[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Selectmen
(now Select Board) of the Town of Southborough 3-12-1974. Amendments noted where applicable.]
Pedestrians shall obey the direction of police
officers directing traffic, and whenever there is an officer directing
traffic, a traffic control signal or a marked crosswalk within 300
feet of a pedestrian, no such pedestrian shall cross a way or roadway
except within the limits of a marked crosswalk and as hereinafter
provided in these regulations. For the purpose of these regulations,
a marked crosswalk shall only be construed to be that area of a roadway
reserved for pedestrian crossing located between two solid white reflectorized
twelve-inch pavement markings in rural areas or markings not less
than six inches wide in urban areas, said markings or lines being
no less than six feet apart.
A.
At a traffic control signal location where pedestrian
indications are provided but which are shown only upon actuation by
means of a pedestrian push button, no pedestrian shall cross a roadway
unless or until the pedestrian control signal push button has been
actuated, and then cross only on the proper pedestrian signal indication.
At traffic control signal locations where no pedestrian indication
is provided, pedestrians shall cross only on the green indication.
If necessary, the green indication shall be actuated by the pedestrian
by means of a push button.
B.
At a traffic control signal location, pedestrians
shall yield the right-of-way to vehicles of a funeral or other procession
or to authorized emergency vehicles while in performance of emergency
duties regardless of the signal indication given, and they shall not
attempt to cross the roadway until such vehicles or procession has
passed, at which time pedestrians shall then cross the roadway only
as provided in these regulations.
Traffic control signal color indications and
legends shall have the commands ascribed to them in this section and
no other meanings, and every pedestrian shall comply therewith, except
when otherwise directed by an officer.
A.
The word "walk." Whenever the single word "walk" is
illuminated, pedestrians facing such indication may proceed across
the roadway and in the direction of such signal only.
B.
Red alone or "don't walk," Whenever the words "don't
walk" or any indication other than red and yellow shown together are
illuminated in a traffic control signal where pedestrian indications
are provided, pedestrians approaching or facing such indication shall
wait on the sidewalk, the edge of the roadway or in the pedestrian
refuge area of a traffic island and shall not enter upon or cross
a roadway until the proper indication is illuminated in the traffic
control signal, but any pedestrian who has partially completed his
crossing on the "walk" indication shall proceed or return to the nearest
sidewalk or safety island on the yellow indication, the red indication
or when the words "don't walk" are illuminated by rapid intermittent
flashes.
C.
Green alone. At traffic control signal locations where
no pedestrian indication is given or provided, pedestrians facing
the signal may proceed across the roadway within any marked crosswalk
in the direction of the green indication.
D.
Yellow alone, red alone or flashing "don't walk."
Pedestrians approaching or facing a yellow illuminated indication,
a red illuminated indication or a flashing "don't walk" illuminated
indication shall not start to cross a roadway.
E.
Flashing red, yellow or green. At any traffic control
signal location where a flashing red, flashing yellow or flashing
green indication is being given facing a crosswalk, pedestrians shall
actuate, where provided, the pedestrian signal indication and shall
cross the roadway only on the red, yellow or "walk" indication when
such indication is in operation. If no pedestrian signal is provided,
pedestrians shall cross within crosswalks with due care.
A.
No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a sidewalk or safety
island and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close
that it is impossible for the driver to yield the right-of-way.
B.
Pedestrians shall, at all times, attempt to cross
a roadway using the right half of crosswalks.
C.
Where sidewalks are provided, it shall be unlawful
for any pedestrian to walk along and upon an adjacent roadway whenever
the sidewalk is open to pedestrian use.
D.
Where sidewalks are not provided, any pedestrian walking
along and upon a highway shall, when practicable, walk only on the
left side of the roadway, on its unfinished shoulder, facing traffic
which may approach from the opposite direction.
E.
Persons alighting from the roadway side of any vehicle
parked at the curb or the edge of the roadway shall proceed immediately
to the sidewalk or the edge of the roadway adjacent to the vehicle
and shall cross the roadway only as authorized by these regulations.
F.
It shall be unlawful for any person to actuate a pedestrian
control signal or to enter a marked crosswalk unless a crossing of
the roadway is intended.
Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point
other than within a marked crosswalk shall yield the right-of-way
to all vehicles upon the roadway. At a point where a pedestrian tunnel
or overpass has been provided, pedestrians shall cross the roadway
only by the proper use of the tunnel or overpass.
The provisions of these regulations shall in
no way abrogate the provisions of MGL c. 90, §§ 14
and 14A, which provide "Precautions for Safety of Other Travelers"
and for the "Protection of Blind Persons Crossing Ways." Furthermore,
notwithstanding the provisions of these regulations, every operator
of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian
upon the roadway and shall give warning by sounding the horn when
necessary and shall exercise proper precautions which may become necessary
for safe operation.
No person shall stand in a roadway for the purpose
of soliciting a ride, employment or business from the operator or
occupant of any vehicle without the written permission of the board
or officer having control of such roadway or highway.
These pedestrian control regulations shall be
enforced by all officers of the Town of Southborough on and after
March 12, 1974.
The provisions of these rules and regulations
governing the use of ways by pedestrians shall not apply to pedestrians
actually engaged in work upon a roadway closed to travel or under
construction or repair, to municipal, state, federal or public service
corporation employees while in the performance of their duties, to
officers engaged in the performance of their public duties or to pedestrians
acting in an emergency when such emergency necessitates departure
from any part of these rules and regulations.
Any person who violates the provisions of this
Article which deal with the proper use of ways by pedestrians shall
be punished as provided in MGL c. 90, § 18A.
All existing rules and regulations governing
the operation of vehicles or the use of ways by pedestrians which
are inconsistent herewith are hereby expressly repealed. This repeal
shall not, however, affect any punishment or penalty imposed or any
complaint or prosecution pending at the time of passage hereof for
any offense committed under any of said rules and regulations hereby
repealed.
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause
or phrase of these rules and regulations is for any reason unconstitutional,
such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion
of these rules and regulations. The Select Board of the Town of Southborough
hereby declare that they would have passed these rules and regulations
and each section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase thereof,
irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections,
sentences, clauses or phrases is declared unconstitutional.
