USA > Michigan > Kalamazoo County > Kalamazoo > Kalamazoo City Street Directory and Traffic Ordinance, 1923 > Part 1
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1923
Kalamazoo
nsan
CITY
Street Directory AND Traffic Ordinance
ISSUED BY THE KALAMAZOO POLICE DEPARTMENT
Muy acoto) Suceder
REVISED
STREET DIRECTORY
AND
TRAFFIC ORDINANCE
ens 77359
1923
1124
BENJ. F. TAFFEE, Chief of Police
BENJ. F. TAFFEE, Chief of Police
OFFICE Police Station, East Water St. Phone 75
RESIDENCE 1125 Clinton Avenue Phone 4433
INDEX
Traffic Ordinance .
5-23
Street Directory
24-47
Schools and Colleges
48-49
Churches.
49-51
Libraries .
51-52
Parks .
52
City Government.
.
52-54
Banks.
54
Statistical Facts Concerning
Kalamazoo
55-56
ENFORCEMENT OF TRAFFIC LAWS
Any question of law enforcement requires a sym- pathetic public, for the public is the Government in this country of government for the people and by the people; therefore, any law that is obnoxious or not fully understood by a majority of the people, will be hard to enforce. We must therefore give more time to informing the public of the hazardous duties of a Traffic Officer and the meritous service he is rendering the people as a whole in enforcing their laws rather than those of his Department, or of any department not their own. Through the medium of education only can they be made to understand clearly that the Traffic Officer is their representative protecting their lives and property and not an emissary of an autocratic governmental department.
The Traffic Officer must be shown in his true light as the protector of human life and property.
The Traffic Officer is continually acting in emer- gencies and can only succeed with the undivided support of the people as a whole.
As the automobile is an added convenience over the one horse chaise with its kindred disadvantages, the price we are asked to pay is small, in comparison with the advantages obtained. With full co-oper- ation of the Courts and the people in general, we can still keep our streets and highways a safe place where we can fully realize every American heritage, quoting those immortal words, "enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness".
Benj. F. Taffee,
CHIEF OF POLICE.
5
SAFETY FIRST
EXTRACTS FROM TRAFFIC ORDINANCE
1. Slow down at all street intersections, and be prepared, at all times, to yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on your right.
2. Keep your car constantly under control, be able to stop your car within the range of your vision.
3. Approach and pass children and aged people with extreme care. Give all pedestrians the benefit of every doubt.
4. Approach and pass school buildings with caution. Anticipate children and be prepared to protect them.
5. Approach street car lines, railroad crossings and other points of known danger slowly. Look and listen before you venture into the pathways of death.
6. Cross street intersections at regular crossings only. On busy corners cross with the flow of traffic.
7. Look in all directions before stepping from sidewalk to street car. Never take unnecessary chances.
8. Do not step quickly into the street from be- hind parked automobiles or other obstructions.
9. Do not allow your children to play in the streets. They are the playground of death.
10. Bicycles and horse-drawn rigs should keep to the right, and should be provided with ample light to insure safety when abroad at night.
BRAKES
This chart shows the distances in which your car should stop-if your brakes are right.
Speed per hour
Distance
10 miles
9 ft. 2 in.
15 miles
20 ft. 8 in.
20 miles
37 ft.
25 miles
58 ft.
30 miles
83 ft. 3 in.
35 miles
113 ft.
40 miles
148 ft.
50 miles
231 ft.
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TEN COMMANDMENTS OF SAFETY FOR MOTORISTS
The Driver who Ponders, Remembers and Acts Upon these Suggestions will avoid Injury to Himself and Others.
I
ALWAYS remember you are an engineer, fully re- sponsible.
II
ALWAYS test your brakes when starting; and have them inspected frequently.
III
NEVER pass a street car when it is stopping, or, if the law permits, proceed very slowly past it at the legal distance.
IV
EXERCISE especial care in crossing in front of a street car or in passing it, as you can not tell what may be coming on the other side.
V
ALWAYS signal with hand when slowing down, turning, or stopping, even though you have an automatic or mechanical warn- ing device.
VI
LOOK before you back, and sound the horn.
VII
TRY to drive with using the horn as little as pos- sible. A sudden noise may stop pedes- trians in their tracks rather than warn them.
