Township of Plainsboro, NJ Article XI Traffic Controls for Street and Highway Construction and Maintenance Operations

[Added 9-14-1987 by Ord. No. 0-87-20]

§ 96-26 Adoption of Manual.

A. The Township Committee finds and declares that problems of traffic control occur when traffic must be moved through or around road or street construction, maintenance operations and utility work, above or below ground which requires blocking the roadway or obstructing the normal flow of traffic; and that such obstructions are or can become dangerous when not properly controlled. In order to better promote the public health, safety, peace and welfare, it is necessary to establish controls and regulations directed to the safe and expeditious movement of traffic through construction and maintenance zones and to provide safety for the work forces performing these operations.

B. The Township of Plainsboro, in the County of Middlesex, State of New Jersey, does hereby adopt the current Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, 1978 Edition, and all supplements and amendments thereto, hereafter known as "MUTCD" except as hereby supplemented and amended, as it controls and regulates whenever construction, maintenance operations or utility work obstructs the normal flow of traffic. Any person, contractor or utility who fails to comply with the provisions of MUTCD while performing such work is in violation of this article.

§ 96-27 Preconstruction meeting.

A. It shall be the responsibility of the person, contractor or public utility, wishing to conduct work on, under, above or along a public right-of-way, to contact the Traffic Safety Officer of the Plainsboro Township Police Department in order to arrange a preconstruction meeting to submit plans for the safe movement of traffic during such period of work. Any person, contractor or utility who fails to comply with this section prior to the start of such work or whose plans are not approved by the Traffic Safety Officer of the Plainsboro Township Police Department is in violation of this section.

B. Public utilities conducting routine maintenance work need not comply with the preconstruction meeting requirement.

§ 96-28 Emergency contact phone numbers.

The person, contractor or utility shall provide the traffic Safety Officer with at least two emergency contact phone numbers to be called in case of emergency problems at the construction or maintenance site prior to the start of any work. If, for any reason, emergency contacts cannot be reached or if the emergency contact person does not respond within a reasonable period of time to a call from the Police Department to correct a hazardous condition, the Township may respond to correct such hazardous condition. The reasonable fees for such emergency services by the Township shall be charged to the person, contractor or utility responsible for such condition.

§ 96-29 Time limits.

A. There shall be no construction, maintenance operations or utility work under, above, on or along any public right-of-way in the Township before the hour of 9:00 a.m. or after the hour of 4:00 p.m. or on weekends or holidays.

B. This time limit may be adjusted or modified by the Traffic Safety Officer to permit work before 9:00 am. or after 4:00 p.m. or on weekends or holidays, if it is determined by the Traffic Safety Officer that the construction or maintenance operations would not substantially delay or hinder traffic or cause a safety or health hazard.

§ 96-30 Road closings and detours.

Road closings and/or traffic detours shall not be permitted unless approved by the Traffic Safety Officer of the Plainsboro Township Police Department.

§ 96-31 Traffic directors.

Traffic directors shall be posted at all construction or maintenance sites when determined by the Traffic Safety Officer that same are necessary to provide for the safe and expeditious movement of traffic and pedestrians.

§ 96-32 Stop work.

The Traffic Safety Officer of the Plainsboro Township Police Department shall have the authority to stop work, including the removal of equipment and vehicles, stored material within the street right-of-way, backfilling of open excavations and/or other work, in order to abate any nuisance, traffic delay and/or safety hazard or for any violation of this article.

§ 96-33 Emergency repair work.

A. In the case of emergency repair work where the construction, maintenance operations or emergency utility work must be performed that will obstruct, interfere or detour traffic on any roadway within the Township, the person, contractor or utility performing such operation shall notify the Plainsboro Township Police Department of such emergency operation. The person, contractor or utility shall disclose the nature of the emergency, location and hours of operation.

B. All emergency construction and maintenance operations shall be performed with full regard to safety and to keep traffic interference to a minimum. During such emergency repair work, the person, contractor or utility shall comply with the provisions of the MUTCD.

§ 96-34 Violations and penalties.

A. Any person, contractor or utility who commits a violation of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, for a first offense pay a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500; for a second offense, upon conviction thereof, pay a fine of not less than $250; and for a third or subsequent offense, upon conviction thereof, pay a fine of not less than $500.

B. A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.