HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 9978 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9978
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council January 24, 2017
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The purpose of this informal report is to provide a staff response to the question of whether there
are State Statutes and/or City of Fort Worth City Ordinances involving the prohibition, if any, of
parking motor vehicles within a bicycle lane. With limited exceptions as specified in city
ordinances, the City has no blanket prohibition against the parking of motor vehicles in a traffic
lane. There are specific areas of a street where parking is not allowed, and signs are not required
for enforcement, such as intersections, crosswalks and sidewalks. See, City Code at 22-178
Stopping, Standing and Parking Prohibited in Certain Places. In other instances, the City has the
power to determine areas of no parking which is enforceable when signed. See, City Code at 22-
172 Traffic Engineer to Specify Certain Parking Spaces.
The Transportation and Public Works Department confirms that there are approximately 75 miles
of marked and delineated bicycle lanes on the public roadways of Fort Worth.
In order to address this control of the bicycle lane within the City, City Code Section 22-178 could
be amended to prohibit the parking of motor vehicles in a designated bicycle lane. Alternatively,
signage regulating parking could be installed along certain or all bicycle lanes pursuant to City
Code Section 22-172.
There would be no direct cost to the City to prohibit parking in bicycle lanes if accomplished by
amending Section 22-178. Attention must be given to the amount of space available for residents
or their guests to park vehicles where bicycle lanes are installed in residential areas and
education of citizens is recommended.
If "No Parking" signage is to be used under Section 22-172, the average cost and permanent
installation of a sign is estimated by the Transportation and Public Works Department to be
$350.00. The signs would be required to be installed in increments from a minimum of 50 feet to
a maximum of 150 feet, depending on roadway design and visual obstructions, such as hills or
curves. A minimum estimate of thirty-five (35) signs per mile was provided by the Transportation
and Public Works Department. If parking is to be restricted along every bicycle lane, the
estimated total cost would be $924,000 (35 signs per mile x 75 miles x $350 per sign).
If you have additional questions, please let me know.
David Cooke
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9978
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council January 24, 2017
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STATE STATUTES
The State Statutes regulating traffic lanes are: Texas Transportation Code 545.301 Stopping, Standing, Or Parking
Outside A Business Or Residence District which states:
(a) An operator may not stop, park, or leave standing an attended or unattended vehicle on the main
traveled part of a highway outside a business or residence district unless:
(1) stopping, parking, or leaving the vehicle off the main traveled part of the highway is not
practicable;
(2) a width of highway beside the vehicle is unobstructed and open for the passage of other
vehicles; and
(3) the vehicle is in clear view for at least 200 feet in each direction on the highway.
(b) This section does not apply to an operator of:
(1) a vehicle that is disabled while on the paved or main traveled part of a highway if it is
impossible to avoid stopping and temporarily leaving the vehicle on the highway;
(2) a vehicle used exclusively to transport solid, semisolid, or liquid waste operated at the time
in connection with the removal or transportation of solid, semisolid, or liquid waste from a
location adjacent to the highway; or
(3) a tow truck, as defined by Section 545.157(e), that is performing towing duties under
Chapter 2308, Occupations Code.
and Texas Transportation Code 545.302 Stopping, Standing, or Parking Prohibited in Certain Places which states:
(a)An operator may not stop, stand, or park a vehicle:
(1) on the roadway side of a vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curb of a street;
(2) on a sidewalk;
(3) in an intersection;
(4) on a crosswalk;
(5) between a safety zone and the adjacent curb or within 30 feet of a place on the curb immediately
opposite the ends of a safety zone, unless the governing body of a municipality designates a
different length by signs or markings;
(6) alongside or opposite a street excavation or obstruction if stopping, standing, or parking the
vehicle would obstruct traffic;
(7) on a bridge or other elevated structure on a highway or in a highway tunnel;
(8) on a railroad track; or
(9) where an official sign prohibits stopping.
(b) An operator may not, except momentarily to pick up or discharge a passenger, stand or park an
occupied or unoccupied vehicle:
(1) in front of a public or private driveway;
(2) within 15 feet of a fire hydrant;
(3) within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection;
(4) within 30 feet on the approach to a flashing signal, stop sign, yield sign, or traffic-control signal
located at the side of a roadway;
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9978
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council January 24, 2017
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(5) within 20 feet of the driveway entrance to a fire station and on the side of a street opposite the
entrance to a fire station within 75 feet of the entrance, if the entrance is properly marked with a sign;
or
(6) where an official sign prohibits standing.