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VIII
DON'T count too much on the common sense of the other fellow. No one is 100% alert all the time.
IX
DRIVE slowly in streets where children are playing. Remember your own childhood.
X CROSS crossings cautiously. Warning bells may be out of order, watchmen or gate oper- ators may be off duty. Trains can not stop as quickly as you can. Shift into second to avoid stalling on tracks.
PARKING
The One Hour Parking Ordinance for South Rose Street applies on the East side of South Rose Street from the North line of Academy Street to Main Street, and on both sides of North Rose Street from Main Street to Sebring Court,
And on both sides of Main Street from Edwards Street to Rose Street,
And on the North side of Main Street only from Rose Street to Park Street,
And on both sides of Burdick Street from Lovell Street to the Michigan Central tracks,
And on both sides of Portage Street from Main Street to Washington Avenue,
Parking is prohibited on the North side of South Street between Burdick and Henrietta Streets,
And on the South side of Lovell Street between Burdick and Rose Streets.
There is no time limit for parking on the South side of Main Street from Rose Street West; nor on the West side of Rose Street from Academy Street to Main Street.
FIRES
Do not follow the Fire Department. Your car will be in the way and Section 44 of the Traffic Or- dinance forbids you to drive your car nearer than Five Hundred (500) feet of a building which is on fire. (See Sections 44 and 45.)
8
TRAFFIC REGULATIONS
SECTION 1. The Owner, driver, operator, or person in charge of every vehicle driven or operated upon the streets, highways and public places of the City of Kalamazoo, shall conform to and observe the following rules:
(1) Vehicles shall be driven in a careful manner, and with due regard to the safety and convenience of pedestrians and other vehicles. Every auto- mobile, motorcycle, or motor truck driven upon any of the streets, highways, or public places of this City, shall be provided with brakes, and with a suitable bell or horn giving warning of its approach and such brakes shall be in good working condition at all times.
(2) It shall be unlawful for any person to use up- on any automobile or other vehicle a warning signal similar to that used by the Fire or Police Department of the City of Kalamazoo.
(3) All vehicles shall keep to the right-hand side of the street except when necessary to turn to the left in crossing or in overtaking another vehicle as hereinafter provided.
(4) All vehicles meeting shall pass each other on the right and no vehicle shall pass to the left side of a street car when going in the same direction with such street car.
On any avenue, street or boulevard divided longi- tudinally by a parkway, walk, or other wise, vehicles shall keep to the right of such division.
Vehicles overtaking shall keep to the left of veh- icles overtaken, and the driver of every vehicle in overtaking and passing another vehicle shall exer- cise such care and prudence in so doing as the cir- cumstances shall demand.
(5) No vehicle shall be driven or propelled in a backward direction on any street, if by so doing the free and uninterrupted passage of another vehicle
9
is impeded, and no vehicle shall be driven in a back- ward direction, unless the driver or operator thereof shall first give visible and audible warning thereof.
(6) Vehicles moving slowly, and bicycles, shall keep as close as possible to the curb on the right, allowing more swiftly moving vehicles free passage to their left.
(7) Drivers or operators of vehicles, before turn- ing or stopping or changing their course, shall make sure that such movement can be made in safety, and shall give a plain, visible signal to others upon the street before turning, stopping, or changing their course, by extending the hand so as to plainly indicate such movement or stopping.
(8) Vehicles turning to the right into another street shall pass and turn the corner as near to the right hand curb as possible. Vehicles turning to the left into another street, shall pass to the right of and beyond the center of the street intersection before turning.
(9) Vehicles turning to the left into another street at any intersection where a traffic officer is stationed with a semaphore or other signalling de- vice, shall drive said vehicle to the right of and as near to the traffic officer or signalling device as pos- sible, and shall not turn to the left until the traffic officer or signalling device indicates that traffic moving to the left has been given the right of way.
(10) Vehicles crossing from one side of the street to another, shall do so by turning to the left, so as to head in the same direction as the traffic on that side of the street toward which the crossing is made, and so that said vehicle shall stop with its right side to the curb of said street.
(11) When vehicles approach an intersection of a state trunk line highway or any other street desig- nated in this section as the through traffic street and any other street, avenue or alley at the same time, the vehicle proceeding on the state trunk line highway, or any other street herein designated as
10
a through traffic street, shall have the right of way. The following streets between the points hereinafter mentioned are herein designated as state trunk line highways, or through traffic streets.
Lincoln Avenue from the City Limits to East Avenue;
East Avenue from Lincoln Avenue to Main Street;
Main Street from East Avenue to Douglas Ave- nue;
Douglas Avenue from Main Street to the City limits;
Oakland Drive from Main Street to the North line of Michigan Avenue;
Michigan Avenue from Oakland Drive to the City limits;
South Westnedge Avenue from Main Street to the City limits;
Harrison Street from Main Street to Gull Street; Gull Street and Harrison Street to the City limits.
When vehicles approach an intersection of two or more intersecting State trunk line highways, or streets herein designated, as through traffic streets, at the same time, the vehicles approaching on the right of the driver shall have the right of way. The provisions of this section shall not apply at inter- sections of streets, where and during the time, that traffic is controlled by traffic officers.
(12) When vehicles approach an intersection of two or more highways other than state trunk lines, or through traffic streets, at the same time, the vehicle approaching on the driver's right shall have the right of way.
(13) No vehicle shall be driven through a funeral or other procession except with the permission of a police officer.
(14) The driver or operator of every motor vehicle approaching in the same direction with any street car, if the same is stopping or has stopped, to take on or discharge passengers, shall bring his
11
.
or her vehicle to a dead stop not nearer than six (6) feet in the rear of the rear door of such street car, and shall wait there until all passengers are taken on, and until all descending passengers shall have cleared the driveway of such street before starting; and in case such motor vehicles have over- taken, but have not passed all doors, of such street car before the same has stopped, for such purpose, the driver of such motor vehicle shall stop his or her vehicle and remain in place until the loading or unloading of such passengers shall be completed, and the driveway of the street shall be cleared of such passengers. Provided, however, that the provisions of this section shall not apply to street car stopping points, at or near street intersections where traffic officers are stationed to regulate traffic thereat; nor at such other intersections as are adequately guarded under the supervision and designation of the department of public safety. No conductor or motorman on any street car, or interurban car, operating on any street in the City of Kalamazoo shall open a car door for the purpose of allowing a passenger to descend from the car before such car has been brought to a complete stop.
(15) No automobile, truck or other vehicle shall be parked or allowed to stand between the curb and sidewalk, nor on any sidewalk or parkway on any street.
(16) No vehicle shall remain backed up to a curb, except to be actually loading or unloading, and in such case, no longer than the actual loading or unloading requires, and in any case, not to ex- ceed a period of thirty (30) minutes. In all cases where a horse or horses are attached to such a vehicle the said horse or horses shall be turned at right angles to the vehicle and in the direction in which the traffic upon that side of the street is moving.
(17) No vehicle shall remain standing at the curb on any portion of Portage Street, between Main Street and Washington Avenue; nor on Bur- dick Street between Lovell Street and Michigan
12
Central Tracks; nor on Water Street between Bur- dick Street and Rose Street; nor on Rose Street between Academy and Sebring Court; nor on Main Street, between Edwards Street and Park Street, for a longer period than one hour, (provided that this restriction does not apply on the South side of Main Street between Rose Street and Park Street; nor on the West side of Rose Street, between Academy Street and Main Street); nor on Sunday or on any week day after the hour of six (6) o'clock P. M. and until seven (7) o'clock the following day.
No vehicle shall remain standing so that any part of such vehicle is nearer than fifteen (15) feet from any fire hydrant on any street or public place.
(18) Any vehicle standing at the curb within that portion of the streets hereinbefore mentioned shall move away from such curb at the request of a police officer.
(19) No vehicle shall stand within any street or alley intersection or nearer than twenty-five (25) feet from the nearest street line of any intersection street, and no vehicle shall remain on Burdick Street nearer than fifty (50) feet from the inter- section of Main Street; on Main Street nearer than fifty (50) feet from the intersection of Burdick Street; on Burdick Street nearer than (50) feet from the intersection of South Street; on South Street nearer than fifty (50) feet from the inter- section of Burdick Street; on Burdick Street nearer than twenty-five (25) feet from the intersection of Water Street; on Main Street nearer than fifty (50) feet from the intersection of Portage Street; on Portage Street nearer than fifty (50) feet from the intersection of Main Street; on Main Street nearer than fifty (50) feet from the intersection of Rose Street; on the West side of Burdick Street nearer than twenty-five (25) feet from the North line of Lovell Street; on the East side of Burdick Street nearer than one hundred (100) feet from the North line of Lovell Street; on Westnedge Avenue nearer than one hundred and twenty-five (125) feet from the South line of Main Street.
