Town of Paris Traffic Ordinance Adopted February 13, 1995 Article 1....Words and Phrases 1.1...Definition of Words and Phrases A. The following words and phrases, when used in this Ordinance, shall, for the purpose of this Ordinance, have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this Article, except when the context otherwise requires. B. Whenever any words and phrases used herein are not defined in the State Laws regulating the operation of vehicles, any such definition therein shall be deemed to apply to such words and phrases used herein, except when the context otherwise requires. 1.2...Alley A street or highway intended to provide access to the rear or side of lots or buildings in urban districts and not intended for the purpose of through vehicular traffic. 1.3...Central Business District All streets and portions of streets within the area designated. 1.4...Commercial Vehicle Every vehicle designed, maintained or used primarily for the transportation of property. 1.5...Controlled Access Highway Every highway, street or roadway in respect to which owners or occupants of abutting lands and persons have no legal right of access to or from the same except at such points and in such manner as may be determined by the public authority having jurisdiction over such highway, street or roadway. 1.6...Passenger, Freight Curb Loading Zones Spaces adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers, commercial freight, or materials. 1.7...Driver Every person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle. 1.8...Fire Department Officials Any fireman, fire warden, engineer, volunteer and those appointed under special laws or emergencies. 1.9...Laned Roadway A roadway which is divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for vehicular traffic. 1.10...Official Time Standard Whenever certain hours are named herein they shall mean standard time or daylight-savings time as may be current use in this municipality 1.11...Park Means the leaving of a vehicle, whether occupied or unoccupied otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading merchandise or passengers. 1.12...Pedestrian Any person afoot. 1.13...Person Any natural person, firm, co-partnership, association or corporation. 1.14...Police Officer Any Officer of the Police Department, any Constable, or any person authorized to direct or regulate traffic or to make arrested for violations of traffic regulations. 1.15...Private Road or Driveway Every way or place in private ownership and used for vehicular travel by the owner and those having express or implied permission from the owner, but not by other persons. 1.16...Right of Way The right of one vehicle or pedestrian to proceed in a lawful manner in preference to another vehicle or pedestrian approaching under such circumstances of direction, speed and proximity as to give rise to danger of collision unless one grants precedence to the other. 1.17...Roadway That portion of a highway improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the berm or shoulder. In the event a highway includes two or more separate roadways, the term "roadway" as used herein shall refer to any such roadway separately but not to all such roadways collectively. 1.18...Safety Zone The area or space officially set apart within a roadway for the exclusive use of pedestrians and which is protected or is so marked or indicated by adequate signs as to be plainly visible at all times while set apart as a safety zone. 1.19...Sidewalk The portion of a street between the curb lines, or the lateral lines of a roadway, and the adjacent property lines, intended for use by pedestrians. 1.20...Stand Means the halting of a vehicle, whether occupied or unoccupied, temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in receiving or discharging passengers. 1.21...Patrol/Traffic Unit The Patrol/Traffic Unit of the Police Department of this municipality, or in the event a Patrol/Traffic Unit is not established, then said term whenever used herein shall be deemed to refer to the Police Department of this town. Article 2....Patrol/Traffic Administration 2.1...Police Department Established Paris Police Department was established by a Maine State Legislative Act in 1933....Acts and Resolves - Chapter 53, Page 503. 2.2...Police Administration There is hereby established in the Police Department of this municipality a Patrol/Traffic Unit to be under the control of an Officer of Police appointed by and directly responsible to the Chief of Police. 2.3...Duty of Patrol/Traffic Unit The Patrol Traffic Unit with such assistance as may be rendered by the other Divisions or Units within the Police Department shall: A. Enforce the traffic provisions of this Ordinance and the State vehicle laws; B. Make arrests for traffic violations; C. Investigate accidents; D. Cooperate with the Traffic Engineer and other municipal officials in the administration of traffic laws and in developing methods to improve traffic conditions. E. Carry out those duties imposed upon it by this Ordinance. 2.4...Records of Traffic Violations A. The Police Department or the Patrol/Traffic Unit thereof shall keep a record of violations of the Traffic Ordinance of this municipality or of the State vehicle laws of which any person has been convicted, a record shall be so maintained as to show all types of violations and the total of each. Said record shall accumulate during at least a three (3) year period and from that time on the record shall be maintained complete for at least the most recent three (3) year period. B. All such records and reports shall be public records. 2.5...Patrol/Traffic Unit to Investigate Accidents It shall be the duty of the Patrol/Traffic Unit, assisted by other Police Officers in the Department, to investigate traffic accidents, to arrest and to assist in the prosecution of those persons charged with violations of law causing or contributing to such accidents. 2.6...Traffic Accident Studies Whenever the accidents at any particular location become numerous, the Patrol/Traffic Unit shall cooperate with the Traffic Engineer in conducting studies of such accidents and determining remedial measures. (The Maine State Department of Transportation provides technical assistance on request.) 2.7...Traffic Accident Reports The Patrol/Traffic Unit shall maintain a suitable system of filing traffic accident reports. Accident reports or cards referring to them shall be filed alphabetically by location. Such reports shall be available for the use and information of the Traffic Engineer. 