Chapter 74 - TRAFFIC AND VEHICLES

Footnotes:

--- (1) --- Cross reference— Any ordinance prescribing traffic regulations for specific locations, prescribing through streets, parking limitations, parking prohibitions, one-way traffic, limitations on loads of vehicles or loading zones, not inconsistent with such Code saved from repeal, § 1-10(12); courts, ch. 18; law enforcement, ch. 38; miscellaneous offenses, ch. 46; streets, sidewalks and other public places, ch. 66; regulations on routing of traffic on streets, § 66-88; pedestrians and vehicles prohibited on sand dunes, § 82-63; supplemental zoning regulations for automobile parking space, app. A, § 7.9; supplemental zoning regulations for plans and specifications for parking requirements, app. A, § 7.10; supplemental zoning regulation for location of off-street required parking, app. A, § 7.11; supplemental zoning regulation for shared parking, app. A, § 7.16; supplemental zoning regulations for parking or storage of commercial or recreational vehicles, app. A, § 7.13; supplemental zoning regulations for parking or storage of unregistered vehicles, app. A, § 7.14; supplemental zoning regulations for off-street loading, app. A, § 7.15.

State Law reference— Unauthorized parades with firearms, G.L. 1956, § 30-12-7; uniformity of vehicle regulations, G.L. 1956, § 31-12-11; powers of local authorities, G.L. 1956, § 31-12-12; local regulations to be posted, G.L. 1956, § 31-12-13; traffic-control devices on local highways, G.L. 1956, § 31-13-3; nonmoving traffic violations, G.L. 1956, § 45-6.2-1 et seq.; fines and violations of traffic and parking regulations, G.L. 1956, § 12-14-4; service of notice, summons, G.L. 1956, § 31-27-12 et seq.; solicitation on roadways, G.L. 1956, § 31-22-20.

ARTICLE I. - IN GENERAL#

Sec. 74-1. - Definitions.#

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Vehicle means and includes, but is not limited to, any self-propelled vehicle such as a minibike, scooter, motorcycle, charter bus, go-cart, whether propelled by gasoline, electricity, wind or other source of energy.

(Code 1986, § 19-1; Ch. 1041, § 1, 8-21-2017)

Cross reference— Definitions generally, § 1-2.

Sec. 74-2. - Traffic regulations.#

All traffic regulations for specific streets adopted by the council are on file in the town clerk's office.

(Code 1986, § 19-3)

Sec. 74-3. - Authority of police department to collect fines.#

Pursuant to the authority granted to the town by G.L. 1956, § 12-14-4, the police department is hereby designated as the department authorized to collect the fines set forth in section 74-4, if the offender decides to dispose of the charge without a personal appearance in the town municipal court. This section shall only be applicable to those offenders who, within seven days from the date of a notification to appear in municipal court to answer the charge, appear before the police department, admit the truth of such charge and pay the amount of the fine as set forth in section 74-4. A failure to appear within the seven-day period set forth in this section shall be deemed a waiver of the right to dispose of such charge without a personal appearance in the municipal court. The payment of the fine as set forth in section 74-4 shall operate as a final disposition of the charges, and such proceeding shall not be deemed to be criminal in nature.

(Code 1986, § 19-4)

Cross reference— Police department, § 38-21 et seq.

State Law reference— Payment of traffic fines in the town, G.L. 1956, § 12-14-4; administrative payment of certain traffic offenses, G.L. 1956, § 31-41-1 et seq.

Sec. 74-4. - Schedule of parking fines.#

(a)

All parking violations shall be fined in accordance with the following schedule:

(1)

Overtime parking .....$ 50.00

(2)

Parking in a prohibited area .....50.00

(3)

Double parking .....50.00

(4)

Parking on sidewalk .....50.00

(5)

Parking to obstruct highway or loading zone .....50.00

(6)

Standing in prohibited area .....50.00

(7)

Parking within 25 feet of an intersection .....50.00

(8)

Parking left wheels to curb .....50.00

(9)

Parking within 15 feet of a hydrant .....50.00

(10)

Parking within a fire lane .....50.00

(11)

Parking in excess of one foot, but less than three feet, from the curb .....50.00

(12)

Parking in violation of winter parking ban .....50.00

(13)

Parking in a tow-away zone .....75.00

(14)

Parking in handicapped space: .....

a.

First offense .....100.00

b.

Second offense .....175.00

c.

Third offense .....325.00

(15)

Other parking violations .....50.00

(b)

If any fine imposed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall remain unpaid 15 days after the issuance of the ticket, then the amount of the fine due to the town shall be two times the amount of the fine initially imposed.

(c)

If any fine imposed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall remain unpaid 30 days after the issuance of the ticket, then the amount of the fine due to the town shall be four times the amount of the fine initially imposed.

