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State Law reference: Signs, signals and markings, MGL, c.
85, §§ 1, 2, 21A.
Official traffic-control signals, signs and devices shall be
installed, operated and maintained in accordance with permit or permits
issued by the Department of Public Works of the commonwealth and in
conformity with this chapter at such place or places as the City Council
may determine.
No driver of any vehicle shall disobey the instructions of any
official traffic-control signal, sign, device or marking, unless otherwise
directed by a police officer.
[Ord. of 9-12-1978; Ord. of 11-27-1979; Ord. of 10-27-1987; Ord. of 12-24-2002; Ord. of 4-23-2019]
Crosswalks, bike lanes, traffic lanes, loading zones, bus stops
and taxicab stands shall be authorized, designated and established
by the City Council. It may also authorize, designate and establish
parking spaces that are restricted to use solely by those vehicles
owned and driven by a disabled veteran or by a handicapped person
and bearing the distinctive number plates authorized by Section 2
of Chapter 90 of the Massachusetts General Laws or for any vehicle
transporting a handicapped person displaying the special parking identification
plate authorized by said Section 2 of Chapter 90.
The Commissioner of Public Works shall place, erect and maintain
or cause to be placed, erected and maintained all traffic-control
signals, signs and devices, and mark and maintain or cause to be marked
and maintained by official devices, markings, letterings and lines
upon the surface of the street or highway, all crosswalks, traffic
lanes, loading zones, parking areas and designations, authorized by
the City Council in conformity with this chapter.
[8-10-1965, § 2]
No provision of this chapter for which signs are required shall
be enforceable against an alleged violator if, at the time and place
of the alleged violation, the sign herein required is not in proper
position and sufficiently legible to be seen by an ordinarily observant
person. Unless otherwise expressly provided, signs shall not be required
to give notice of any provision of this chapter.
Section 13-31 pertaining to authority of police and Section 13-31 pertaining to left turns and Sections 13-49, 13-50 and 13-53 to 13-55 pertaining to parking, Section 13-34 to throughways, Section 13-42 to location of stop signs, and Section 13-37 pertaining to turning movements shall be effective only during such time as official signs are erected and maintained in each block designating the provisions of such sections and located so as to be clearly visible to approaching drivers.
Section 13-43 pertaining to one-way streets shall be effective only during such time as a sufficient number of official signs are erected and maintained in each of the exits for each one-way street, so that at least one sign will be clearly visible for a distance of at least 75 feet to drivers approaching such an exit.
It shall be unlawful for any person to place, maintain or display
upon or in view of any street any unofficial signal, sign, device,
curb marking or street marking which purports to be or is an imitation
of or resembles an official traffic signal, sign, device, curb marking
or street marking or which attempts to direct the movement of traffic
or which hides from view any official signal, sign, device or marking.
The Police Department shall remove every such prohibited signal, sign,
device, or marking or cause it to be removed without notice.