2.8...Drivers' Files to be Maintained A. The Police Department or the Patrol/Traffic Unit thereof shall maintain a suitable record of all traffic accidents, warnings, arrests, convictions and complaints reported for each driver, which shall be filed alphabetically under the name of the driver concerned. B. Said Unit shall study the cases of all such drivers charged with frequent or serious violations of the traffic laws or involved in frequent traffic accidents or any serious accident and report such information to the Department of Motor Vehicles or other appropriate State agencies. C. Such records shall accumulate during at least a three (3) year period and from that time on, such records shall be maintained complete for at least the most recent three (3) year period. 2.9...Patrol/Traffic Unit shall annually prepare a traffic report which shall be incorporated into the annual police report. Such report shall contain information on traffic matters in the municipality as follows: 1. The number of traffic accidents, the number of persons killed, the number of persons injured, and other pertinent traffic accident data; 2. The number of traffic accidents investigated and other pertinent data on the safety activities of the police; 3. The plans and recommendations of the Unit for future traffic safety activities. 2.10...Patrol/Traffic Unit to designate method of identifying insignia to be displayed upon, or other method to be employed to identify the vehicles in funeral processions. The Traffic Unit shall recommend a type of pennant or other identifying insignia to be employed to identify the vehicles in funeral processions. 2.11...Traffic Engineers The Office of Traffic Engineers is hereby established. The Police Chief and road Commissioner shall serve as Traffic Engineers in addition to his other functions, and shall exercise the powers and duties with respect to traffic as provided in this Ordinance. 2.12...Emergency and Experimental Regulations A. The Chief of police, by and with the approval of the Board of Selectmen and the State Department of Transportation is hereby empowered to make regulations necessary to make effective the provisions of the Traffic Ordinances of this Town and to make and enforce temporary or experimental regulations to cover emergencies or special conditions. No such temporary or experimental regulation shall remain in effect for more than ninety (90) days. B. The Traffic Engineer may test traffic-control devices under actual conditions of traffic. 2.13...Powers and Duties The Board of Selectmen will receive complaints having to do with traffic matters. Complaints or actions before them will receive a response within a thirty (30) day period. Article 3....Enforcement and Obedience To Traffic Regulations 3.1...Authority of Police and Fire Department Officials A. It shall be the duty of any Police Officer to enforce all traffic laws of this municipality and all of the State vehicle laws. B. Police Officers are hereby authorized to direct all traffic by voice, hand or signal in conformance with traffic laws, provided that in the event of a fire or other emergency or to expedite traffic or to safeguard pedestrians, Police Officers may direct traffic as conditions may require, notwithstanding the provisions of the traffic laws C. Officers of the Fire Department, when at the scene of a fire, may direct or assist the Police in directing traffic there at or in the immediate vicinity. 3.2...Required Obedience to Traffic Ordinance It is unlawful and an infraction for any person to do any act forbidden or fail to perform any act required in this Ordinance. 3.3...Obedience to Police and Fire Officials No person shall willfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction of any Police Officer or Fire Department official. 3.4...Public Employees to Obey Traffic Regulations The provisions of this ordinance shall apply to the drivers of all vehicles owned or operated by the United States, this State, or any County, Town, District, or any other political subdivision of the State, subject to such specific exceptions as are set forth in this Ordinance or in the State Vehicle Code. 3.5...Authorized Emergency Vehicles A. 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 park or stand, irrespective of the provisions of this Ordinance. B. The foregoing provision shall not relieve the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to park or stand with due regard for the safety of all persons, nor shall such provision protect the driver from the consequences of his reckless disregard for the safety of others. 3.6...Certain Non-motorized Traffic Regulations A. Every person propelling any push cart upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this Ordinance and by the rules of the road portion of the State Vehicle Code, except these provisions which by their nature have no application. B. Every person riding an animal or driving an animal-drawn vehicle upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this Ordinance, except those provisions of this Ordinance which by their very nature can have no application. 3.7...Use of Coasters, Roller Skates, Skateboards, Motorized Toys and Similar Devices Restricted No person upon roller skates, skateboards, or riding in or by means of any coaster, toy vehicle, motorized toy vehicle, or similar device, shall go upon any roadway except while crossing a street on a crosswalk and when so crossing, such person shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to pedestrians. This Section shall only apply to streets listed in schedule 8. Article 4....Traffic-Control Devices 4.1...Authority to Install Traffic-Control Devices The Traffic Engineer shall place and maintain official traffic-control devices when and as required under the Traffic Ordinances of this municipality to make effective the provisions of said Ordinances and may place and maintain such additional; official traffic-control devices as he may deem necessary to regulate, warn, or guide traffic under the Traffic Ordinances of this municipality or the State Vehicle Code. The installation of traffic-control devices on State-aid and State highways shall be subject to State Department of Transportation approval. 