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H.B. 316 Enrolled

             1     

TRAFFIC AMENDMENTS

             2     
2013 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Johnny Anderson

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Stephen H. Urquhart

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill amends provisions relating to the Traffic Code.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    provides that a governing body of a city or town may not prohibit or regulate certain
             13      conduct on a highway if the prohibition or regulation is inconsistent with or
             14      conflicts with any provision in Title 41, Chapter 6a, Traffic Code;
             15          .    prohibits a local highway authority from enacting an ordinance that:
             16              .    is inconsistent with the provisions of Title 41, Chapter 6a, Traffic Code; or
             17              .    prohibits the use of a bicycle on any public street or highway, except as allowed
             18      under current law, without having first documented that the local highway
             19      authority has reviewed the safety history of the highway and considered other
             20      reasonable alternatives, including signage and routes, and clearly marks a safe
             21      alternative route for the prohibited section of highway;
             22          .    until July 1, 2014, and for an operator of a motorcycle, moped, or bicycle who is 16
             23      years of age or older, establishes an affirmative defense to a red light or red arrow
             24      violation for the operator of a motorcycle, moped, or bicycle in certain
             25      circumstances; and
             26          .    makes technical corrections.
             27      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             28          None
             29      Other Special Clauses:


             30          None
             31      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             32      AMENDS:
             33          10-8-69, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             34          41-6a-208, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2012, Chapter 396
             35          41-6a-305, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 2
             36     
             37      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             38          Section 1. Section 10-8-69 is amended to read:
             39           10-8-69. Conduct that interferes with or impedes traffic.
             40          [They] (1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), the governing body of a city or town
             41      may prohibit or regulate [the] conduct on a highway or sidewalk if the conduct interferes with
             42      or impedes traffic, including:
             43          (a) rolling [of hoops,] a hoop;
             44          (b) playing [of] ball[,];
             45          (c) flying [of kites,] a kite;
             46          (d) riding [of bicycles or tricycles,] a bicycle or tricycle; or
             47          (e) any other [amusements or practices having a tendency to annoy persons passing in
             48      the streets or on sidewalks, or to frighten teams of horses, or to interfere with traffic] conduct
             49      or activity that interferes with traffic.
             50          (2) A governing body of a city or town may not prohibit or regulate conduct under
             51      Subsection (1) if the prohibition or regulation is inconsistent with or conflicts with any
             52      provision in Title 41, Chapter 6a, Traffic Code.
             53          Section 2. Section 41-6a-208 is amended to read:
             54           41-6a-208. Regulatory powers of local highway authorities -- Traffic-control
             55      device affecting state highway -- Necessity of erecting traffic-control devices.
             56          (1) As used in this section:
             57          (a) (i) "Ground transportation vehicle" means a motor vehicle used for the


             58      transportation of persons, used in ride or shared ride, on demand, or for hire transportation of
             59      passengers or baggage over public highways.
             60          (ii) "Ground transportation vehicle" includes a:
             61          (A) shared ride vehicle;
             62          (B) bus;
             63          (C) courtesy vehicle;
             64          (D) hotel vehicle;
             65          (E) limousine;
             66          (F) minibus;
             67          (G) special transportation vehicle;
             68          (H) specialty vehicle;
             69          (I) taxicab;
             70          (J) van; or
             71          (K) trailer being towed by a ground transportation vehicle.
             72          (b) "Idle" means the operation of a vehicle engine while the vehicle is stationary or not
             73      in the act of performing work or its normal function.
             74          (2) The provisions of this chapter do not prevent a local highway authority for a
             75      highway under its jurisdiction and within the reasonable exercise of police power, from:
             76          (a) regulating or prohibiting stopping, standing, or parking;
             77          (b) regulating traffic by means of a peace officer or a traffic-control device;
             78          (c) regulating or prohibiting processions or assemblages on a highway;
             79          (d) designating particular highways or roadways for use by traffic moving in one
             80      direction under Section 41-6a-709 ;
             81          (e) establishing speed limits for vehicles in public parks, which supersede Section
             82      41-6a-603 regarding speed limits;
             83          (f) designating any highway as a through highway or designating any intersection or
             84      junction of roadways as a stop or yield intersection or junction;
             85          (g) restricting the use of a highway under Section 72-7-408 ;