(Code 1986, § 19-5; Ch. 829, § 1, 2-3-2003; Ch. 877, § 1, 6-19-2006; Ch. 1079, § 1, 10-19-2020)

State Law reference— Establishment of fines for violation of traffic regulations, G.L. 1956, § 12-14-4.

Sec. 74-5. - Permission required for operation on certain property.#

No vehicle shall be operated on any private or public property within the town, except for properly licensed vehicles operating upon a highway in accordance with state law, without the prior written consent of the owner of the property. In respect to school property, the school committee, and in respect to all other town property, the town council shall each give such approval and make such designation, if any.

(Ch. 287, § 1, 9-22-1975; Code 1986, § 19-2)

Sec. 74-6. - Traffic control devices.#

(a)

Obedience to traffic control devices.

(1)

No pedestrian or driver of a vehicle shall disobey the instructions of any traffic control device placed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter unless otherwise directed by a police officer.

(2)

No provision of this chapter for which signs are required may be enforced if at the time and place of the alleged violation an official sign is not in approximately proper position and sufficiently legible to be seen by an ordinarily observant person.

(3)

Whenever official traffic control devices are placed in positions approximately conforming to this chapter, the devices are presumed to have been placed by the official act or direction of lawful authority, unless the contrary is established by competent evidence.

(4)

Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of an offense and shall be punishable by a penalty not to exceed $500.00.

(b)

Interference with traffic control devices. No person shall alter, deface, injure, damage, destroy, relocate, move, or remove any official traffic control device at any time. No unauthorized vehicle shall park in front of or otherwise impede official access to a barricade, barrier, or other traffic control device.

(c)

Unauthorized signs, signals, or markings. No person shall place, maintain, or display upon or in view of any person upon any sign, signal, marking, or device which purports to be or is an imitation of or resembles an official parking sign, or traffic control device or which attempts to direct the movement of traffic or which hides from view or interferes with the effectiveness of any official traffic control device if such sign, signal, marking, or device has not been authorized by the town council. All such unauthorized traffic control devices, signs, signals, or markings are declared to be a public nuisance, and the director of public works or the director's designee is hereby empowered to remove the same or cause it to be removed without notice.

(d)

Emergency traffic control devices. The town manager or his designee, in the case of an emergency, when in his/her opinion it is necessary to protect the public health, safety, or welfare, may erect or install or cause to be erected or installed traffic control devices which he/she deems necessary in order to control traffic during the emergency. The traffic control devices authorized by this section shall include the right to close or limit access to public highways within the Town of Narragansett during the emergency.

(Ch. 996, § 1, 2-18-2014)

Secs. 74-7—74-25. - Reserved.#

ARTICLE II. - STOPPING, STANDING AND PARKING#

Footnotes:

--- (2) --- State Law reference— Stopping, standing and parking, G.L. 1956, § 31-21-1 et seq.; violation of parking regulations, G.L. 1956, § 12-14-12; payment of fines, G.L. 1956, § 45-6.1-1 et seq.; violation of parking regulations, G.L. 1956, § 12-14-12; payment of fines, G.L. 1956, § 45-6.1-1 et seq.; removal of vehicles, G.L. 1956, § 31-22-13 et seq.

Sec. 74-26. - Authority of town manager to prohibit parking.#

The town manager shall have the authority to declare a total or partial ban on the parking of any vehicle on the public highways of the town when in his opinion the public safety of residents of the town is or will be jeopardized.

(Code 1986, § 19-21)

Sec. 74-27. - Manner of parking.#

The right wheels of all parked vehicles, as determined by sitting in the driver's seat, shall be within 12 inches of the curb or, in the absence of curbing, within 12 inches of the edge of the paved surface. On unpaved roads, vehicles shall park so as not to interfere with free flow of traffic in both directions at the same time. This right wheel provision does not apply to public highways when the direction of traffic is restricted in one direction.

(Code 1986, § 19-22)

Sec. 74-28. - Parking during winter months.#

(a)

There shall be no parking on either side of any public street or highway within the town from November 1 to May 1 of each year whenever a winter weather advisory, winter storm warning, or winter storm watch has been issued by the National Weather Service.

(b)

Any vehicle parked in violation of this section shall be towed away, and the owner of such vehicle shall be liable for the cost of towing, storage and other incidental expenses in connection with such towing and shall be fined in accordance with section 74-4.

(Code 1986, § 19-23; Ch. 831, § 1, 5-5-2003; Ch. 1034, § 1, 2-27-2017)

Sec. 74-29. - Parking near intersections.#

There shall be no parking either side on a public highway within 25 feet of an intersection with another public highway.

(Code 1986, § 19-24)

Sec. 74-30. - Parking on crosswalks and fire lanes.#

There shall be no parking on pedestrian crosswalks or school crosswalks or fire lanes indicated by white painted guide lines.

