§ 73.01 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 the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle in this chapter.

(Prior Code, § 15-301)

§ 73.02 NECESSITY OF SIGNS.

No provision of the chapter 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. Whenever 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.

(Prior Code, § 15-302)

§ 73.03 INTERFERENCE WITH DEVICES, OR SIGNS OR SIGNALS.

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.

(Prior Code, § 15-303) Penalty, see § 10.99

§ 73.04 PRESUMPTION OF LEGALITY.

(A) Whenever official traffic-control devices are placed in position approximately conforming to the requirements of this chapter, such devices shall be presumed to have been so placed by the official act or direction of lawful authority, unless the contrary shall be established by competent evidence.

(B) Any official traffic-control device placed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and purporting to conform to the lawful requirements pertaining to such devices shall be presumed to comply with the requirements of this chapter, unless the contrary shall be established by competent evidence.

(Prior Code, § 15-304)

§ 73.05 RATIFICATION OF EXISTING DEVICES.

All traffic-control signs, signals, devices, and markings placed or erected prior to the adoption of this chapter and in use for the purpose of regulating, warning, or guiding traffic are hereby affirmed, ratified, and declared to be official traffic-control devices, provided such traffic-control devices are not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter or state law.

(Prior Code, § 15-305)

§ 73.06 TRAFFIC-CONTROL SIGNAL LEGEND.

Whenever traffic is controlled by traffic-control signals exhibiting different colored lights, or colored lighted arrows, successively one at a time or in combination, only the colors green, red, and yellow shall be used, except for special pedestrian signals carrying a word legend. These lights shall indicate appropriate action and apply to drivers of vehicles and pedestrians as provided by applicable state law.

(Prior Code, § 15-306)

§ 73.07 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 through the intersection or past such signal only with caution. This section shall not apply at railroad grade crossings, which are governed by 47 O.S. § 11-701.

(Prior Code, § 15-307)

§ 73.08 DRIVING WITHIN TRAFFIC LANES.

(A) Where traffic lanes have been marked, it shall be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle to fail or refuse to keep such vehicle within the boundaries of any such lane, except when lawfully passing another vehicle or preparatory to making a lawful turning movement or otherwise authorized by ordinance.

(B) Whenever any roadway has been divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic, the following rules, in addition to all others consistent herewith, shall apply.

(1) A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane, and shall not be moved from such lane until the driver has first ascertained that such movement can be made with safety and then given a signal, not less than the last 100 feet traveled by the vehicle, of his or her intention to switch lanes.

(2) Upon a roadway which is divided into three lanes, a vehicle shall not be driven in the center lane except when overtaking and passing another vehicle where the roadway is clearly visible and such center lane is clear of traffic within a safe distance, or in preparation for a left turn, or where such center lane is at the time allocated exclusively to traffic moving in the direction the vehicle is proceeding and is signposted to give notice of such allocation.

(3) Official signs may be erected directing slow-moving traffic to use a designated lane or designating those lanes to be used by traffic moving in a particular direction, regardless of the center of the roadway, and drivers of vehicles shall obey the directions of every such sign.

(Prior Code, § 15-308) Penalty, see § 10.99

§ 73.09 ONE-WAY STREETS, ALLEY DESIGNATION.

(A) (1) Whenever any ordinance or resolution of the town designates any one-way street or alley the appropriate town personnel shall place and maintain signs giving notice thereof, and no such regulation shall be effective unless the signs are in place.

(2) Signs indicating the direction of lawful traffic movement shall be placed at every intersection where movement of traffic in the opposite direction is prohibited.

(B) Upon those streets and parts of streets and in those alleys designated as one-way streets or alleys, 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.

(Prior Code, § 15-309)

§ 73.10 DESIGNATION OF THROUGH STREETS.

The Board of Trustees, by motion or resolution, may designate any street or part of a street a through street.

(Prior Code, § 15-310)

§ 73.11 SIGNS AT THROUGH STREETS.

Whenever a through street is designated by the Board of Trustees, the appropriate town personnel shall be directed 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-control signals.

(Prior Code, § 15-311)

§ 73.12 PROCEDURE AT STOP SIGNS.

(A) Except when directed to proceed by a police officer or traffic-control signal, every driver of a vehicle approaching a stop intersection indicated by a stop sign shall stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, in the event there is no crosswalk, shall stop at a clearly marked stop line, but if none, then at the point nearest the intersecting roadway where the driver has a view of approaching traffic on the intersecting roadway before entering the intersection.

(B) After having stopped at a stop sign, the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle which has entered the intersection from another street or which is approaching so closely on the street as to constitute an immediate hazard, but the driver having so yielded may proceed and the drivers of all other vehicles approaching the intersection shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle so proceeding.

(Prior Code, § 15-312)

§ 73.13 PROCEDURE AT YIELD SIGNS.

(A) The driver of a vehicle approaching a yield sign, if required for safety to stop, shall stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, in the event there is no crosswalk, the driver shall stop at a clearly marked stop line or, if no stop line, then at the point nearest the intersecting roadway where the driver has a view of approaching traffic on the intersecting roadway.

(B) The driver approaching a yield sign shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian legally crossing the roadway on which he or she is driving, and to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another highway so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard.

(C) The driver having so yielded may proceed and the drivers of all other vehicles approaching the intersection shall yield to the vehicle so proceeding, provided, however, that if such driver is involved in a collision with a pedestrian in a crosswalk or vehicle in the intersection after driving past a yield sign without stopping, such collision shall be deemed prima facie evidence of his or her failure to yield right-of-way.

(Prior Code, § 15-313)

§ 73.14 STOP REQUIRED AT RAILROAD CROSSINGS.

Whenever the driver of a vehicle approaches a railroad grade crossing in the town, the driver of such vehicle shall bring such vehicle to a stop not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail of such railroad track, and while so stopped, shall both look and listen in both directions along such track for approaching railway traffic, and shall not proceed until he or she can do so safely. The foregoing requirements shall apply when:

(A) A train approaching within approximately 1,500 feet of the grade crossing emits an signal audible from such distance and such train, by reason of its speed or nearness to such crossing, is an immediate hazard;

(B) An approaching train is plainly visible and is in hazardous proximity to such crossing; or

(C) A stop sign has been erected at any such crossing.

(Prior Code, § 15-314)

§ 73.15 BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

The Town Board of Trustees, by resolution, shall have authority to place and maintain traffic control devices, signs, and signals as required under the traffic ordinances of the town to make effective the provisions of such ordinances, and shall have authority to place and maintain such additional traffic control signs, signals, and devices as it may deem necessary to regulate traffic under the traffic ordinances of the town or under any state law or to guide or warn traffic.

(Prior Code, § 15-315)

§ 73.16 COMPLIANCE WITH STATE REGULATIONS.

(A) All traffic control signs, signals, and devices shall conform to the manual of uniform traffic control devices approved by the State Department of Public Safety.

(B) All signs, signals, and devices required hereunder for a particular purpose shall so far as practicable be uniform as to type and relative location throughout the town.

(C) All traffic control devices erected and not inconsistent with the provisions of state law or this chapter shall be official traffic control devices.

(Prior Code, § 15-316)