4.2...Specifications for Traffic-Control Devices All traffic-control signs, signals and devices shall conform to specifications approved by the State Department of Transportation. All signs and signals required hereunder for a particular purpose shall, so far as practicable, be uniform as to type and location throughout the location throughout the municipality. All traffic-control devices so erected and not inconsistent with the provisions of State law or this Ordinance shall be official traffic-control devices. 4.3...Obedience to Official Traffic-Control 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 Ordinance, unless otherwise directed by a Police Officer subject to the exemptions granted the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle. 4.4...When Official Traffic-Control Devices Required For Enforcement Purposes A. No provision of this Ordinance for which official traffic-control devices are required shall be enforced against an alleged violator if at the time and place of the alleged violation an official device is not in proper position and sufficiently legible to be seen by an ordinarily observant person. B. When a particular section does not state that official traffic-control devices are required, such section shall be effective even though no devices are erected or in place. 4.5... Official Traffic-Control Devices - Presumption of Legality Whenever official traffic-control devices are placed in position approximately conforming to the requirements of this Ordinance, such devices shall hereby be determined to have been so placed by the official act or direction of lawful authority, unless the contrary shall be established by competent evidence. 4.6...Board of Selectmen are hereby authorized: 1. To designate and maintain, by appropriate devices, marks, or lines upon the surface of the roadway, crosswalks at intersections where in their opinion there is a particular danger to pedestrians crossing the roadway, and at such other places as they may deem necessary. 2. On State-aid and State highways the authority of the Board of Selectmen is subject to approval by the State Department of Transportation. 4.7...Traffic Lanes The Board of Selectmen are hereby authorized to mark traffic lanes upon the roadway of any street or highway where a regular alignment of traffic is necessary. On State-aid and State highways, the authority of the Board of Selectmen is subject to State Department of Transportation approval. Article 5....Speed Regulation 5.1...State Speed Laws Applicable The State traffic laws regulating the speed of vehicles shall be applicable upon all streets within this municipality. 5.2...Regulation of Speed by Traffic Signals The Traffic Engineer is authorized, subject to State Department of Transportation and State Police approval, to regulate the timing of traffic signals so as to permit the movement of traffic in an orderly and safe manner at speeds slightly at variance from the speeds otherwise applicable with the district or at intersections and shall erect appropriate signs giving notice thereof. Article 6....Turning Movements 6.1...Authority to Place Devices Altering Normal Course for Turns The Traffic Engineer is authorized to place official traffic-control devices within or adjacent to intersections, and such course to be traveled as so indicated may conform to or be other than as prescribed by law. On State-aid and State highways, the authority of the Traffic Engineer is subject to State Department of Transportation approval and the Board of Selectmen. 6.2...Authority to Place Restricted Turn Signs The Traffic Engineer is hereby authorized to determine those intersections at which drivers of vehicles shall not make a right, left, or U-turn, and shall place proper signs at such intersections. The making of such turns may be prohibited between certain hours of any days and permitted at other hours, in which event the same shall be plainly indicated on the signs, or the signs may be removed when such turns are permitted. On State-aid and State highways, the authority of the Traffic Engineer is subject to State Department of Transportation approval and the Board of Selectmen. Article 7....One Way Streets and Alleys 7.1....Authority to Sign One Way Streets and Alleys Whenever any Ordinance of this municipality designates any one-way street or alley, the Traffic Engineer and the Board of Selectmen shall place and maintain signs giving notice thereof, and no such regulation shall be effective unless such signs are in place. Signs indicating the direction of lawful traffic movement shall be placed at every intersection where movement of traffic is prohibited. 7.2...One Way Streets and Alleys Upon those streets and parts of streets of streets and in those alleys so designated, vehicular traffic shall move only in the indicated direction when signs indicating the direction of traffic are erected and maintained at every intersection where movement in the opposite direction is prohibited. 7.3...State Approval On State-aid and State highways, installation of one way street signs is subject to State Department of Transportation approval. Article 8....Stop and Yield Intersections 8.1...Through Streets Designated Those streets and parts of streets described in Schedule 2 and made a part hereof, are hereby declared to be through streets for the purpose of this Section. 8.2...Signs Required at Through Streets Whenever this Ordinance designates and describes a through street, it shall be the duty of the Traffic Engineer and the Board of Selectmen to place and maintain a stop sign, or on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation at any intersection a yield sign, on each and every street intersecting such through street unless traffic at any such intersection is controlled at all times by traffic-controlled signals; provided, however, that at the intersection of through street and a heavy traffic street not so designated, stop signs shall be erected at the approaches of either of said streets as may be determined by the Traffic Engineer upon the basis of an engineering and traffic study. 8.3...Other Intersections Where Stop or Yield Required The Traffic Engineer is hereby authorized to determine and designate intersections where a particular hazard exists upon other than through streets and to determine: A. Whether vehicles shall stop at one or more entrances to any such intersection, in which event he shall cause to be erected a stop sign at every such place where a stop is required, or: B. Whether Vehicles shall yield the right-of-way to vehicles on a different street at such intersection, in which event he shall cause to be erected a yield sign at every place where obedience is required. 