shall be unlawful for any person to cause, allow, permit or suffer any vehicle registered in the name of, or operated by such person to be parked upon any street within the town during a snow alert. A snow alert shall exist whenever there is snow upon the highway which requires the plowing of such highway, and until the highway has been plowed by the town or state highway department. Notice of a snow alert shall be made upon authorization of the town council president or the director of public safety and arrangements shall be made to broadcast such notice immediately over a radio station serving the town. However, failure to receive such notice shall not relieve any person from complying with a snow alert as defined herein.

(Ch. 32, § 3, 10-24-72)

Sec. 20-63. - Violations—Penalty.#

Any person, whether the operator or registered owner of any vehicle found parked in violation of this article shall be fined ten dollars ($10.00) for the first offense and twenty dollars ($20.00) for each subsequent offense occurring within a period of twelve (12) months from the date of the first offense.

(Ch. 32, § 4, 10-24-72; Ch. 103, § 1, 9-17-90)

Sec. 20-64. - Same—Payment of fine.#

(a)

Any fine for the violation of any provision of this article may be paid by mail or in person to the chief of police at the town hall. Such fine shall be paid within seven (7) days of the date of the offense. Payment by mail shall be deemed complete upon depositing of the payment of such fine in a depository maintained by the United States Postal Service for the collection of mails and the postage cancellation shall be prima facie evidence of the time of deposit.

(b)

When any fine is paid by mail pursuant to this section, it may be paid in cash or by check or by money order; provided, an additional fine of ten dollars ($10.00) shall be added for attempted payment of any such fine with a check written against insufficient funds.

(Ch. 32, §§ 5, 6, 10-24-72)

Sec. 20-65. - Same—Notice.#

(a)

Whenever a vehicle shall be found in violation of this article, notice of such violation shall be given by affixing to the vehicle in a prominent place, a violation tag, containing notice of the specific violation charge, the schedule of fines for such violation, the time within which the fine may be paid in person or by mail, and the place to which the fine may be brought or mailed.

(b)

The violation tag affixed to any such motor vehicle shall also contain a summons, ordering the person in violation of this article to appear before the session of the state district court, fourth division, occurring next after seven (7) days following the date of the offense, in case the violator does not choose to pay such fine in person or by mail as herein provided.

(Ch. 32, §§ 7, 8, 10-24-72)

ARTICLE IV. - RECREATIONAL VEHICLES#

Sec. 20-66. - Recreational vehicles defined.#

Recreational vehicle means a motor vehicle, including minibikes, dirt bikes, and snowmobiles, designed to travel over unimproved terrain and which has been determined by the division of motor vehicles as unsuitable for operation on the public way and not eligible for registration for such use. This shall not be construed to include golf mobiles or golf carts, riding lawn mowers, or garden tractors, which are not registered as farm vehicles, but shall include any three (3) wheel driven vehicle and any other four (4) wheel driven vehicle, regardless of type or design, including all classes of all-terrain vehicles.

(Ch. 281, 10-4-21)

Sec. 20-67. - Certain uses prohibited.#

Recreational vehicles are strictly prohibited from public streets, public parks, or any walkway, trail, grassy area, field, forest, or in any area within the town where motor vehicles are not allowed, and shall not be operated, driven, caused to be driven, walked, or parked on public streets, public parks, or any walkway, trail, grassy area, field, forest, or in any area within the town where motor vehicles are not allowed, or within the boundaries of any public park, or within the boundaries of any property of the Hopkinton Land Trust (HLT).

(Ch. 281, 10-4-21)

Sec. 20-68. - Riding on private property.#

No person shall operate any recreational vehicle upon any property or premises owned by another person without the consent in writing of the owner of the property or premises.

(Ch. 281, 10-4-21)

Sec. 20-69. - Violations and penalties.#

Any violator of section 20-67 or 20-68 shall be subject to a fine of one hundred ($100.00) dollars for a first offense, two hundred ($200.00) dollars for a second offense, and three hundred ($300.00) dollars for each offense thereafter. Any vehicle used in violation of this division shall be impounded at the owner's expense and shall not be released until all fees have been paid and/or court action has been completed. Violators will be responsible for the cost of all necessary environmental remediation. The Municipal Court has jurisdiction over violations of this section.

(Ch. 281, 10-4-21)

Sec. 20-70. - Eluding a police officer.#

No person operating any recreational vehicle in violation of this article shall elude any police officer upon being signaled to stop or upon being told to stop. This section shall apply upon the occurrence of any lawful act by a police officer in telling or signaling any vehicle operator to stop by any oral statement, siren, flashing lights, hand signal, or other signal. This shall apply whether the police officer ordering or signaling the stop is in a vehicle or on foot. This section is intended to prohibit acts to elude a police officer, including acts consisting of increasing speed, changing directions, turning lights off, or taking similar steps to avoid or escape apprehension. Any person in violation of this section shall be subject to an additional penalty of two hundred ($200.00) dollars.

(Ch. 281, 10-4-21)

Sec. 20-71. - Severability.#

If any provision of this article is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall not be affected thereby. The invalidity of any section of this article shall not affect the validity of the remains of the article.

(Ch. 281, 10-4-21)

Sec. 20-72. - Exceptions.#

This article shall not apply to any employee or agent of the town or HLT or any other local, state, or federal government official or first responder, including authorized members of any fire district or ambulance company, while engaged in the actual performance of his or her duties, nor to any vehicles and/or equipment used by vendors who are under contract with the town or HLT to provide goods or services or to persons that otherwise have the written permission of the town or HLT for the use or operation of a recreational vehicle.

(Ch. 281, 10-4-21)