13
In this section the distances from the intersection shall be computed from the nearest street line of the intersecting street.
The Police Department shall provide suitable standards, signs, or devices indicating the pro- hibited distances specifically set forth in this section.
(20) All vehicles shall be parked parallel with the curb, and so that no part of the curb side of said vehicle shall be more than two feet from the curb on the following streets :-
Burdick Street from Michigan Central Railroad to Lovell Street; East Main Street from Portage Street to G. R. & I. Railroad; Portage Street from Main Street to Washington Avenue; South Street from Burdick Street to Park Street; on Rose Street between South Street and Lovell Streets; on Main Street between Park Street and Oakland Drive; on Water Street between Edwards Street and West Street, and on all streets around Bronson Park, except Rose Street; and on all streets herein above designated where parallel parking is required, each vehicle must be stopped in such a manner that there shall be at least four (4) feet of open space intervening between the front and rear of such vehicles and any other vehicle standing in said street.
The word "parking" wherever used in this Or- dinance is defined to be allowing said vehicle to remain standing without some one in charge of said vehicle who is competent to operate the same.
Parking of vehicles is prohibited in Exchange Place, Bates Alley, Farmer's Alley, De Visser Alley, and Corporation Alley, on the North side of South Street between Burdick Street and Henrietta Street and on the South side of Lovell Street, be- tween Burdick and Rose Street; or on any street at the side of any street railway switch.
Exchange Place shall be known as a one-way alley, and traffic in said alley is prohibited except in one direction, from East to West. No vehicle shall enter said alley except from Burdick Street
14
entrance, and shall leave said alley where the same opens on to Rose Street.
(21) On all streets where parking space shall be designated by diagonal lines marked on the pave- ment, it shall be unlawful for the driver or operator of any vehicle to stop the same or park the same except between the lines so indicated, and so that all parts of said vehicle shall be within said lines.
(22) Upon application by the owner or pro- prietor of any hotel, theatre, public hall, or filling station, the Chief of Police may reserve a space not exceeding thirty (30) feet in front of the en- trance to such hotel, theatre, public hall, or filling station, and in such case the space so reserved shall be indicated by signs approved by the Chief of Police, said signs to be furnished by the applicant for such reserve space, and it shall be unlawful to park any vehicle within the space so reserved where the same is properly indicated by such signs.
(23) No vehicle shall stop at any crosswalk for a longer period than necessary to permit the oc- cupants to alight, or persons to enter said vehicle, or in any manner as to obstruct free passage upon said crosswalks.
(24) No vehicle shall stop on any street except within two (2) feet of the curb, or in such way as to obstruct free passage of the street.
(25) The driver of any vehicle shall stop on the signal from the Police Officer. The driver of any vehicle shall carefully observe all signals of a police officer, whether said signal is by hand or by sema- phore, or other signalling device, and when directed, either by the hand of said police officer, or by sema- phore, or other signalling device, to stop or start, such vehicle shall immediately comply with said signal.
(26) The Police Department may provide safety zones for pedestrians and such zones shall be designated in a visable and suitable manner. When so designated, it shall be unlawful for any person to
15
drive a vehicle upon any safety zone when the zone is occupied or about to be occupied by any person. Lines painted upon the pavement at street inter- sections, upon any street occupied by a street car line, shall be street safety zones within thé pro- visions of this section.
(27) The officers and men of the Fire Depart- ment and Fire Patrol and their apparatus of all kinds, when going to or on duty at or returning from a fire, and the officers, men, and vehicles of the Police Department shall have the right of way in any street, and through any crossing, except over vehicles carrying United States mail. Upon the approach of any apparatus of the Fire Depart- ment, or any Police Patrol wagon, the driver of any vehicle in, or upon any street, shall immedi- ately stop such vehicle as near as possible to the right-hand curb of such street, and it shall be un- lawful for any such driver to cause, or permit his vehicle to be moved until such apparatus, or police patrol, shall have passed such vehicle.