8.4...State Approval On State-aid and State highways, the designation of through streets and the installation of stop and yield signs are subject to State Department of Transportation approval. Article 9....Miscellaneous Driving Rules 9.1...Stop When Traffic Obstructed No driver shall enter an intersection or a marked crosswalk unless there is sufficient space on the other side of the intersection or sidewalk to accommodate the vehicle he is operating without obstructing the passage of other vehicles or pedestrians, notwithstanding any traffic-control signal to proceed. 9.2...Driving Through Funeral or other Procession No driver of a vehicle shall drive between the vehicles comprising a funeral or other authorized procession while they are in motion and when such vehicles are conspicuously designated as required in this Ordinance. This provision shall not apply at intersections where traffic is controlled by traffic control signals or police officers. 9.3...Funeral Processions to be Identified A funeral composed of a procession of vehicles shall be identified as such by a pennant or other identifying technique, i.e., headlights on, or by such other method as may be recommended by the patrol/traffic unit. 9.4...When Permits Required for Parades and Processions Any organized procession or parade except the Armed Forces of the United States, the military forces of this State, the Police Department and Fire Department, shall occupy, march or proceed along any way except in accordance with a permit issued by the Chief of police and such other regulations as are set forth herein may apply. 9.5...Boarding or Alighting from Vehicles No person shall board or alight from any vehicle while such vehicle is in motion. 9.6...Unlawful Riding No person shall ride in any vehicle, upon any portion thereof not designed or intended for the use of passengers. This provision shall not apply to any employee engaged in the necessary discharge of a duty or to persons riding within truck bodies in space intended for merchandise. Article 10....Pedestrian's Rights and Duties 10.1... Crossing at Right Angles Except where otherwise indicated by a crosswalk or other official traffic-control device, a pedestrian shall cross a roadway at right angles to the curb or by the shortest route to the opposite curb. 10.2...Prohibited Crossing In accordance with applicable State Law. 10.3...Drivers to Exercise Due Care to Pedestrians In accordance with applicable State Law. Article 11....Regulation for Bicycles 11.1...General No person shall ride or propel a bicycle upon any public street, highway or across any sidewalk except in a careful and prudent manner and at a reasonable rate of speed. Persons riding bicycles shall observe all traffic rules and regulations applicable thereto; signal for all turns, ride at the right hand side of any street or highway, pass only to the left when passing slow moving vehicles with the exception that a pass may be made to the right when slow moving vehicles are about to make left hand turns. No person shall operate or propel any bicycle without having at least one hand on the handlebars thereof. No person shall ride or propel a bicycle with any passenger where said bicycle is designed to carry only one person. No bicycle shall be used to carry more persons at one time than the number for which it is designated and equipped. No person riding or operating a bicycle shall hold on to any vehicle while said vehicle is in a moving motion. No person shall ride or propel a bicycle on any street or highway of the Town after dark unless the same shall be equipped with sufficient light, attached to the front of said bicycle, visible from the front of said bicycle, visible from the front thereof not less than 200 feet and properly lighted, nor without a rear taillight, or in lieu of, a reflector attached to and visible from the rear of said bicycle for a distance of 50 feet. No person shall ride or propel a bicycle upon any street or highway or access any sidewalk in the business district, abreast or to the left of any person so riding or propelling another bicycle. 11.2...Parking No person shall park a bicycle upon a street other than upon the roadway against the curb or upon the sidewalk in a rack to support the bicycle or against a building or at the curb, in such a manner as to afford the least obstruction to pedestrian traffic. 11.3...Riding on Sidewalks A. No person shall ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk within a business district. B. The Chief of Police is authorized to erect signs on any sidewalk or roadway prohibiting the riding of bicycles thereon by any person and when such signs are in place, no person shall disobey the same. C. Whenever any person is riding a bicycle upon a sidewalk, such person shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal before overtaking and passing such a pedestrian. 11.4...Removal of Numbers No person shall willfully or maliciously remove, destroy, mutilate or alter the number of any bicycle frame registered pursuant to this section. 11.5...Destruction of Stickers No person shall remove, destroy, mutilate or alter any registration sticker, seal or registration card during the time in which such sticker, seal or registration card is operative. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the Police Department from stamping numbers on the frames of bicycles on which no serial numbers can be found or on which the number is illegible or insufficient for identification purposes. 11.6...Fees There shall be no fee for bicycle registration. 11.7...Impoundment of Bicycles The Paris Police Department, or any member thereof, may impound and retain possession of any bicycle operated in violation of any of the provisions of this Ordinance. 