[Amended 6-5-2014]
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. All signage and crosswalks shall
comply with the latest Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)
Standards and Massachusetts MUTCD Amendments.
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 sign 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 authorized emergency vehicle 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 cross the roadway only as provided
in these regulations.
Traffic control signal color indications and
legends shall have the commends ascribed to them in this section and
no other meanings, and every pedestrian shall comply therewith, except
when otherwise directed by an officer.
A.
Red and yellow or the word "Walk." Whenever the red
and yellow lenses are illuminated together or 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, 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, red or 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, yellow or flashing green indication
is being given facing a crosswalk, pedestrians shall actuate, where
provided, the pedestrian signal indication and 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 the 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 edge of roadway shall proceed immediately to
the sidewalk or edge of roadway adjacent to 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.
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.
It shall be unlawful for any person while upon
any street or the right-of-way of any street, to endeavor by words,
gestures or otherwise, to beg, invite or secure transportation in
any motor vehicle not engaged in passenger carrying for hire, unless
said person knows the driver thereof or any passengers therein, provided
that nothing in this section shall prohibit the solicitation of aid
in the event of accidents, or by persons who are sick or seeking assistance
for the sick and provided, furthermore, that the exception for sickness
shall apply only in case of bona fide sickness in which an emergency
exists.
These pedestrian control regulations shall be
enforced by all officers of the City on and after September 3, 1973.
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.
A.
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.
B.
Any person convicted of a violation of any other provisions
of these regulations relative to the operation of vehicles shall be
punished by a fine not exceeding $20 for each offense.
