TRAFFIC-CONTROL DEVICES

Fargo Municipal Code ch. 8, art. 8-04

in effect

Fargo Municipal Code § 8-0401 Authority to install traffic-control devices.

8-0401. - Authority to install traffic-control devices. A. The traffic engineer and/or police department shall place and maintain traffic-control signs, signals, and devices when and as required under the traffic ordinances of this city to make effective the provisions of said ordinances, and may place and maintain such additional traffic-control devices as may be necessary to regulate traffic or to guide or warn traffic under the traffic ordinances of this city or under state law. B. The traffic engineer and/or police department is authorized to erect temporary signs indicating no parking upon either or both sides of any street when such parking would, in its opinion, interfere with traffic or create a hazardous situation. Source: 1952 Rev. Ord. 1119 (1962), 2515 (1990).

Fargo Municipal Code § 8-0402 Manual and specifications for traffic-control devices.

8-0402. - Manual and specifications for traffic-control devices. All traffic-control signs, signals, and devices shall conform to the manual and specifications approved by resolution of the board of city commissioners. All signs and signals required hereunder for particular purpose shall, so far as practicable, be uniform as to type and location throughout the city. All traffic-control devices so erected and not inconsistent with the provisions of state law or this chapter shall be official traffic-control devices. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions or any other provisions of state law or city ordinance governing traffic-control signs, signals or devices, the use within the city of Fargo of such fold-down school stop signs as have been utilized heretofore, shall be lawful and such stop signs shall be deemed official traffic-control devices. Sources: 1965 Rev. Ord. 8-0402, 1451 (1972).

Fargo Municipal Code § 8-0403 Obedience to official traffic-control devices.

8-0403. - Obedience to official traffic-control devices. The driver of any vehicle 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 or unless subject to the exceptions granted the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle in this chapter. Source: 1952 Rev. Ord. 1119 (1962).

Fargo Municipal Code § 8-0404 When traffic signs required for enforcement purposes.

8-0404. - When traffic signs required for enforcement purposes. No provision of this chapter or other city ordinance requiring the installation of traffic signs 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 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. Source: 1952 Rev. Ord. 1119 (1962).

Fargo Municipal Code § 8-0405 Traffic-control signals legend.

8-0405. - Traffic-control signals 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 may be used, except for special pedestrian signals carrying a word or legend, and said lights must indicate and apply to drivers of vehicles and pedestrians as follows: A. Green indication: 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian-control signal as provided for in N.D.C.C. § 39-10-06, 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. B. Steady yellow indication: 1. 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 may not enter the intersection. 2. Pedestrians facing a steady yellow signal, unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian-control signal as provided for in N.D.C.C. § 39-10-06, are thereby advised that there is insufficient time to cross the roadway before a red indication is shown and no pedestrian may then start to cross the roadway. C. Steady red indication: 1. Vehicular traffic facing a steady red signal alone shall stop at a clearly marked stop line, but if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, or if none, then before entering the intersection and shall remain standing until an indication to proceed is shown, except as provided for in subdivision 2. 2. Except when a sign is in a place prohibiting a turn, vehicular traffic facing a steady red signal may cautiously enter the intersection to turn right, or to turn left from a one-way street into a one-way street, after stopping as required by subdivision 1. Such vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection. 3. Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian-control signal as provided for in N.D.C.C. § 39-10-06, pedestrians facing a steady red signal alone may not enter the roadway. D. In the event an official traffic-control signal is erected and maintained at a place other than an intersection, the provisions of this section are applicable, except as to those provisions which by their nature can have no application. Any stop required must be made at a sign or marking on the pavement indicating where the stop must be made, but in the absence of any such sign or marking the stop must be made at the signal. Source: 1952 Rev. Ord. 1119 (1962), 1965 Rev. Ord. 8-0405, 1315 (1969), 1498 (1973), 2739 (1995).

Fargo Municipal Code § 8-0406 Pedestrian-control signals.

8-0406. - 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: A. "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. B. "Wait" or "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 zone while the wait signal is showing. Source: 1952 Rev. Ord. 1119 (1962).