11.8...Unclaimed Bicycles Any bicycle that has been in the possession of the Paris Police Department for a period of ninety (90) days, and is not claimed by the owner, will be disposed of by the direction of the Chief of Police of Paris. One item will be printed in the local newspaper(s) for one week prior to the disposal of said bicycle or bicycles giving a complete description of bicycle or bicycles, and that the said bicycles will be disposed of if not claimed by a given date. The Chief of Police will cause to have printed in the local newspaper a list of disposed bicycles, indicating description of bicycle and place of disposition, i.e., charity organization, etc. 11.9.Penalties Any person or person maliciously removing, destroying, mutilating or altering any registration card, fender stickers or seals during which time such registration cards, fender stickers or seals are operative, shall be summoned to the District Court, Paris on such; and if found guilty will be subject to a fine of not more than ten ($10.00). Any portion of this fine shall be used to reimburse the owner of said bicycle who may have suffered such loss of said bicycle. Any person of the age of seventeen (17) or over who violates any of the provisions of this Town Ordinance shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than ten dollars ($10.00). The Chief of Police, when satisfied that a juvenile under the age of seventeen (17) years has ridden a bicycle in violation of any of the provisions of this Ordinance, may impound the bicycle for a period not to exceed five (5) days for the first offense and for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days for any subsequent offense. Article 12..Angle Parking 12.1.Signs for Marking Indicating Angle Parking A. The Traffic Engineer and Board of Selectmen shall determine upon what streets angle parking shall be permitted and shall mark or sign such streets, but such angle parking shall not be indicated upon any State-Aid or State Highway within the municipality unless the State Department of Transportation has determined by resolution or order entered in its minutes that the roadway is of sufficient width to permit angle parking without interfering with the free movement of traffic. B. Angle parking shall not be indicated or permitted at any place where passing traffic would thereby be caused or required to drive upon the left side of the street. 12.2.Obedience to Angle Parking Signs or Markings On those streets which have been signed or marked by the Traffic Engineer and Board of Selectmen for angle parking, no person shall park or stand a vehicle other than at an angle to the curb or edge of the roadway indicated by such signs or markings. Article 13..Stopping, Standing, or Parking Prohibited in Specified Places 13.1.All Night Parking Prohibited Between the Dates of November 15th-April 15th No person shall park a vehicle on any street for a period of time longer than thirty (30) minutes between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. 13.2.Parking for Certain Purposes Prohibited No person shall park a vehicle upon any roadway for the principle purpose of: 1. Displaying such vehicle for sale. 2. Washing, greasing or repairing such vehicle except repair necessitated by an emergency within a reasonable time. 13.3.Parking Adjacent to Schools A. The Traffic Engineer and the Board of Selectmen is hereby authorized to erect signs indicating no parking upon either or both sides of any street adjacent to any school property when such parking would, in his opinion, interfere with traffic or create a hazardous situation. B. When official signs are erected indicating no parking upon either side of a street, adjacent to any school property as authorized herein, no person shall park a vehicle in any such designated space. 13.4.Parking Prohibited on Narrow Streets A. The Traffic Engineer and the Board of Selectmen is hereby authorized to erect signs indicating no parking upon any street when the width of the roadway does not exceed twenty (20) feet, or upon one side of a street as indicated by such signs when the width of the roadway does not exceed thirty (30) feet. B. When official signs prohibiting parking are erected upon narrow streets as authorized herein, no person shall park a vehicle upon any such street in violation of any such sign. 13.5...Standing or Parking on One-Way Streets The Traffic Engineer and the Board of Selectmen is authorized is authorized to erect signs upon the left-hand side of any one-way street to prohibit the standing or parking of vehicles, and when such signs are in place, no person shall stand or park a vehicle upon such left hand side in violation of any such sign. 13.6...Standing or Parking on One-Way Roadways In the event a highway includes two (2) or more separate roadways and traffic restricted to one direction upon any such roadway, no person shall stand or park a vehicle upon the left hand side of such one-way roadway unless signs are erected to permit such standing or parking. The Traffic Engineer is authorized to determine when standing or parking may be permitted upon the left-hand side of any such one-way roadway and to erect signs giving notice thereof. 13.7... No Stopping, Standing, or Parking Near Hazardous or Congested Places\ A. The Traffic Engineer and the Board of Selectmen is hereby authorized to determine and designate by proper signs placed not exceeding 100 feet apart in which the stopping, standing or parking of vehicles would create unusual delay to traffic. B. When official signs are erected at hazardous or congested places as authorized herein, no person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle in any such designated areas. Article 14....Stopping, Standing or Parking Restricted or Prohibited on Certain Streets 14.1... Application of this Article The provisions of this article prohibiting the standing or parking of a vehicle shall apply at all times or at those times herein specified or as indicated on official signs except when it is necessary to stop a vehicle to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a Police Officer or official traffic-control device. 14.2...Regulations not Exclusive The provisions of this article imposing a time limit on parking shall not relieve any person from the duty to observe other and more restrictive provisions prohibiting or limiting the stopping, standing or parking of vehicles in specified places or at specific times. 14.3...Parking Prohibited at All Times on Certain Streets When signs are erected in each block giving notice thereof, no person shall park a vehicle at any time upon any of the streets described in Schedule 4, and made a part of this Ordinance. 14.4...Parking Prohibited During Certain Hours on Certain Streets When signs are erected in each block giving notice thereof, no person shall park a vehicle between the hours specified in Schedule 5, or any day except Sundays and public holidays within the district or upon any of the streets described in said Schedule 5, and made part of this Ordinance. 