Ground Traffic in Air Operations Area.

Austin City Code tit. 13, ch. 13-1, art. 3, div. 4, subpt. B

in effect

Austin City Code § 13-1-131 UNAUTHORIZED ACTIVITY ON RUNWAY OR TAXIWAY PROHIBITED.

§ 13-1-131 - UNAUTHORIZED ACTIVITY ON RUNWAY OR TAXIWAY PROHIBITED. Except as authorized by the air traffic controller, a person may not be on an active runway or taxiway. Source: 2003 Code Section 13-1-182; 1992 Code 17-2-182; Ord. 040729-16.

Austin City Code § 13-1-132 RADIO COMMUNICATION REQUIRED.

§ 13-1-132 - RADIO COMMUNICATION REQUIRED. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a person operating a vehicle on a taxiway or runway shall maintain radio communications with the air traffic controller. Source: 2003 Code Section 13-1-179; 1992 Code Section 17-2-179; Ord. 040729-16.

Austin City Code § 13-1-133 DRIVER'S LICENSE REQUIRED.

§ 13-1-133 - DRIVER'S LICENSE REQUIRED. (A) A person may not operate a motor vehicle in an air operations area unless the person has in the person's possession a driver's license as authorized by the Texas Transportation Code. (B) A person shall display the person's driver's license on demand by a police officer or airport official. Source: 2003 Code Section 13-1-177; 1992 Code Section 17-2-177; Ord. 040729-16; Ord. 20080410-008.

Austin City Code § 13-1-134 FAILURE TO OBEY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER PROHIBITED.

§ 13-1-134 - FAILURE TO OBEY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER PROHIBITED. (A) This section does not apply to the operator of an emergency vehicle operating under emergency conditions on a ramp or flight line. (B) A person operating a vehicle on a taxiway, runway, ramp, or flight line commits an offense if the person does not obey the air traffic controller's instruction. Source: 2003 Code Section 13-1-178; 1992 Code Section 17-2-178; Ord. 040729-16.

Austin City Code § 13-1-135 OBEDIENCE TO FLAGMAN REQUIRED.

§ 13-1-135 - OBEDIENCE TO FLAGMAN REQUIRED. A person shall obey the signals of an airport employee or flagman posted by a tenant, contractor, or airport official to regulate the movements of a motor vehicle on a ramp unless obedience would create a greater hazard than unregulated movement. Source: 2003 Code Section 13-1-185; 1992 Code Section 17-2-185; Ord. 040729-16.

Austin City Code § 13-1-136 OBSERVANCE OF MOVEMENT-CONTROLLING DEVICES OR MARKINGS REQUIRED.

§ 13-1-136 - OBSERVANCE OF MOVEMENT-CONTROLLING DEVICES OR MARKINGS REQUIRED. Unless otherwise authorized by the air traffic controller or an airport official, a pedestrian or person operating a motor vehicle shall obey officially installed movement-control devices or markings, including the designation of a walkway, hold-short line, taxi line, stop line, turn line, clearance line and other mark or device in an air operations area. ;hn0; Source: 2003 Code Section 13-1-186; 1992 Code Section 17-2-186; Ord. 040729-16.

Austin City Code § 13-1-137 SPEED LIMITS IN AIR OPERATIONS AREA.

§ 13-1-137 - SPEED LIMITS IN AIR OPERATIONS AREA. (A) Except in compliance with an officially posted speed limit, a person may not operate a motor vehicle on a ramp or flight line at a speed greater than ten miles per hour. (B) The maximum prima facie speed limit is 30 miles per hour at all times on an airport street in the airport operations area, unless a different speed limit is prescribed by Section 13-1-112 (Speed Limits). (C) A person may not operate a motor vehicle in an air operations area in a careless or reckless manner or at a speed that may endanger an aircraft, person, or property. Source: 2003 Code Section 13-1-175; 1992 Code Section 17-2-175; Ord. 040729-16.

Austin City Code § 13-1-138 VEHICLE EQUIPMENT SAFETY IN AIR OPERATIONS AREA.