(28) No vehicle shall be allowed to remain upon or be driven through, any street of the City of Kala- mazoo, so as to blockade or obstruct the street, and no vehicle shall be so overloaded that the horse or motive power shall be unable to move it.
Any motor vehicle carrying any material, or thing, which projects out of or beyond the dimen- sions of said vehicle at a greater distance than four (4) feet, must have a red flag on the end of such material, or thing, during the day time, and a red light at night, as provided in section 35.
(29) It shall be unlawful for any person, while under the influence of liquor, to drive or operate any kind of a vehicle upon the streets, highways, or public places of the City.
(30) It shall be unlawful for any person in charge or control of any vehicle, to make, with the said vehicle, or any device connected therewith, any excessive noise, to annoy the public, or to open the muffler on any vehicle, or to run any vehicle
16
with the muffler cut out, or to permit such vehicle or any device thereon to emit smoke, gas, or steam within the street, highways, or public places or to allow oil to drip from any vehicle upon the pave- ments on any of the streets, highways, or alleys of the city.
(31) It shall be unlawful for more than two persons to ride upon any motorcycle or bicycle within the City of Kalamazoo, or in such manner that the second person so riding shall be between the person operating or steering such motorcycle or bicycle and the front of said motorcycle oribicycle.
(32) No automobile or motorcycle shall be driven or operated on the streets of the City of Kalamazoo by any person under the age of sixteen (16) years.
(33) It shall be unlawful to leave any automo- bile, auto car, or other vehicle propelled by artificial power, upon any street with the engine or motive power in operation, unless the same shall be at- tended with some competent person, and it shall be unlawful to leave any automobile, or auto car, or other vehicle propelled by artificial power upon the streets, alleys, or public places of said City, unless the brakes thereon shall be set.
(34) It shall be the duty of the driver and oper- ator of every vehicle driven upon the streets of the City of Kalamazoo, in complying with the regula- tions of this ordinance, to observe the rights of foot passengers upon the streets, and the rights of all foot passengers in use of the streets, for lawful pur- poses, shall not be infringed or lessened by the ob- servance of any regulation herein made for the use of vehicles upon the streets.
(35) Every motor vehicle standing or being operated or driven on any public highway, alley, or public place within the city limits, shall be pro- vided, during the period from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise, with at least one lighted lamp on the front, the light of such front lamps to
17
9
be visible one hundred fifty (150) feet in the direc- tion in which such motor vehicle is heading or pro- ceeding. There shall also be provided one rear lamp on such vehicle, which shall display a red light visible from the rear at least one hundred fifty (150) feet, and a white light, the rays of which shall shine upon the number plate carried on the rear of such vehicle; and provided further, that if such vehicle be loaded with material which shall project out and beyond the dimensions of such vehicle, then in that case, such vehicle shall carry the red light required by this section at the extreme rear of such materials and provided further, that the lights required by this section may be turned off when said vehicle is parked within fifty (50) feet of any lighted street light; and provided that motor-bicycles, motor- cycles, and bicycles shall be required to display but one lighted lamp, such lamp to be displayed on the front of such vehicle so that it shall be visible one hundred (100) feet in the direction in which the vehicle is headed or proceeding.
Every vehicle equipped with and using electric lights, shall be provided and equipped with some practical and efficient device, or devices, whereby the front light or lights of such vehicle may be dim- med or lessened at the will of the driver, to such an extent that such electric lights, or the reflection therefrom through said front light or lights, will not interfere with the sight of, nor temporarily blind the vision of the driver of an approaching vehicle, and it shall be the duty of the driver of such vehicle to apply such dimmer to the front light or lights of the vehicle being driven upon the streets of the City, to cause such lights to be dimmed or lessened, so as not to interfere with the sight or temporarily blind the vision of the driver of any approaching vehicle.
(36) No person shall operate a motor vehicle upon the streets, alleys, or public places of said City at a rate of speed greater than fifteen (15) miles an hour in the business portion, which shall include the inner fire limits of said City, and not greater
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