14.5...Parking Time Limited on Certain Streets When signs are erected in each block giving notice thereof, no person shall park a vehicle for longer than two (2) hours at any time between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. of any day except Sundays within the district or upon any of the streets described in Schedule 6. 14.5A...Parking Time Limited on Certain Streets When signs are erected in each block giving notice thereof, no person shall park a vehicle for longer than one (1) hour at any time between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. of any day except Sundays within the district or upon any of the streets described in Schedule 6. 14.6...Parking Time Limited on Certain Streets When signs are erected in each block giving notice thereof, no person shall park a vehicle for longer than thirty (30) minutes at any time between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. of any day except Sundays within the district or upon any of the streets described in Schedule 7. 14.7...Parking Signs Required Whenever by this or any other Ordinance of this municipality, any parking is prohibited on designated streets, it shall be the duty of the Traffic Engineer to erect appropriate signs giving notice thereof and no such regulations shall be effective unless said signs are erected and in place at the time of any alleged offense. 14.8...Prohibited Parking Parking prohibited during snow emergency along routes designated as snow emergency routes by Traffic Engineer (Police Chief). Article 15....Regulating the Kinds of Classes of Traffic on Certain Highways 15.1...Commercial Vehicles prohibited for Using Certain Streets When signs are erected giving notice thereof, no person shall operate any commercial vehicle exceeding 20,000 pounds gross weight at any time upon any of the streets or parts of streets described in Schedule 8, made a part of the Ordinance, except that such vehicles may be operated thereon for the purpose of delivering or picking up materials or merchandise and then only by entering such street at the intersection nearest the destination of the vehicle and proceeding thereon no further than the nearest intersection thereafter. 15.2...State Approval On State-aid and State highway, the installation of signs is subject to State Department of Transportation approval. Article 16....Penalties 16.1...Penalties Unless other penalty is expressly provided by state law, every person found guilty of a violation of any provision of this Ordinance shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) and not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) for each offense; provided however, for parking violations, a person may elect in lieu of such penalty, to waive his right to a court appearance by paying the applicable parking ticket waiver fee listed below: 1. No Parking Zone........................................................ $10.00 2. Wrong Side of Street.................................................. $10.00 3. Too Close to Hydrant................................................. $25.00 4. Double Parking.......................................................... $15* 5. All Night Parking....................................................... $15.00 6. Blocking Driveway.................................................... $10.00 7. Parking in Crosswalk................................................. $15.00 8. Improper Parking....................................................... $10.00 9. Overtime Parking....................................................... $10.00 10. Parking in Designated Handicap Spaces................... $50.00 11. Other............................................................* 12. Snow Emergency....................................................... $25.* 13. Unreasonable Deposit-Snow/Ice................................ $50.00 14. Impeding Traffic........................................................ $10.00 15. Vehicular Trespassing................................................ $15.00 16. Fire Lane.................................................................* All fines and penalties collected under this Traffic Ordinance shall be paid into the Town treasury, and the Board of Selectmen are authorized to employ all such procedures authorized by law which they deem prudent to collect the same. 16.2...Obedience to Ordinance Required It shall be unlawful and in violation of this chapter for any person to cause, allow, or suffer any vehicle registered in the name of or operated by such person to do any act forbidden or fail to perform any act required in this Ordinance; provided, the fact that a vehicle is unlawfully parked shall be prima facie evidence of the unlawful parking of such vehicle by the person in whose name such vehicle is registered. Further, any vehicle parked in violation of this ordinance (whether because of length of time, place, or the manner in which said vehicle is parked) is declared to be an obstruction in such street or public way and a menace to the safe and proper regulation of traffic. 16.3...Obedience to Police, Fire Officials Required No person shall willfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction of a police officer or fire department official. 16.4...General Authority of Police, Fire Department Officials to Enforce Laws and Direct Traffic a) It shall be the duty of the officers of the police department or such officers as are assigned by the Chief of Police to enforce all street traffic laws of the Town and all of the state vehicle laws applicable to street traffic in the Town. b) Officers of the police department or such officers as are assigned by the Chief of police are hereby authorized to direct all traffic by voice, hand or signal in conformance with traffic laws; provided that in the event of fire or other emergency or to expedite traffic or to safeguard pedestrians, officers of the police department may direct traffic as conditions may require notwithstanding the provisions of the traffic laws. C) Officers of the fire department, when at the scene of a fire or similar public safely incident. may direct or assist the police in directing traffic or similar public safety incident in the immediate vicinity. 16.5... Town to provide books containing numbered citation forms; police chiefs duties regarding books. (a) The Town shall provide books or forms to include traffic citation forms for notifying alleged violators to appear and answer charges of violating traffic laws and ordinances in the district court. Such hooks may include serially numbered sets of citations in the form prescribed by the chief of police. (b) The chief of police shall be responsible for the issuance of such books to individual members of the police department. The chief shall require a written receipt for every book SO issued and shall maintain a record of every such book and each set of citations contained therein. 