(c) An operator may not, except temporarily to load or unload merchandise or passengers, park an occupied
or unoccupied vehicle:
(1) within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing; or
(2) where an official sign prohibits parking.
(d) A person may stop, stand, or park a bicycle on a sidewalk if the bicycle does not impede the normal and
reasonable movement of pedestrian or other traffic on the sidewalk.
(e) A municipality may adopt an ordinance exempting a private vehicle operated by an elevator constructor
responding to an elevator emergency from Subsections (a)(1), (a)(5), (a)(6), (a)(9), (b), and (c).
(f) Subsections (a), (b), and (c) do not apply if the avoidance of conflict with other traffic is necessary or if the
operator is complying with the law or the directions of a police officer or official traffic-control device.
(g) If the governing body of a municipality determines that it is necessary to improve the economic
development of the municipality's central business district and that it will not adversely affect public safety,
the governing body may adopt an ordinance regulating the standing, stopping, or parking of a vehicle at a
place described by Subsection (a)(1), other than a road or highway in the state highway system, in the
central business district of the municipality as defined in the ordinance. To the extent of any conflict between
the ordinance and Subsection (a)(1), the ordinance controls.
CITY ORDINANCES
Relative city ordinances are codified in the City Code at 22-157 Restricted Where Less Than Ten Feet of Roadway
Left Available for Traffic which reads as follows:
it shall be unlawful for any driver to stop, stand or park any vehicle upon a street in such a manner or under
such conditions as to leave available less than ten feet of the width of the roadway for free movement of
vehicular traffic, except that a driver may stop temporarily during actual loading or unloading of passengers
or when necessary in obedience to traffic regulations or traffic signs or signals of a police officer.
Also City Code at 22-172 Traffic Engineer To Specify Certain Parking Spaces which reads:
The traffic engineer, in order to expedite and regulate the flow of vehicular traffic* upon public streets, is
directed:
(a) To determine and designate spaces for exclusive uses as bus stops, taxicab stands, and passenger and
commercial loading zones, and such other zones as may be determined at his or her sole discretion to mark
the same with appropriate signs and markings; and
(b) To determine and designate no parking zones and to mark such spaces with appropriate signs or
markings.
*Bicycles are considered vehicles under Texas Transportation Code Sec. 551.101.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9978
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council January 24, 2017
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And City Code at 22-178 Stopping, Standing and Parking Prohibited in Certain Places which reads:
(a) Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic, or in compliance with law or the directions of a
police officer or official traffic-control device, no person shall:
(1) Stop, stand or park a vehicle:
a. At any place where official signs prohibit stopping;
b. On the roadway side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curb of a street;
c. On a sidewalk;
d. Within an intersection;
e. On a crosswalk;
f. Between a safety zone and the adjacent curb or within 30 feet of points on the curb
immediately opposite the ends of a safety zone, unless a different length is indicated by signs or
markings;
g. Alongside or opposite any street excavation or obstruction when stopping, standing or
parking would obstruct traffic;
h. Upon a bridge or other elevated structure upon a highway or within a highway tunnel; or
i. On any railroad track.
(2) Stand or park a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except momentarily to pick up or discharge a
passenger or passengers:
a. At any place where official signs prohibit standing;
b. In front of a public or private driveway;
c. Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant;
d. Within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection;
e. Within 30 feet upon the approach to any flashing signal, stop sign, yield sign or traffic-control
signal located at the side of a roadway; or
f. Within 20 feet of the driveway entrance to any fire station and on the side of a street opposite
the entrance to any fire station within 75 feet of said entrance (when properly sign-posted).
(3) Park a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except temporarily for the purpose of and while actually
engaged in loading or unloading merchandise or passengers:
a. At any place where official signs prohibit parking; or
b. Within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing.
(b) Except where official signs or markings indicate otherwise, every vehicle stopped or parked upon a two-
way roadway shall be so stopped or parked with the right-hand wheels parallel to and within 18 inches of the
right-hand curb or edge of the roadway.
(c) Except where official signs or markings indicate otherwise, every vehicle stopped or parked upon a one-
way roadway shall be so stopped or parked parallel to the curb or edge of the roadway, in the direction of
authorized traffic movement, with its right-hand wheels within 18 inches of the right-hand curb or edge of
roadway, or its left-hand wheels within 18 inches of the left-hand curb or edge of roadway.
(d) All words and phrases used in this section shall have the same meaning as they are defined in the
Uniform Act Regulating Traffic on Highways, Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat. Ann. Art. 6701d.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS