10.52.040 - Obedience to and required traffic control devices.

(a)

The driver of any vehicle and every pedestrian shall obey the instructions of any official traffic control device applicable thereto placed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, unless otherwise directed by a traffic or police officer, subject to the exception granted the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle in this chapter.

(b)

No provisions of this chapter for which signs are required shall be enforced against an alleged violator if at the time and place of the alleged violation an official sign is not in proper position and sufficiently legible or visible to be seen by an ordinarily observant person. Whenever a particular section does not state that signs are required, such section shall be effective even though no signs are erected or in place.

(c)

Whenever official traffic control devices are placed in position approximately conforming to the requirements of this chapter, such devices shall be presumed to have been so placed by the official act or direction of lawful authority, unless the contrary shall be established by competent evidence.

(d)

Any official traffic control device placed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and purporting to conform to the lawful requirements pertaining to such devices shall be presumed to comply with the requirements of this chapter, unless the contrary shall be established by competent evidence.

(Res. 78 § 1 (46.61.050), 1970).

10.52.045 - Traffic control signal legend.

Whenever traffic is controlled by traffic control signals exhibiting different colored lights, or colored lighted arrows, successively one at a time or in combination, only the colors green, red and yellow shall be used, except for special pedestrian signals carrying a word legend, and the lights shall indicate and apply to drivers of vehicles and pedestrians as follows:

(1)

Green Indication:

(A)

Vehicular traffic facing a circular green signal may proceed straight through or turn right or left unless a sign at such place prohibits either such turn. But vehicular traffic, including vehicles turning right or left, shall yield the right-of-way to other vehicles and to pedestrians lawfully within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk at the time such signal is exhibited,

(B)

Vehicular traffic facing a green arrow signal, shown alone or in combination with another indication, may cautiously enter the intersection only to make the movement indicated by such arrow, or such other movement as is permitted by other indications shown at the same time. Such vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection,

(C)

Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal, as provided in Section 10.52.050, pedestrians facing any green signal, except when the sole green signal is a turn arrow, may proceed across the roadway within any marked or unmarked crosswalk;

(2)

Steady Yellow Indication:

(A)

Vehicular traffic facing a steady yellow signal is thereby warned that the related green movement is being terminated or that a red indication will be exhibited immediately thereafter when vehicular traffic shall not enter the intersection,

(B)

Pedestrians facing a steady yellow signal, unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal as provided in Section 10.52.050, are thereby advised that there is insufficient time to cross the roadway before a red indication is shown and no pedestrian shall then start to cross the roadway;

(3)

Steady Red Indication:

(A)

Vehicular traffic facing a steady red signal alone shall stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection and shall remain standing until a green indication is shown: provided, that such traffic may, after stopping cautiously proceed to make a right turn from a one-way or two-way street into a two-way street or into a one-way street carrying traffic in the direction of the right turn; or a left turn from a one-way or two-way street into a one- way street carrying traffic in the direction of the left turn; unless a sign posted by competent authority prohibits such movement; but vehicular traffic making such turns shall yield the right-of-way to other vehicles and to pedestrians lawfully within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk at the time such signal is exhibited,

(B)

Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian-control signal as provided in Section 10.52.050, pedestrians facing a steady red signal alone shall not enter the roadway;

(4)

In the event an official traffic control signal is erected and maintained at a place other than an intersection, the provisions of this section shall be applicable except as to those provisions which by their nature can have no application. Any stop required shall be made at a sign or marking on the pavement indicating where the stop shall be made, but in the absence of any such sign or marking the stop shall be made at the signal.

(Res. 78 § 1 (46.61.055), 1970).

10.52.050 - Pedestrian control signals.

Whenever special pedestrian control signals exhibiting the words "Walk" or "Don't Walk" are in place such signals shall indicate as follows:

(1)

Walk: Pedestrians facing such signal may proceed across the roadway in the direction of the signal and shall be given the right-of-way by the drivers of all vehicles;

(2)

Don't Walk: No pedestrian shall start to cross the roadway in the direction of such signal, but any pedestrian who has partially completed his crossing on the walk signal shall proceed to a sidewalk or safety island while the don't walk signal is showing;

(3)

Pedestrian control signals having the "Wait" legend in use on August 6, 1965, shall be deemed authorized signals and shall indicate the same as the "Don't Walk" legend. Whenever such pedestrian control signals are replaced the legend "Wait" shall be replaced by the legend "Don't Walk."