16.6...Procedure of police upon stopping alleged violator citation to specify violation. Except when authorized or directed under state law to immediately take a person before a magistrate or other court official for the violation of any traffic laws, a police officer who halts a person for such violation, other than for the purpose of giving him a warning or warning notice, and does not lake such person into custody under arrest, shall take such person's name, address, the operator's license number, the registered number of the motor vehicle involved and such other pertinent information as may be necessary. The officer shall then issue to such person in writing on the original form provided by the Town. a traffic citation containing a notice to answer to the charge against him in the district court as soon as practicable. after such alleged violation. The alleged violation shall he specified in this citation. 16.7... Duty to deposit copy of citation with superior officer: disposition of citation: chief to record disposition of charges, warrant; altering defacing citations, records. (a) Every police officer Upon issuing an original traffic citation to an alleged violator of any provision of the motor vehicle laws of this state or of any traffic ordinance of the city shall deposit the copy of the citation with his immediate Superior officer, who shall make a police blotter record of it. (b) The citation shall be disposed of in accordance with those laws of the state which govern the procedures in the district court. c) The chief of police shall also maintain or cause to he maintained in connection with every traffic citation issued by a member of the police department a record of the disposition of the charge by the district court or its traffic violations bureau. (d) The chief of police shall also maintain or cause to he maintained a record of all warrants issued by the district court or by any other court on traffic violation charges and which are delivered to the police department for service, and of the final disposition of all such warrants. 16.8...Removal of tickets, notices or citations from vehicles. No person shall remove from any vehicle a traffic law violation ticket, notice or citation placed on or in such vehicle by a police officer of the Town, except for the purpose of answering such notice or citation as required therein. 16.9 Police officer's duty upon finding illegally parked vehicle without driver. Whenever any motor vehicle without a driver is found parked or stopped in violation of any of the restrictions imposed by ordinance of the town or by state law, the officer finding such vehicle shall take its registration number and may take any other information displayed on the vehicle which may identify its user. and shall conspicuously affix to such vehicle a traffic citation, on a form provided by the Town. 16.10...Impoundment (a) Members of the police department are hereby authorized to remove a vehicle from a Street or highways to the nearest garage or other place of safety, or to a garage designated or maintained by the police department. or otherwise maintained by the town under the circumstances hereinafter enumerated: (1) When any vehicle is left unattended upon a bridge, viaduct or causeway, where such vehicle constitutes an obstruction to traffic; (2) When a vehicle upon a highway is so disabled as to constitute an obstruction to traffic and the person or persons in charge of the vehicle are by reason of physical injury incapacitated to such an extent as to he unable to provide for its custody of removal; (3) When a vehicle is parked in a manner obstructing snow removal (h) Whenever an officer removes a vehicle from a street as authorized in this section and the officer knows or is able to ascertain from the registration records in the vehicle the name and address of the owner thereof, such officer shall immediately give or cause to be given notice in writing to such owner of the fact of such removal the reasons therefor and the place to which such vehicle has been removed. In the event any such vehicle is stored in a public garage, a copy of such notice shall he given to the proprietor of such garage. (C) Whenever an officer removes a vehicle from a street under this section and does not know and is not able to ascertain the name of the owner, or for any other reason is unable to give the notice to the owner as hereinbefore provided, and in the event the vehicle is not returned to the owner within a period of three (3) days. then and in that event the officer shall immediately send or cause to he sent a written report of such removal by mail to the state department whose duty it is to register motor vehicles. and shall file a copy of such notice with the proprietor of any public garage in which the vehicle may he stored. Such notice shall include, a complete description of the vehicle, the date, time and place from which removed, the reasons her such removal and the name of the garage or place where the vehicle is stored. (d) In the event of any impoundment under this section, the owner of the vehicle must pay all outstanding charges assessed against him under this Traffic Ordinance: including, but not limited to, reasonable towing and impoundment fees. ARTICLE 17....MISCELLANEOUS 17. 1....Standing or parking close to the curb No person shall stand or park a vehicle in a roadway other than parallel with the edge of the roadway, headed in the direction of traffic, and with the curbside wheels of the vehicle within twelve (12) inches of the edge of the roadway, except as provided elsewhere in the Ordinance. 17. 