             86          (h) [regulating the operation of a bicycle and] requiring the registration and inspection
             87      of bicycles, including requiring a registration fee;
             88          (i) regulating or prohibiting:
             89          (i) certain turn movements of a vehicle; or
             90          (ii) specified types of vehicles;
             91          (j) altering or establishing speed limits under Section 41-6a-603 ;
             92          (k) requiring written accident reports under Section 41-6a-403 ;
             93          (l) designating no-passing zones under Section 41-6a-708 ;
             94          (m) prohibiting or regulating the use of controlled-access highways by any class or
             95      kind of traffic under Section 41-6a-715 ;
             96          (n) prohibiting or regulating the use of heavily traveled streets by any class or kind of
             97      traffic found to be incompatible with the normal and safe movement of traffic;
             98          (o) establishing minimum speed limits under Subsection 41-6a-605 (3);
             99          (p) prohibiting pedestrians from crossing a highway in a business district or any
             100      designated highway except in a crosswalk under Section 41-6a-1001 ;
             101          (q) restricting pedestrian crossings at unmarked crosswalks under Section 41-6a-1010 ;
             102          (r) regulating persons upon skates, coasters, sleds, skateboards, and other toy vehicles;
             103          (s) adopting and enforcing temporary or experimental ordinances as necessary to cover
             104      emergencies or special conditions;
             105          (t) prohibiting drivers of ambulances from exceeding maximum speed limits;
             106          (u) adopting other traffic ordinances as specifically authorized by this chapter; or
             107          (v) adopting an ordinance that requires a ground transportation vehicle to conform to
             108      state safety standards and reasonable annual appearance requirements, in consultation with a
             109      transportation advisory board of the local highway authority.
             110          (3) A local highway authority may not:
             111          (a) in accordance with Title 72, Chapter 3, Part 1, Highways in General, erect or
             112      maintain any official traffic-control device at any location which regulates the traffic on a
             113      highway not under the local highway authority's jurisdiction, unless written approval is


             114      obtained from the highway authority having jurisdiction over the highway;
             115          (b) prohibit or restrict the use of a cellular phone by the operator or passenger of a
             116      motor vehicle;
             117          (c) enact an ordinance that prohibits or restricts an owner or operator of a vehicle from
             118      causing or permitting the vehicle's engine to idle unless the ordinance:
             119          (i) is primarily educational;
             120          (ii) provides that a person must be issued at least three warning citations before
             121      imposing a fine;
             122          (iii) has the same fine structure as a parking violation;
             123          (iv) provides for the safety of law enforcement personnel who enforce the ordinance;
             124      and
             125          (v) provides that the ordinance may be enforced on:
             126          (A) public property; or
             127          (B) private property that is open to the general public unless the private property
             128      owner:
             129          (I) has a private business that has a drive-through service as a component of the private
             130      property owner's business operations and posts a sign provided by or acceptable to the local
             131      highway authority informing its customers and the public of the local highway authority's time
             132      limit for idling vehicle engines; or
             133          (II) adopts an idle reduction education policy approved by the local highway authority;
             134          (d) enact an ordinance that prohibits a vehicle from being licensed as a ground
             135      transportation vehicle:
             136          (i) if the vehicle to be licensed otherwise passes all state safety inspection requirements
             137      established by the Utah Highway Patrol Division in accordance with Section 53-8-204 ; and
             138          (ii) (A) based on the manufacture date of the vehicle; or
             139          (B) based on the number of miles the vehicle has accumulated[.]; or
             140          (e) enact an ordinance that:
             141          (i) is inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter; or


             142          (ii) prohibits the use of a bicycle on any public street or highway, except as allowed by
             143      Section 41-6a-714 , unless the local highway authority has:
             144          (A) documented that the local highway authority has reviewed the safety history of the
             145      highway and considered other reasonable alternatives, including signage and routes; and
             146          (B) clearly marked a safe alternative route for the prohibited section of highway.
             147          (4) An ordinance enacted under Subsection (2)(d), (e), (f), (g), (i), (j), (l), (m), (n), or
             148      (q) is not effective until official traffic-control devices giving notice of the local traffic
             149      ordinances are erected upon or at the entrances to the highway or part of it affected as is
             150      appropriate.
             151          (5) An ordinance enacted by a local highway authority that violates Subsection (3) is
             152      not effective.
             153          Section 3. Section 41-6a-305 is amended to read:
             154           41-6a-305. Traffic-control signal -- At intersections -- At place other than
             155      intersection -- Color of light signal -- Inoperative traffic-control signals -- Affirmative
             156      defense.
             157          (1) (a) Green, red, and yellow are the only colors that may be used in a traffic-control
             158      signal, except for a:
             159          (i) pedestrian traffic-control signal that may use white and orange; and
             160          (ii) rail vehicle that may use white.
             161          (b) Traffic-control signals apply to the operator of a vehicle and to a pedestrian as
             162      provided in this section.
             163          (2) (a) (i) Except as provided in Subsection (2)(a)(ii), the operator of a vehicle facing a
             164      circular green signal may:
             165          (A) proceed straight through the intersection;
             166          (B) turn right; or
             167          (C) turn left.
             168          (ii) The operator of a vehicle facing a circular green signal, including an operator
             169      turning right or left:


             170          (A) shall yield the right-of-way to other vehicles and to pedestrians lawfully within the
             171      intersection or an adjacent crosswalk at the time the signal is exhibited; and
             172          (B) may not turn right or left if a sign at the intersection prohibits the turn.
             173          (b) The operator of a vehicle facing a green arrow signal shown alone or in
             174      combination with another indication:
             175          (i) may cautiously enter the intersection only to make the movement indicated by the
             176      arrow or other indication shown at the same time; and
             177          (ii) shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk
             178      and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.
             179          (c) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian traffic-control signal under Section
             180      41-6a-306 , a pedestrian facing any green signal other than a green turn arrow may proceed
             181      across the roadway within any marked or unmarked crosswalk.
             182          (3) (a) The operator of a vehicle facing a steady circular yellow or yellow arrow signal
             183      is warned that the allowable movement related to a green signal is being terminated.
             184          (b) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian traffic-control signal under Section
             185      41-6a-306 , a pedestrian facing a steady circular yellow or yellow arrow signal is advised that
             186      there is insufficient time to cross the roadway before a red indication is shown, and a pedestrian
             187      may not start to cross the roadway.
             188          (4) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (4)(c), the operator of a vehicle facing a
             189      steady circular red or red arrow signal:
             190          (i) may not enter the intersection unless entering the intersection to make a movement
             191      is permitted by another indication; and
             192          (ii) shall stop at a clearly marked stop line, but if none, before entering the marked or
             193      unmarked crosswalk on the near side of the intersection and shall remain stopped until an
             194      indication to proceed is shown.
             195          (b) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian traffic-control signal under Section
             196      41-6a-306 , a pedestrian facing a steady red signal alone may not enter the roadway.
             197          (c) (i) Except when facing a red arrow signal or when a sign is in place prohibiting a


             198      turn, the operator of a vehicle facing any steady circular red signal may cautiously enter the
             199      intersection to turn right, or may turn left from a one-way street into a one-way street, after
             200      stopping as required by Subsection (4)(a).
             201          (ii) The operator of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to:
             202          (A) another vehicle moving through the intersection in accordance with an official
             203      traffic-control signal; and
             204          (B) a pedestrian lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk.
             205          (5) (a) This section applies to a highway or rail line where a traffic-control signal is
             206      erected and maintained.
             207          (b) Any stop required shall be made at a sign or marking on the highway pavement
             208      indicating where the stop shall be made, but, in the absence of any sign or marking, the stop
             209      shall be made at the signal.
             210          (6) The operator of a vehicle approaching an intersection that has an inoperative
             211      traffic-control signal shall:
             212          (a) stop before entering the intersection; and
             213          (b) yield the right-of-way to any vehicle as required under Section 41-6a-901 .
             214          (7) (a) Until July 1, 2014, and for an operator of a motorcycle, moped, or bicycle who
             215      is 16 years of age or older, it is an affirmative defense to a violation of Subsection (4)(a) if the
             216      operator of a motorcycle, moped, or bicycle facing a steady circular red signal or red arrow:
             217          (i) brings the motorcycle, moped, or bicycle to a complete stop at the intersection or
             218      stop line;
             219          (ii) determines that:
             220          (A) the traffic-control signal has not detected the operator's presence by waiting a
             221      reasonable period of time of not less than 90 seconds at the intersection or stop line before
             222      entering the intersection;
             223          (B) no other vehicle that is entitled to have the right-of-way under applicable law is
             224      sitting at, traveling through, or approaching the intersection; and
             225          (C) no pedestrians are attempting to cross at or near the intersection in the direction of


             226      travel of the operator; and
             227          (iii) cautiously enters the intersection and proceeds across the roadway.
             228          (b) The affirmative defense under this section does not apply at an active railroad grade
             229      crossing as defined in Section 41-6a-1005 .


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