Bus Traffic

ORDINANCE RE:  BUS TRAFFIC

 

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE LEGAL VOTERS OF THE TOWN OF STONINGTON IN LAWFUL TOWN MEETING DULY ASSEMBLED, THAT THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCE BE ESTABLISHED BY THE TOWN OF STONINGTON:

 

        Pursuant to the statutory authority vested in the Town of Stonington through Section 7-148(c)(7)(B)(i) and Section 7-148 (c)(7)(H)(xii) of the Connecticut General Statutes and to ensure the public health, safety and welfare of the residents of the Town of Stonington.

 

1.1  No person shall operate any bus in the Town of Stonington on the following roads located in the Town of Stonington:

 

                Bay Street, Mystic
                Broadway, Mystic
                Cottrell Street, Mystic
                Church Street, Mystic
                East Main Street, Mystic
                Elmridge Road, Pawcatuck
                Isham Street, Mystic
                Jackson Avenue, Mystic
                Jeremy Hill Road, Stonington
                Lantern Hill Road, Old Mystic
                Lathrop Avenue, Pawcatuck
                Lester Avenue, Pawcatuck
                Moss Street, Pawcatuck
                North Anguilla Road, Pawcatuck
                North Stonington Road, between Route 27 and Route 184, Old Mystic
                Oak Street, Mystic
                South Anguilla Road, Pawcatuck
                Taugwonk Road, Stonington
                Washington Street, Mystic
                Willow Street, Mystic

 

1.2  Definitions:

 

a.  Bus shall include but not be limited to “motor bus” as defined in Section 14-1 (28) of the Connecticut General Statutes as any public service motor vehicle operated in whole or in part on any street or highway in a manner affording a means of transportation by indiscriminately receiving or discharging passengers or running on a regular route or over any portion of a regular route or between fixed termini; “service bus” as defined in Section 14-1 (50) of the Connecticut General Statutes as any vehicle except a van pool vehicle, designed to carry eight or more persons when used in private service for the transportation of persons whether with or without charge to the individual; and such motor bus or service bus chartered for the purpose of transporting persons.

 

b.  Bus shall not include “school bus” as defined in Section 14-275 (a) of the Connecticut General Statutes as any motor bus, painted, constructed, equipped and registered in conformance with the Connecticut General Statutes and regularly used for transporting school children to and from school or school activities whether or not for compensation or under contract to provide such service.

 

c.  “Specialty Vehicles” such as trolley buses or mini-buses that are 35 feet in length or less and carry 30 or less passengers are exempt.

 

d.  The Police Commission may allow bus traffic on roads covered by this ordinance if the destination of the bus is on the designated road and such use still allows for public health, safety and welfare.

 

e.  Person shall include any individual, corporation, association, co-partnership, company, firm or other aggregation of individuals.
        
1.3  Emergencies:

 

        Nothing in this ordinance shall prevent the use of any of the roads listed in Section 1.1 on a temporary basis in a declared emergency.  The Police Chief of the Town of Stonington shall have the power to act in an emergency to reroute traffic on any of the listed roads on a temporary basis not to exceed forty-eight (48) hours.  The Board of Police Commissioners shall have the power to act in an emergency to reroute traffic on any of the listed roads on a temporary basis not to exceed five (5) days.  The Board of Selectmen shall have the power to act in an emergency to reroute traffic on any of the listed roads on a temporary basis not to exceed ten (10) days or in a declared emergency, until such time as the said emergency is determined by the Board to be over.  For the purposes of this Ordinance, “emergency” shall mean:  a natural disaster, including a flood, fire, hurricane, or tornado, as well as major traffic accidents.

 

1.4  The Board of Selectmen can temporarily suspend this ordinance to allow transportation services for community events including but not limited to:  the Blessing of the Fleet, First Night Celebrations, Mystic Art Festival, Taste of Connecticut, and any holiday parade celebration.

 

1.5  Nothing in this Ordinance is intended to usurp the State and/or Federal laws regarding transportation requirements mandated under the Age Discrimination Act.

 

1.6  Penalty:  Any person violating the terms of this Ordinance shall be fined $l00. (One Hundred Dollars) for each offense.

 

This Ordinance shall become effective fifteen (15) days after publication in a newspaper having a substantial circulation within the Town.

 

Adopted April 14, 1997
Effective May 3, 1997
Amended September 5, 2000 Section 1.1
Effective September 23, 2000