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Sec. 11-1. - Council to make regulations; emergency regulations.#
(a)
The town council is hereby empowered to make and enforce regulations necessary to make effective the provisions of this chapter and to make and enforce temporary regulations to cover emergency and special conditions.
(b)
In the exercise of such enforcement power, the town council hereby appoints a traffic committee to advise it in the enforcement of such power. The traffic committee shall be comprised of the town manager, police chief, fire chief and director of public works, or his designee, and such other members as the town manager shall from time to time appoint to said committee. The traffic committee shall, upon receipt from any member of the town council a specific request for the exercise of the herein stated powers of the town council or upon its own initiative, make a report to the town council as to the feasibility and advisability of putting into effect the specific request. Upon receipt of said report, the town council shall then act upon the request, shall determine the specific notice to be given regarding the enactment of the ordinance, and shall determine the date on which the ordinance shall become effective, and upon affirmative vote of the town council, said request shall be enacted as an ordinance of the town.
(c)
The town council shall, within the reasonable exercise of the police power, enact such ordinances as shall be necessary to:
(1)
Regulate the standing or parking of vehicles;
(2)
Regulate traffic by means of police officers or traffic control signals;
(3)
Regulate or prohibit processions or assemblages on the highway;
(4)
Designate particular highways as one-way highways and require that all vehicles on them be moved in one specific direction;
(5)
Regulate the speed of vehicles in public parks;
(6)
Designate any highway as a through highway and require that all vehicles stop before entering or crossing the highway, or designate an intersection as a stop intersection and require all vehicles to stop at one or more entrances to the stop intersection;
(7)
Restrict the use of highways as authorized by G.L. 1956, § 31-25-25 regarding prohibiting the operation of vehicles upon a highway or the imposition of restrictions as to the weight of vehicles to be operated upon a highway, for a total period not to exceed 90 days in any one calendar year, whenever the highway, by reason of deterioration, rain, snow or other climatic conditions, will be seriously damaged or destroyed unless the use of vehicles on it is prohibited or the permissible weights of those vehicles are reduced, and G.L. 1956, § 31-25-26 regarding prohibiting the operation of trucks or other commercial vehicles, or imposing limitations as to the weight of those vehicles on designated highways, which prohibitions and limitations shall be designated by appropriate signs placed on the highways;
(8)
Regulate the operation of bicycles and requiring the registration and licensing of bicycles, including the requirement of a registration fee;
(9)
Regulate or prohibit the turning of vehicles or specified types of vehicles at intersections;
(10)
Alter the prima facie speed limit as authorized by G.L. 1956, tit. 31; and
(11)
Adopt any other traffic regulations that are specifically authorized by G.L. 1956, tit. 31, chs. 12—27.
(d)
In the exercise of said power, the traffic ordinances of the town as previously included in this Code as appendix C, traffic ordinances, are hereby reenacted as ordinances of the town in their entirety, which shall be included in this Code as appendix C and shall remain in full force and effect. Appendix C, as hereby reenacted, shall from time to time be amended by the addition or deletion of traffic ordinances through the exercise of the said power regarding traffic ordinances by the town council.
(Code 1970, § 11-1; Comp. Ords., ch. 42, § 3; Ord. No. 2016-10, 8-16-2016)
Sec. 11-2. - Enforcement by police; directing traffic.#
It shall be the duty of the police department to enforce the provisions of this chapter. Officers of the police department are hereby authorized to direct all traffic either in person or by means of visible or audible signal in conformance with the provisions of this chapter, provided that in the event of a fire or other emergency or to expedite traffic or safeguard pedestrians, officers of the police department may temporarily direct traffic, as conditions may require, notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter.
(Code 1970, § 11-2; Comp. Ords., ch. 42, § 2)
Sec. 11-3. - Obedience to police.#
No person shall willfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction of any police officer invested by law with authority to direct, control, or regulate traffic.
(Code 1970, § 11-3; Comp. Ords., ch. 37, § 1)
State Law reference— Similar provisions, G.L. 1956, § 31-12-3.
Sec. 11-4. - Types of signs, signals; erection, maintenance.#
The town council shall determine and designate the character or type of all official traffic signs or signals. The chief of police is hereby authorized, and as to signs and signals required hereunder it shall be his duty, to instruct the director of the department of public works to place and maintain or cause to be placed and maintained all official traffic signs and signals. All signs and signals required hereunder for a particular purpose shall, so far as practicable, be uniform throughout the town.
(Code 1970, § 11-4; Comp. Ords., ch. 42, § 7)
State Law reference— Manual of devices, G.L. 1956, § 31-13-1.
Sec. 11-5. - When signs required.#
No provisions of this chapter for which signs are specifically required shall be enforceable against an alleged violator if, at the time and place of the alleged violation, the sign required 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 without signs being erected to give notice thereof.
(Code 1970, § 11-5; Comp. Ords., ch. 42, § 7)
State Law reference— Local regulations to be posted, G.L. 1956, § 31-12-13.
Sec. 11-6. - Obedience to devices.#
The driver of any vehicle shall obey the instructions of any official traffic control device applicable thereto placed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter unless otherwise directed by a traffic or police officer, subject to the exceptions granted in this chapter to the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle.
(Code 1970, § 11-6; Comp. Ords., ch. 42, § 8)
State Law reference— Similar provisions, G.L. 1956, § 31-13-4.
Sec. 11-7. - Unauthorized devices.#
It shall be unlawful for any person to place, maintain or display upon or in view of any street any unofficial signal or device which purports to be, is an imitation of, or resembles an official traffic sign or signal, or which attempts to direct the movement of traffic, other than signs denoting construction or obstructions in the street, or which hides from view any official sign or signal. Every such prohibited sign, signal or device is hereby declared to be a public nuisance, and the chief of police is hereby empowered to remove the same or have it removed without notice.
(Code 1970, § 11-7; Comp. Ords., ch. 42, § 10)
Sec. 11-8. - Damaging signs, devices.#
No person shall, without lawful authority, 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 other part thereof.
(Code 1970, § 11-8; Comp. Ords., ch. 42, § 11)
State Law reference— Similar provisions, G.L. 1956, § 31-13-11.
Sec. 11-9. - Designation of crosswalks.#
The town council is hereby authorized to establish and to designate, and shall thereafter maintain or cause to be maintained, by appropriate devices, marks or lines on the surface of the roadway, crosswalks at intersections where, in its opinion, there is particular danger to pedestrians crossing the roadway, and at such other places as it may deem necessary.
(Code 1970, § 11-9; Comp. Ords., ch. 42, § 12)
Sec. 11-10. - Designation of safety zones.#
For the protection of pedestrians, the town council, from time to time, is authorized to locate safety zones, by suitable designations, within the roadways of squares or highways.
(Code 1970, § 11-10; Comp. Ords., ch. 42, § 13)
Sec. 11-11. - Marking of lanes.#
The chief of police is authorized to mark lanes for traffic on street pavements at such places as he may deem advisable, consistent with the provisions of this chapter.
(Code 1970, § 11-11; Comp. Ords., ch. 42, § 13)
Sec. 11-12. - When emergency vehicles entitled to privileges.#
The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle, when responding to an emergency call or when in the pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law or when responding to but not upon returning from a fire alarm, may exercise the privileges set forth in section 11-13, but subject to the conditions stated in sections 11-14 and 11-15.
(Code 1970, § 11-12; Comp. Ords., ch. 37, § 1)
State Law reference— Similar provisions, G.L. 1956, § 31-12-6.
Sec. 11-13. - Privileges allowed emergency vehicles.#
The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle may: (1)
Park or stand, irrespective of the provisions of any law;
(2)
Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation;
(3)
Exceed the prima facie speed limits so long as he does not endanger life or property;
(4)
Disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified directions.
(Code 1970, § 11-13; Comp. Ords., ch. 37, § 1)
State Law reference— Similar provisions, G.L. 1956, § 31-12-7.