2....Stopping, standing or parking prohibited in specified places No person shall stop, stand, park a vehicle, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic, when there exists an emergency, etc.. or in compliance with any direction of a Police Officer or traffic-control device, in any of the following places: 1. On a sidewalk 2. In front of a public or private driveway 3. Within ten (10) feet of a fire hydrant 4. On a crosswalk 5. Within twenty (20) feet of the near corner of the curbs at an intersection 6. Alongside or opposite any street excavation or obstruction when such stopping, standing or parking would obstruct traffic 7. On the roadway side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curl, of a street or double parked. so-called 8. Upon any bridge or other elevated structure upon a highway 9. At any place where official signs prohibit parking or slopping 10. Trespassing - Parking of vehicle by trespassing on private or Town-owned property is prohibited 11.Impeding Traffic - No vehicle shall he permitted to remain stationary within the limits of the street or public ways of the Town in such a manner as to constitute a traffic hazard or to impede or to obstruct the free movement of traffic thereon. 17.3 Emerging from a private driveway The driver of a vehicle emerging from a private driveway, automobile service station or building shall stop such vehicle immediately prior to driving onto the sidewalk and upon entering the roadway shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching on said roadway. 17.4 Motor Vehicles shall not he driven on the sidewalk The driver of any motor vehicle shall not drive within any sidewalk area except at a permanent or temporary driveway. 17.5 Clinging to moving vehicles Any person riding, clinging, or therefore being dragged upon any motorcycle, coaster, sled, skis, toboggan, roller skates, skateboard, or any toy vehicle shall not attach the same or him/herself to any moving vehicle upon any roadway. 17.6 Crossing fire hose No vehicle shall he driven over any unprotected hose of a Fire Department when laid down on any street or private driveway, to be used at any fire or alarm of fire, without the consent of the Fire Department official in command. 17.7... Unlawful parking No vehicle or combination of vehicles, except when permission of the Chief of Police is granted, in excess of twenty (20) feet in length shall remain parked in controlled or regulated parking areas prohibited in Schedules 5, 6 and 7 for more than twenty (20) minutes on any public way within the urban limits of the Town. 17.8... Loud, unusual or unnecessary noise No person shall operate a motor vehicle upon any street or way, or in any other place, so as to make a loud, unusual, unnecessary noise against the peace, quiet or good order of the Town. 17.9 The transportation of rubbish, refuse, ashes and other waste material No person shall operate or cause to be operated upon any public way a vehicle with a load, unless such load is fastened, secured, confined or loaded to prevent any possibility, reasonably to be anticipated, or any portion of said load from falling to the ground. The word "load' as used in this paragraph shall include, but shall not he limited to, paper, wood products, rubbish, refuse, ashes, garbage, or other waste material. 17.10 Unreasonable deposit of snow or ice Whoever unreasonably deposits or drops snow or ice within the traveled way of any highway, street, or roadway, or immediately adjacent to the travelway, so as to obstruct or potentially obstruct shoulders, ditches, culverts or catch basins, within the Town of Paris, except upon the written authority of the municipal officers, shall be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00). ARTICLE 18....EFFECT OF AND SHORT TITLE OF ORDINANCE 18. l....Application The provisions of this Ordinance relating to the operation of vehicles refer exclusively to the operation of vehicles upon highways except where a different place is specifically referred to in a given section. 18.2.... Uniformity of interpretation This Ordinance shall be so interpreted and construed as to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law of those local authorities which enact it. 18.3...Effect of headings Article and section headings contained herein shall not he deemed to govern, limit, modify or in any manner affect the scope, meaning or extent of the provisions of any Article or section hereof. 18. 4....Short title This Ordinance may he known and cited as the Paris Traffic Ordinance. 18.5.... Ordinance not retroactive This Ordinance shall not have a retroactive effect and shall not apply to any traffic accident or judgment arising therefrom, or to any violation of the motor vehicle Ordinance of this Town, occurring prior to the effective date of this Ordinance. 18.6.... Effect of partial invalidity If any part or parts of this Ordinance are for any reason held to he invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance. 18.7.... Publication of Ordinance The clerk shall certify to the passage of this Ordinance (and cause all or such parts hereof to be published as may be required by the Constitution and laws of this State). 18.8.... Repeal The (existing Ordinances covering the same matters as embraced in this Ordinance) are hereby repealed and all Ordinances or parts of Ordinances inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed. TRAFFIC ORDINANCE SCHEDULES Schedule 1 - Through Streets -none- Schedule 2 - Parking Prohibited a. One-Way Streets Market Square In front of Preb's Pharmacy Barrows Street Right side - entire length of street Church Street Left side - entire length of street b. Two-Way Streets Maple Street Eastbound - from Market Square for 60 feet Westbound - entire length of street Pine Street Eastbound - railroad crossing to the Junior High School Westbound - Market Square corner to the Junior High School Gothic Street Eastbound - crest of hill to High Street corner Westbound - High Street to Myrtle Street Park Street Northbound - Baptist Church parking lot to first driveway past the Post Office Schedule 3 - Parking Prohibited Certain Hours - none- Schedule 4 - Two Hour Parking Zones Market Square all spaces from Church Street to High Street all spaces from Main Street Fire Station entrance to Barrows Street Schedule 4a - Three Hour Parking Zones Market Square spaces from Maple Street to Bolsters parking lot Schedule 5 - One Hour Parking Zones -none- Schedule 6 - One-Half Hour Parking Zones -none- Schedule 7 - Weight Limit Streets Brett Hill Road Christian Ridge Road Durgin Road East Oxford Road Ellingwood Road Elm Hill Road Halls Pond Road Hooper Ledge Road King Hill Road Military Road Nichol Street Mt. Mica Road Oxford Street Paris Hill Road Parsons Road Reservoir Road Streaked Mountain Road Stock Farm Road Sumner Road Swallow Road Thayer Road Twitchell Road Upper Swallow Road Schedule 9 - Coasters, Rollerskates, Skateboards, etc. Prohibited Route 26 Route 117 Route 119 High Street Park Street Paris Hill Road