(Code 1986, § 19-25)

Cross reference— Fire prevention and protection, ch. 26.

Sec. 74-31. - Parking in loading zones.#

There shall be no parking against any curb marked by white paint designated by signs as a loading zone.

(Code 1986, § 19-26)

Sec. 74-32. - Parking near driveways.#

There shall be no parking on any public highway so as to directly or indirectly interfere with the complete use of any private driveway running from such highway.

(Code 1986, § 19-27)

Sec. 74-33. - Parking on sidewalk.#

There shall be no parking on any sidewalk in the town.

(Code 1986, § 19-28)

Cross reference— Streets, sidewalks and other public places, ch. 66.

Sec. 74-34. - Parking spaces for the handicapped.#

No person, other than an ambulatory handicapped person, shall park a vehicle in a parking space designated for the handicapped. All handicapped parking areas shall be designated by signs and are tow-away zones.

(Code 1986, § 19-29)

Sec. 74-35. - Specific streets parking regulations.#

(a)

Parking restrictions on specific streets adopted by the town council shall not be printed in this Code, but shall be placed on file in the town clerk's office. The town clerk shall maintain a list of all parking restrictions and regulations approved by the town council. The town council is further authorized to designate areas of the town where parking is prohibited as tow-away zones. The owner of any motor vehicle which is towed away from a tow-away zone shall be liable to the town for all costs and expenses as set forth in section 74-36(b) below.

(b)

Suitable and conspicuous parking signs are to be installed by the department of public works on the specific streets where parking is regulated by town council action. All amendments to the list of parking restrictions and regulations on specific streets shall be made by resolution of the town council; provided, however, that no such resolution shall be adopted at the meeting at which it is introduced but shall, rather, be referred to a subsequent regular or special meeting at least seven days thereafter for a vote.

(Code 1986, § 19-30; Ch. 999, § 1, 6-2-2014)

Cross reference— Streets, sidewalks and other public places, ch. 66.

Sec. 74-36. - Towing of illegally parked vehicles.#

(a)

The chief of police, or his representative, shall have the authority to cause an illegally parked vehicle to be towed away by a licensed towing service to the premises operated by such service if in his opinion the public safety or residents of the town is or will be jeopardized. The applicable fine and all costs of towing and storage must be paid by the owner or operator of such vehicle before such vehicle is released.

(b)

The owner of any motor vehicle which is towed away from a public highway, or who abandons any motor vehicle on any public highway, or private property other than his own in the town, shall be liable for all costs and expenses incurred for such towing. The owner of such abandoned motor vehicle shall receive written notice of the towing expenses, and failure to pay such towing expenses within ten days of written notice shall be punished by a fine, upon conviction, not in excess of $500.00, or imprisonment for not more than 30 days, and/or 20 hours community service.

(Code 1986, § 19-31)

Sec. 74-37. - Stop signs.#

(a)

Any person operating a motor vehicle upon approaching an intersection marked by a stop sign shall bring such motor vehicle to a full stop at such intersection before entering the intersection.

(b)

Suitable and conspicuous stop signs shall, under the supervision of the director of public works, be placed at all such intersections on town highways as shall be designated from time to time by the town. The specific intersections of the town which are designated as stop intersections are not printed in this Code, but shall be on file in the town clerk's office. The town clerk shall maintain a list of all designated stop intersections, and an official stop sign map which shall designate the location of all stop signs approved by the town council. All amendments to the list of designated stop intersections and the official stop sign map shall be by resolution of the town council.

(c)

All requests for changes to the official stop sign map and the list of authorized stop signs maintained in the town clerk's office shall, prior to being placed on the town council agenda for review by the town council, be reviewed by the town manager and any department head that the town manager believes to be necessary in order to make a recommendation to the town council. The town manager shall make a report and recommendation to the town council on all requests for changes to the official stop sign map and the list of authorized stop signs.

(Code 1986, § 19-32)

Secs. 74-38—74-55. - Reserved.#

ARTICLE III. - FIRE LANES#

Footnotes:

--- (3) --- Cross reference— Fire prevention and protection, ch. 26.

Sec. 74-56. - Fire chief authorized to establish fire lanes; recordkeeping.#

(a)

Subject to approval of the town council by resolution, the fire chief is hereby authorized to establish fire lanes on property, either public or private, which is devoted to public use or to which the public is invited.

(b)

The official record of the designation and location of fire lanes shall be kept in the office of the fire chief.

(Code 1986, § 19-46)

Sec. 74-57. - Dimensions.#

Fire lanes shall be at least 20 feet in width and of a length proportionate to the nature and size of the subject real property.

(Code 1986, § 19-47)

Sec. 74-58. - Maintenance.#

The designation of fire lanes shall not be held to make the town responsible for maintenance of the fire lanes, and the owner of the real property upon which the fire lane is located shall remain responsible for maintenance of the area upon which the fire lane is located.