(Res. 78 § 1 (46.61.060), 1970).

10.52.055 - Flashing signals.

(a)

Whenever an illuminated flashing red or yellow signal is used in a traffic sign or signal it shall require obedience by vehicular traffic as follows:

(1)

Flashing Red (Stop Signal). When a red lens is illuminated with rapid intermittent flashes, drivers of vehicles shall stop before entering the nearest crosswalk at an intersection or at a limit line when marked, or, if none, then before entering the intersection, and the right to proceed shall be subject to the rules applicable after making a stop at a stop sign;

(2)

Flashing Yellow (Caution Signal). When a yellow lens is illuminated with rapid intermittent flashes, drivers of vehicles may proceed through the intersection or past such signal only with caution.

(b)

This section shall not apply at railroad grade crossings. Conduct of drivers of vehicles approaching railroad grade crossings shall be governed by the rules as set forth in Section 10.52.265

(Res. 78 § 1 (46.61.065), 1970).

10.52.060 - Lane direction control signals.

When lane direction control signals are placed over the individual lanes of a street or highway, vehicular traffic may travel in any lane over which a green signal is shown, but shall not enter or travel in any lane over which a red signal is shown.

(Res. 78 § 1 (46.61.070), 1970).

10.52.065 - Stop and yield right-of-way signs.

In order to provide safety at intersections on the county highway system, the board of county commissioners may require persons traveling upon any portion of such highway to stop before entering the intersection. For this purpose there may be erected a standard stop sign as prescribed in the state of Washington "Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways." All persons traveling upon the highway shall come to a complete stop at such a sign and the appearance of any sign so located shall be sufficient warning to a person that he is required to stop. A person stopping at such a sign shall proceed through such portion of the highway in a careful manner and at a reasonable rate of speed not to exceed twenty miles per hour. It is unlawful to fail to comply with the directions of any such a stop sign: provided, that when the findings of a traffic engineering study show that the condition of an intersection is such that vehicles may safely enter the major artery without stopping, the board of county commissioners shall install and maintain a "Yield Right-of-Way" sign.

The driver of a vehicle approaching a "Yield Right-of- Way" sign shall reduce speed or stop if necessary in order to yield the right-of-way to all traffic on the intersecting street which is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard. A motorist proceeding past such a sign with a resultant collision or other interferences with traffic on the intersecting street shall be prima facie evidence that the motorist had not obeyed the sign and yielded the right-of-way as provided by this statute.

(Res. 78 § 1 (46.61.0721), 1970).

10.52.070 - Display of unauthorized signs, signals or markings.

(a)

No person shall place, maintain or display upon or in view of any highway any unauthorized sign, signal, marking or device which purports to be or is an imitation of or resembles an official traffic control device or railroad sign or signal, or which attempts to direct the movement of traffic, or which hides from view or interferes with the effectiveness of an official traffic control device or any railroad sign or signal.

(b)

No person shall place or maintain nor shall any public authority permit upon any highway any traffic sign or signal bearing thereon any commercial advertising.

(c)

This section shall not be deemed to prohibit the erection upon private property adjacent to highways of signs giving useful directional information and of a type that cannot be mistaken for official signs.

(d)

Every such prohibited sign, signal or marking is hereby declared to be a public nuisance and the authority having jurisdiction over the highway is hereby empowered to remove the same or cause it to be removed without notice.

(Res. 78 § 1 (46.61.075), 1970).

10.52.075 - Interference with official traffic control devices or railroad signs or signals.

No person shall, without lawful authority, attempt to or in fact alter, deface, injure, knock down or remove any official traffic control device or any railroad sign or signal or any inscription, shield or insignia thereon, or any other part thereof.

(Res. 78 § 1 (46.61.080), 1970).