§ 13-1-138 - VEHICLE EQUIPMENT SAFETY IN AIR OPERATIONS AREA. (A) A person operating a motor vehicle in an air operations area must equip the vehicle with headlights, tail-lights, and brakes that comply with the requirements of the Texas Transportation Code. (B) A person may not operate a motor vehicle on or across a runway or taxiway at night unless the vehicle has its headlights, taillights or reflectors illuminated. (C) A person may not operate a motor vehicle equipped with rotating emergency light on or across a runway or taxiway unless the lights are illuminated. (D) A person may not operate or tow a vehicle unless the vehicle is equipped with parking brakes designed to prevent the vehicle's movement due to wind, jet blast, or propeller blast. (E) A person may not operate a vehicle: (1) if the driver does not have clear visibility to the front, sides and rear of the driver's position; or (2) if the vehicle is built, equipped, loaded, or maintained in a way that creates a danger to a person or property. (F) A person may not operate a vehicle on a usable taxiway or runway at the airport unless the vehicle has a functioning two-way radio capable of contact with the air traffic controller, unless: (1) the vehicle is accompanied by and under the control of another vehicle with functioning two-way radio communications capabilities; or (2) operation of the vehicle is specifically authorized by the director by previous arrangement with the air traffic controller. Source: 2003 Code Sections 13-1-176 and 13-1-191; 1992 Code Sections 17-2-176 and 17-2-191; Ord. 040729-16.

Austin City Code § 13-1-139 RESTRICTION ON PARKING NEAR A RUNWAY OR TAXIWAY.

§ 13-1-139 - RESTRICTION ON PARKING NEAR A RUNWAY OR TAXIWAY. A person may only park a vehicle adjacent to an active runway or taxiway if the vehicle is: (1) parallel to the runway; (2) at least 250 feet from the center line of the runway; and (3) at least 107 feet from the center line of a taxiway. Source: 2003 Code Section 13-1-180; 1992 Code Section 17-2-180; Ord. 040729-16.

Austin City Code § 13-1-140 RIGHT-OF-WAY PRIORITY.

§ 13-1-140 - RIGHT-OF-WAY PRIORITY. The operator of a motor vehicle or aircraft shall have right-of-way in the order of priority as listed below from the highest to the lowest: (1) an emergency vehicle operating during emergency conditions; (2) an aircraft moving under its own power or being towed; (3) an emergency vehicle not engaged in an emergency activity; (4) a maintenance and construction vehicle in a construction area designated by the director; (5) a fuel tender; (6) a motor vehicle operated in support of air carrier operations; and (7) a maintenance, administrative, and construction vehicle. Source: 2003 Code Section 13-1-183; 1992 Code Section 17-2-183; Ord. 040729-16.

Austin City Code § 13-1-141 YIELDING AND PASSING IN THE AIR OPERATIONS AREA.

§ 13-1-141 - YIELDING AND PASSING IN THE AIR OPERATIONS AREA. (A) If a person operating a motor vehicle or aircraft within an air operations area approaches a motor vehicle or aircraft of a greater priority, the person may not create a hazard by failing or refusing to yield the right-of-way. (B) If two motor vehicles or aircraft are of the same priority, the operator of the motor vehicle or aircraft approaching from the right shall have the right-of-way and the operator approaching from the left shall yield. (C) The operator of a motor vehicle or aircraft on approaching courses shall pass or veer to the right. (D) If the operator of a motor vehicle or aircraft overtakes another vehicle or aircraft, the operator shall pass to the left of the vehicle or aircraft being passed. (E) Except an emergency vehicle operating under emergency conditions, the operator of a vehicle on an intersecting course with a moving aircraft or a vehicle moving across the probable paths of a stopped aircraft with a running engine shall pass to the rear of the aircraft. (F) The operator of a motor vehicle or aircraft may not turn, stop, or swerve if the action would create a hazard while the operator is overtaking or passing an aircraft or vehicle or being overtaken or passed by another aircraft or vehicle. Source: 2003 Code Sections 13-1-184, 13-1-187, 13-1-188, 13-1-189, and 13-1-190; 1992 Code Sections 17-2-184, 17-2-187, 17-2-188, 17-2-189, and 17-2-190; Ord. 040729-16.

Source: City of Austin, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/austin/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT13TRSE_CH13-1AVSE_ART3CIAI_SPBGRTRAIOPARFetched: 10/27/2026