Article 20-4 . TRAFFIC-CONTROL DEVICES

ARTICLE IV. TRAFFIC-CONTROL DEVICES¹

20-120 Obedience required.

The driver of any vehicle shall obey the instructions of any official traffic-control device placed in accordance with this chapter and other traffic ordinances or resolutions of the traffic commission, unless otherwise directed by a police officer.

(Rev. Ords. 1962, § 5165)

20-121 Traffic-control signals generally.

Whenever traffic is controlled by a traffic-control signal exhibiting the words "Go," "Caution" or "Stop" or exhibiting different colored lights successively one at a time, or with arrows, the following colors only shall be used and the terms and light shall indicate and apply to drivers of vehicles, except when otherwise directed by a police officer, and subject to the right-of-way of emergency vehicles, as follows:

(a) Green alone or "Go": Vehicular traffic facing the signal may proceed straight through or turn right or left unless a lane-use sign, turn prohibition sign, lane marking, roadway design, separate turn signal indications, or other traffic-control device at that place prohibits such movement. But vehicular traffic, including vehicles turning right or left, shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within an associated crosswalk and to other vehicles lawfully within the intersection when the signal is exhibited. In addition, vehicular traffic turning left shall yield the right-of-way to other vehicles approaching from the opposite direction so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time when such turning vehicle is moving across or within the intersection.

(b) Steady yellow alone: Vehicular traffic facing the signal is thereby warned that the related green movement or the related flashing arrow movement is being terminated or that a steady red or "Stop" signal will be exhibited immediately thereafter and the vehicular traffic, except such vehicles lawfully within the intersection, shall not enter or be crossing the intersection when the red or "Stop" signal is exhibited.

(c) Steady red alone or "Stop": Vehicular traffic facing the signal, unless entering the intersection to make another movement permitted by another signal indication, shall stop at a clearly marked stop line; but if there is no stop line, traffic shall stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection and shall remain standing until green or "Go" is shown alone.

(d) Steady red with green arrow: Vehicular traffic facing the signal may cautiously enter the intersection only to make the movement indicated by the arrow and shall yield to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.

(e) Turn on red after stop: Except when a traffic-control device is in place prohibiting a turn on red or a steady red arrow signal indication is displayed, vehicular traffic facing a steady red signal may cautiously enter the intersection to make the turn indicated by such sign after stopping as required by subsection (c) of this section. Such vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within the adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection. The right to proceed with the turn shall be subject to the rules applicable after making a stop at a STOP sign.

(Rev. Ords. 1962, § 5201; Ord. of 11-19-73; Reg. of 2-17-21(b), eff. 6-16-21)

State law reference—Similar provisions, 23 V.S.A. § 1054.

20-122 Flashing signals.

Whenever an illuminated flashing red or yellow signal is used in a traffic sign or signal it shall require obedience by vehicular traffic as follows:

(a) Flashing red (stop signal): When a red lens is illuminated with rapid intermittent flashes, drivers of vehicles shall stop before entering the nearest crosswalk at an intersection or at a limit line when marked, or, if none, then before entering the intersection, and the right to proceed shall be subject to the rules applicable after making a stop at a stop sign.

(b) Flashing yellow (caution signal): When a yellow lens is illuminated with rapid intermittent flashes, drivers of vehicles may proceed only with caution.

(Rev. Ords. 1962, § 5201)

State law reference—Similar provisions, 23 V.S.A. § 1053.

20-123 Unauthorized signs, signals or markings.

(a) No person shall place, maintain or display upon or in view of any highway any unauthorized sign, signal, marking or device which purports to be or is an imitation of or resembles an official traffic-control device or railroad sign or signal, 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 or any railroad sign or signal, and no person shall place or maintain, nor shall there be permitted upon any highway, any traffic sign or signal bearing thereon any commercial advertising. This shall not be deemed to prohibit the erection, upon private property adjacent to highways, of signs giving useful directional information and of a type that cannot be mistaken for official signs.

(b) Every such prohibited sign, signal or marking is hereby declared to be a public nuisance, and the chief of police is hereby empowered to remove the same or cause it to be removed without notice.

20-124 Damaging signs or devices.

It shall be unlawful for any person willfully to deface, injure, move or obstruct or interfere with any official traffic sign or device.

(Rev. Ords. 1962, § 5204)

20-125 Bicycle-specific traffic-control signals.

For the purposes of this article, the term "bicycle" shall refer to and include bicycles, motor-assisted bicycles, and motor-assisted micromobility devices.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 20-121, wherever there exists a bicycle traffic-control signal, persons riding a bicycle shall obey the instructions of any official bicycle traffic-control device, instead of traffic-control device for vehicles.

(b) Bicycle-Specific Traffic-Control Signals Legend: Whenever bicycle traffic is controlled by bicycle traffic-control signals exhibiting different colored bicycle symbols successively, or with arrows, the following colors and signals shall be used and shall indicate and apply to persons riding bicycles, except when otherwise directed by a police officer, and subject to the right-of-way of emergency vehicles, as follows:

(1) Green bicycle signal: Persons riding bicycles facing this signal may proceed straight through or turn right or left unless a sign at that place prohibits either turn; provided, that the bicyclists are not in conflict with any simultaneous motor vehicle movements at the signalized location; and further provided, that the bicycle movement is not modified by lane-use signs, turn prohibition signs, pavement markings, separate turn signal indications, or other traffic-control devices. But persons riding bicycles, including persons riding bicycles turning right or left, shall yield the right-of-way to other persons riding bicycles and pedestrians lawfully within the intersection when the signal is exhibited.

(2) Yellow bicycle signal: A steady yellow bicycle signal indication shall be displayed following a green bicycle signal indication or a green arrow in the same signal face. Persons riding bicycles facing this signal are thereby warned that the red signal will be exhibited immediately thereafter and bicycle traffic and shall not enter or be crossing the intersection when the red or "Stop" signal is exhibited, unless stopping before entering the intersection may not be made in safety. The yellow bicycle indication shall be followed by a red bicycle signal indication.

(3) Red bicycle signal: Persons riding bicycles facing the signal shall come to a complete stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection and shall remain standing until green bike signal is shown.

(4) Right turn after stopping for red bicycle signal: Persons riding bicycles facing a steady red bike signal, unless otherwise indicated by official signage, may, after coming to a complete stop as required by subsection (b)(3) of this section, cautiously enter the intersection to make an indicated right turn. Such persons riding bicycles shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within the adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection. Turning after stopping is permitted as stated, except that bicyclists positioned to the left of adjacent motor vehicle traffic on the same approach shall be prohibited from turning right on red, and bicyclists positioned to the right of adjacent motor vehicle traffic on the same approach shall be prohibited from turning left on red.

(Reg. of 2-17-21(b), eff. 6-16-21)

20-126 Bicycle use of pedestrian-control signals.

Notwithstanding Section 20-121, and where there are no bicycle traffic-control signals, persons riding a bicycle may utilize pedestrian-control signals instead of vehicular traffic-control signals as follows:

(a) Persons riding a bicycle facing a "steady red alone" or "Stop" signal shall come to a complete stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection, and shall remain stopped until either a "Walk" pedestrian-control signal or a "green alone," "green arrow," or "Go" traffic signal.

(b) Persons riding a bicycle proceeding through an intersection as described in subsection (a) of this section shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian lawfully within the adjacent crosswalk.