Article 501
GENERAL REGULATIONS

Sections:

501.01  Definitions and interpretation.

501.02  Manner of adopting permanent traffic and parking regulations.

501.03  Temporary and/or emergency regulations.

501.04  Experimental regulations.

501.05  Funeral procession permit and fee – Police escort – Right-of-way.

501.06  Authority of peace officers.

501.01 Definitions and interpretation.

(A) Words and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Vehicle Code of Pennsylvania, as now in force, or as hereafter amended, enacted or reenacted, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning.

(B) The term "legal holidays" as used in this article shall mean and include: New Year’s Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, Good Friday, Election Day.

(C) The term "highway" shall include street or way and vice versa.

(D) In this article, the singular shall include the plural, the plural shall include the singular, and the masculine shall include the feminine and the neuter. (Ord. 3610 § 2, 2004)

501.02 Manner of adopting permanent traffic and parking regulations.

All traffic and parking regulations of a permanent nature shall be enacted as ordinances or as parts of ordinances or as amendments to ordinances of the City of Meadville. (Ord. 3610 § 2, 2004)

501.03 Temporary and/or emergency regulations.

The city manager shall have the following powers to regulate traffic and parking temporarily, and in time of emergency:

(A) In the case of fire, flood, storm or similar emergency, to establish temporary traffic and/or parking regulations in such areas and for such periods of time as reasonably required for such emergencies.

(B) In the case of all other emergencies or to facilitate public works, or in the conduct of parades, processions, public events, community projects, commercial promotions, and area celebrations or events, to restrict or prohibit traffic and/or parking in limited areas or streets for a period of not more than 72 hours. Such temporary and emergency regulations shall be enforced by the city manager and the police department in the same manner as permanent regulations. Any person who shall operate or park a vehicle or tractor in violation of any such regulation, or who shall move, remove, destroy, injure, or deface any sign or marking erected, posted or made to give notice of any such regulations shall, upon conviction thereof, be liable to the penalty set forth in the law or elsewhere in this section for a violation of such nature, and in case of a violation for which no specific penalty is set forth in the law or elsewhere in this section, to a fine of not less than $20.00 or more than $300.00 and costs of prosecution and, in default of payment of such fine and costs, to undergo imprisonment for not more than five days.

(C) Upon the recommendation of the city engineer that an existing bridge or street condition constitutes a present public safety hazard, to establish a temporary weight limit for a maximum period of 60 days. MMC 530.02, 530.03, 530.04 and 530.99 shall apply to established temporary weight limits. (Ord. 3610 § 2, 2004)

501.04 Experimental regulations.

The council of the City of Meadville may, from time to time, by resolution designate places upon and along the highways in the City of Meadville where, for a period of not more than 90 days, specific traffic and/or parking regulations, prohibitions and restrictions shall be in force and effect, and shall designate such locations by proper signs and markings. Such regulations, prohibitions and restrictions shall be effective just as if they have been specified in this section. Council in the same manner specified herein shall have the authority to extend the experimental regulation for an additional 60 days in the event sufficient data or information has not been received from said experimental regulation; however, in no event shall said experimental regulation extend beyond one 60-day extension of the original 90-day experimental regulation. No person shall operate or park a vehicle or tractor in violation of any such regulation, prohibition or restriction, and no person shall remove, destroy or deface any sign or marking erected, posted or made by authority of this section. Any person who shall violate any provision of this section shall, upon conviction thereof, be liable to the penalty set forth in the law or elsewhere in this section for a violation of such nature, and in case of a violation for which no specific penalty is set forth in law or elsewhere in this section, to a fine of not less than $20.00 or more than $300.00 and costs of prosecution and, in default of payment of such fine and costs, to undergo imprisonment for not more than five days; provided, the purpose of this section is to allow for the test and experimental determination of the feasibility and desirability of permanent changes in the ordinances of the City of Meadville relative to traffic and parking. (Ord. 3610 § 2, 2004)

501.05 Funeral procession permit and fee – Police escort – Right-of-way.

(A) No driver of a vehicle shall drive between the vehicles comprising a funeral or other authorized procession while they are in motion and when such vehicles are conspicuously designated as required in this article. This provision shall not apply at intersections where traffic is controlled by traffic control signals or police officers.

(B) A funeral composed of a procession of vehicles shall be identified as such by the display upon the outside of each vehicle a pennant or other identifying insignia or by such other method as may be determined and designated by the police department of the City of Meadville.

(C) No funeral procession or parade containing 200 or more persons or 50 or more vehicles, except the Armed Forces of the United States, the military forces of this commonwealth and the forces of the police and fire departments, shall occupy, march or proceed along any street except in accordance with a permit issued by the city manager, and such other regulations as are set forth herein which may apply or except in accordance with such other regulations concerning parades and processions in the City of Meadville.

(D) Any person who shall violate any provision of this subsection shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine not more than $50.00 and costs of prosecution and, in default of payment of such fine and costs, to undergo imprisonment for not more than 10 days. (Ord. 3610 § 2, 2004)

501.06 Authority of peace officers.

The peace officers or police of the City of Meadville are hereby given authority to direct traffic on the highways of the City of Meadville, and to regulate parking on the streets, highways and other public places of the City of Meadville, and at intersections thereof. (Ord. 3610 § 2, 2004)