Fargo Municipal Code § 8-0407 Flashing signals.

8-0407. - 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). 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 as stated elsewhere in this chapter. Source: 1952 Rev. Ord. 1119 (1962).

Fargo Municipal Code § 8-0408 Traffic engineer designates crosswalks and establishes every safety zone and traffic lane.

8-0408. - Traffic engineer designates crosswalks and establishes every safety zone and traffic lane. The traffic engineer is hereby authorized: A. To designate and maintain, by appropriate devices, marks, or lines upon the surface of the roadway, crosswalks at the intersections where in their opinion there is particular danger to pedestrians crossing the roadway, and at such other places as may be necessary; B. To establish safety zones of such kind and character and at such places as may be necessary for the protection of pedestrians; C. To mark traffic lanes upon the roadway of any street or highway where a regular alignment of traffic is necessary. Where such traffic lanes have been marked, it shall be unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to fail or refuse to keep such vehicle within the boundaries of any such lane except when lawfully passing another vehicle or preparatory to making a lawful turning movement. Source: 1952 Rev. Ord. 1119 (1962), 2515 (1990).

Fargo Municipal Code § 8-0409 Traffic engineer to establish and designate public carrier stops and stands.

8-0409. - Traffic engineer to establish and designate public carrier stops and stands. The traffic engineer is hereby authorized, subject to the approval of the board of city commissioners, to establish bus stops, bus stands, taxicab stands, and stands for other passenger common-carrier motor vehicles on such public streets in such places and in such number so as to be of the greatest benefit and convenience to the public, and every such bus stop, bus stand, taxicab stand, or other stand shall be designated by appropriate signs. Source: 1952 Rev. Ord. 1119 (1962), 2515 (1990).

Fargo Municipal Code § 8-0410 Intersections where stop or yield is required.

8-0410. - Intersections where stop or yield is required. The traffic engineer is hereby authorized to determine and designate intersections at other than through streets where particular hazard exists and to determine: A. Whether vehicles shall stop at one or more entrances to any such intersections, in which event it shall cause a stop sign to be erected at every such place where a stop is required subject to the approval of the board of city commissioners. B. Whether vehicles shall yield the right-of-way to vehicles on a different street at such intersection, in which event it shall cause to be erected a yield sign at every place where obedience thereto is required. Source: 1952 Rev. Ord. 1119 (1962), 2515 (1990).

Fargo Municipal Code § 8-0411 Interference with official traffic-control signs or devices or railroad signs or signals.

8-0411. - Interference with official traffic-control signs or devices or railroad signs or signals. No person shall, without lawful authority, alter or attempt to alter, paste stickers on, deface, injure, knock down, or remove any official traffic-control sign or device or any railroad sign or signal, or any inscription, shield, or insignia thereon, or any other part thereof. Source: 1952 Rev. Ord. 1119 (1962).

Fargo Municipal Code § 8-0412 Display of unauthorized signs, signals, or markings.

8-0412. - Display of unauthorized signs, signals, or markings. A. No person shall place, maintain, or display upon or in view of any highway an 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 movement of traffic, or which hides from view or interferes with the effectiveness of any 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 street or highway any sign or signal bearing thereon any commercial or political 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; provided, that said signs and installations are approved by the police department. D. All signs other than official signs, signals, and markings are hereby declared to be a public nuisance and the police department is hereby empowered to remove such signs or cause them to be removed without notice. Subject to the following exceptions, those signs already in place at the time of passage of this ordinance shall be permitted to remain, but there shall be no maintenance or repair of these signs on the part of the persons originally given permission for said installation. When, in the opinion of the police department, the general appearance of any such sign has deteriorated sufficiently or any safety factor makes it necessary to remove said sign, then the police department is empowered to declare the sign a public nuisance and order its removal. Source: 1952 Rev. Ord. 1119 (1962).

Source: City of Fargo, North Dakota, Fargo Municipal Code and Home Rule Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/nd/fargo/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=FARGO_MUNICIPAL_CODECIFANODA_CH8TRCO_ART8-04TRNTDEFetched: 11/7/2026