(Code 1986, § 19-48)

Sec. 74-59. - Owner to letter lanes; post signs.#

(a)

Upon the designation of a fire lane pursuant to this article, the fire chief shall notify the owner of the real property upon which the fire lane is located to have the designated fire lane lettered at designated locations at the expense of the owner, which lettering shall state: "FIRE LANE - NO PARKING ANY TIME," and the owner shall comply with the directions of the fire chief within ten days of receipt of such notice. The lettering shall be of a size and color conforming to specifications established by the fire chief.

(b)

Upon the designation of a fire lane pursuant to this article, the fire chief shall notify the owner of the real property upon which the fire lane is located to post signs at designated locations at the expense of the owner, which signs shall be lettered "FIRE LANE - NO PARKING ANY TIME," and the owner shall comply with the directions of the fire chief within ten days of receipt of such notice. The signs shall be of a size, color, lettering and mounting conforming to specifications established by the fire chief. The signs shall contain a notation as to the maximum penalty for violations of this section.

(Code 1986, § 19-49)

Sec. 74-60. - Penalties for violation of article.#

(a)

The owner of any real property who violates any of the provisions of this article shall be subject to a fine not exceeding $50.00 for each offense, and each day of violation shall constitute a separate offense.

(b)

It shall be unlawful for the owner or operator of any motor vehicle to park the vehicle in any area designated as a fire lane, and it shall be unlawful for any person in any manner to obstruct passage in any area designated as a fire lane. Any person violating any provision of this subsection shall be subject to a fine not exceeding $50.00 for each offense.

(Code 1986, § 19-50)

Secs. 74-61—74-80. - Reserved.#

ARTICLE IV. - SPECIFIC STREET REGULATIONS#

Footnotes:

--- (4) --- Cross reference— Streets, sidewalks and other public places, ch. 66.

DIVISION 1. - GENERALLY#

Secs. 74-81—74-95. - Reserved.#

DIVISION 2. - TURNS#

Sec. 74-96. - No left turns.#

(a)

No vehicle exiting the property known as the Salt Pond Shopping Center shall make a lefthand turn into the westbound lane of Woodruff Avenue.

(b)

No vehicle traveling in the westbound lane on Woodruff Avenue shall make a lefthand turn to enter the property known as the Salt Pond Shopping Center.

(Code 1986, § 19-100)

Secs. 74-97—74-110. - Reserved.#

DIVISION 3. - TRUCK ROUTES#

Sec. 74-111. - No through trucking.#

(a)

Except as provided for in subsection (b) of this section, trucks with a gross vehicle weight in excess of 7,000 pounds shall be prohibited from the following public roadways in the town:

(1)

Lambert Street.

(2)

Avice Street.

(3)

Lakewood Drive.

(4)

Mumford Road.

(5)

Old Boston Neck Road—Section running between Boston Neck Road and South Ferry Road.

(b)

The prohibition contained in subsection (a) of this section shall not be applicable to trucks or commercial vehicles which are providing service to or have an authorized business purpose at a residence located along any of the public highways described in subsection (a) of this section.

(c)

The department of public works is hereby ordered to place appropriate signs on the public highways described in subsection (a) of this section advising the public of the restrictions contained in this section.

(Ch. 780, § 1, 6-7-1999; Ch. 1047, § 1, 12-4-2017)

Sec. 74-112. - Charter bus restrictions.#

(a)

Charter buses shall be prohibited from picking up or dropping off passengers on the following public roadways in the town:

(1)

Summit Road;

(2)

Ashton Lane;

(3)

Sakonnet Boulevard;

(4)

Foster Lane;

(5)

Davisville Lane;

(6)

Exeter Boulevard;

(7)

Charlestown Boulevard;

(8)

Bristol Road;

(9)

Ashley Court;

(10)

Gloucester Road;

(11)

Hope Lane;

(12)

Sylvan Road;

(13)

Middle Road;

(14)

Walcott Ave;

(15)

Milkay Way;

(16)

Bishop Road;

(17)

Defelice Road;

(18)

Bellevue Court;

(19)

Desano Dr.;

(20)

Burnside Road;

(21)

Jamestown Boulevard;

(22)

Kingston Lane;

(23)

Glendale Road;

(24)

Lincoln Way;

(25)

Melville Lane;

(26)

Newport Lane;

(27)

Green Lane.

(b)

The department of public works is hereby ordered to place appropriate signs at the location where any public road listed above intersects with Burnside Avenue or Ocean Road advising the public of the restrictions contained in this section.

(c)

The penalty for a violation of this section shall be $100.00 for the first offense; $300.00 for a second offense and $500.00 for a third and subsequent offense.

(Ch. 1041, § 2, 8-21-2017)