Sec. 11-14. - Warning signals by emergency vehicles.#
The exemptions herein granted to an authorized emergency vehicle shall apply only when the driver of any said vehicle, while in motion, sounds an audible signal by bell, siren or exhaust whistle as may be reasonably necessary, and when the vehicle is equipped with at least one lighted lamp displaying a red light visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of 500 feet to the front of such vehicle, except that an authorized emergency vehicle operated as a police vehicle need not be equipped with or display a red light visible from in front of the vehicle.
(Code 1970, § 11-14; Comp. Ords., ch. 37, § 1)
State Law reference— Similar provisions, G.L. 1956, § 31-12-8.
Sec. 11-15. - Care by emergency vehicles.#
The foregoing provisions shall not relieve the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons, nor shall such provisions protect the driver from the consequences of his reckless disregard for the safety of others.
(Code 1970, § 11-15; Comp. Ords., ch. 37, § 1)
State Law reference— Similar provisions, G.L. 1956, § 31-12-9.
Sec. 11-16. - Boarding, alighting from moving vehicles.#
It shall be unlawful for any person to board or alight from any vehicle while such vehicle is in motion.
(Code 1970, § 11-16; Comp. Ords., ch. 42, § 19)
Sec. 11-17. - Unlawful riding.#
It shall be unlawful for any person to ride on any vehicle or upon any portion thereof not designated or intended for the use of passengers when the vehicle is in motion. This provision shall not apply to an employee engaged in the necessary discharge of his duty or to riding within truck bodies in the space intended for merchandise.
(Code 1970, § 11-17; Comp. Ords., ch. 42, § 20)
Sec. 11-18. - Clinging to vehicles.#
No person riding upon any bicycle, coaster, rollerskates, sled, or toy vehicle shall attach the same or himself to any vehicle upon a roadway.
(Code 1970, § 11-18; Comp. Ords., ch. 37, § 1)
State Law reference— Similar provisions, G.L. 1956, § 31-19-7.
Sec. 11-19. - Lamps, reflectors on bicycles.#
Every bicycle, when in use at nighttime, shall be equipped with a lamp on the front which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and with a red reflector on the rear, of a type approved by the registry of motor vehicles, which shall be visible from all distances from 50 feet to 300 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle. A lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear may be used in addition to the red reflector.
(Code 1970, § 11-19; Comp. Ords., ch. 2, § 2)
State Law reference— Similar provisions, G.L. 1956, § 31-19-10.
Sec. 11-20. - Authority of police chief to detail police officers, special officers and police constables.#
(a)
The police chief of the town is authorized to detail police personnel (police officers or special officers) and to require payment of an hourly amount by the following persons or entities, which hourly amount shall be that amount determined as due the personnel in accordance with the contract between the police officers' collective bargaining agent and the town, and which amount shall be due and payable to the town upon completion of each week during which a detail has been required. Whenever construction on, improvement on, or installation of any utility on any highway, street or road within the town shall cause disruption of the normal flow of traffic or create a hazard to motorists, the chief of police may, if he determines police personnel are necessary to regulate the traffic, after notifying the general contractor involved, detail the number of police personnel that he deems necessary to ensure the safety of motorists, and the general contractor shall be responsible for the cost of the detail.
(b)
Any person who is aggrieved by a determination of the chief of police that a detail is or was necessary may appeal said determination by written notification to the town council within ten days of receipt of the notification from the chief of police. Said town council shall, as soon as practicable, grant a hearing and make a de novo determination as to the necessity for the detailing of police personnel. The town council shall use the same standards the chief of police is required to use in determining the necessity for such detail.
(c)
The notice by the chief of police required in subsection (a) of this section shall not be required in writing. The chief of police shall not be required to await a hearing of the town council before the detailing of police personnel deemed necessary. In the event that the town council overrules such decision, the cost of such detail shall be the responsibility of the town.
(Code 1970, § 11-20; Res. of 12-1-1981)