Chapter 8.60
CRUISING
Sections:
8.60.020 Designation of traffic congestion area.
8.60.030 Cruising prohibited in traffic congestion area.
8.60.010 Definitions.
(1) “Cruising” is the repeated passage of a motor vehicle on or across a portion of a street or way open to the public.
(2) “Traffic congestion area” is any portion of a street or way open to the public affected by traffic congestion caused in whole or in part by cruising, and declared to be a “traffic congestion area” by the chief of police or his or her designee.
(3) The “chief of police” means the chief of the Wenatchee police department or his or her designee. (Ord. 3041 § 1, 1994)
8.60.020 Designation of traffic congestion area.
(1) The chief of police shall declare all or a portion of a street or way open to the public to be a “traffic congestion area” when:
(a) Traffic congestion has slowed average vehicle speed to less than one-half the posted speed limit; and
(b) The congestion significantly interferes with passage of vehicles being driven to and from locations within the area; and
(c) In areas which contain transit routes, buses are or would be substantially delayed; and
(d) The congestion is likely to prevent or substantially delay emergency vehicles from responding to locations within the area, or from passing through the area; and
(e) The congestion is caused in whole or in substantial part by cruising.
(2) When a street or way open to the public is designated a traffic congestion area, officers of the police department shall post signs identifying it as a traffic congestion area and notifying drivers that passage of a motor vehicle more than two times in the same direction within a three-hour period is a violation of this chapter.
(3) The designation of a street or way open to the public as a traffic congestion area shall remain in effect for a period of eight hours, unless withdrawn earlier or extended for additional eight-hour periods by the chief of police. (Ord. 3123 § 1, 1995; Ord. 3041 § 2, 1994)
8.60.030 Cruising prohibited in traffic congestion area.
No person shall drive or permit a motor vehicle under his or her control to be driven within a posted traffic congestion area in the same direction more than two times within a three-hour period. (Ord. 3123 § 2, 1995; Ord. 3041 § 3, 1994)
8.60.040 Exemptions.
This chapter shall not apply to:
(1) Any publicly owned vehicle of any city, county, public district, state, or federal agency;
(2) Any vehicle licensed for public transportation, including but not limited to buses and taxi cabs;
(3) Any in-service emergency vehicle;
(4) Any vehicle being driven by a resident of the traffic congestion area, or any vehicle being driven within the traffic congestion area for necessary commercial or medical reasons. (Ord. 3041 § 4, 1994)
8.60.050 Violation.
Violation of this chapter shall be deemed a misdemeanor subject only to a monetary penalty, in an amount not to exceed $1,000. (Ord. 3041 § 5, 1994)