S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  10298

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                              May 21, 2012
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A. CASTRO, GANTT, GABRYSZAK, MILLMAN, SCHIMEL --
  Multi-Sponsored by -- M.  of A. CRESPO, LATIMER, PERRY -- (at  request
  of  the Department of Transportation) -- read once and referred to the
  Committee on Transportation

AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to  roundabouts
  and  certain technical corrections relating to lane-use control signal
  indications, circular intersections and railroad grade crossings

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  The  vehicle  and  traffic law is amended by adding a new
section 106 to read as follows:
  S 106. CIRCULATORY ROADWAY.   THE ROADWAY  WITHIN  A  CIRCULAR  INTER-
SECTION  ON WHICH TRAFFIC TRAVELS IN A COUNTERCLOCKWISE DIRECTION AROUND
A CENTRAL ISLAND.
  S 2. Section 120 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a
new subdivision (c) to read as follows:
  (C) A CIRCULAR INTERSECTION CONTAINS AN ISLAND, GENERALLY CIRCULAR  IN
DESIGN,  LOCATED  IN THE CENTER OF THE INTERSECTION WHERE TRAFFIC PASSES
TO THE RIGHT OF THE ISLAND.
  S 3. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding  a  new  section
140-d to read as follows:
  S  140-D. ROUNDABOUT.   A CIRCULAR INTERSECTION WHICH IS CHARACTERIZED
BY A CIRCULATORY ROADWAY  WITH  COUNTERCLOCKWISE  MOVEMENT,  CHANNELIZED
APPROACHES, LOW SPEEDS, AND YIELD CONTROL OF ENTERING TRAFFIC.  A ROUND-
ABOUT  ENCOMPASSES  THE  AREA  BOUNDED BY THE OUTERMOST CURB LINE OR, IF
THERE IS NO CURB, THE EDGE OF THE PAVEMENT, AND INCLUDES  CROSSWALKS  ON
ANY ENTERING OR EXITING ROADWAY.
  S  4. Section 1116 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chap-
ter 356 of the laws of 1971, is amended to read as follows:
  S 1116. [Lane direction] LANE-USE control SIGNAL indications. Whenever
traffic is controlled by [lane  direction]  LANE-USE  control  [signals]
SIGNAL  INDICATIONS located over the individual lanes of a highway, only
the colors green, yellow, WHITE and red shall be used, and said  signals
shall indicate and apply as follows:

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                           LBD14563-02-2

A. 10298                            2

  (a)  Traffic  facing  a  steady downward [pointing] green arrow signal
[may travel in any lane over which such signal is located]    INDICATION
IS PERMITTED TO DRIVE IN THE LANE OVER WHICH THE ARROW SIGNAL INDICATION
IS LOCATED.
  (b)  Traffic  facing  a steady yellow X signal [is thereby warned that
the related green downward arrow indication is being terminated and that
a red X indication will be exhibited  immediately  thereafter  and  such
traffic  shall vacate, in a safe manner, the lane over which such signal
is located] INDICATION SHALL PREPARE TO VACATE THE LANE OVER  WHICH  THE
SIGNAL INDICATION IS LOCATED BECAUSE A LANE CONTROL CHANGE IS BEING MADE
TO A STEADY RED X SIGNAL INDICATION.
  (c)  Traffic facing a [flashing yellow X signal may travel in any lane
over which such signal is shown preparatory to making a left turn, using
proper caution] STEADY WHITE TWO-WAY LEFT-TURN ARROW  SIGNAL  INDICATION
IS  PERMITTED  TO USE A LANE OVER WHICH THE SIGNAL INDICATION IS LOCATED
FOR A LEFT TURN, BUT NOT FOR THROUGH TRAVEL, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT
COMMON USE OF THE LANE BY ONCOMING ROAD USERS FOR  LEFT  TURNS  IS  ALSO
PERMITTED.
  (d) Traffic facing a [steady red X signal shall not enter or travel in
any  lane  over  which  such  signal  is  located]  STEADY WHITE ONE WAY
LEFT-TURN ARROW SIGNAL INDICATION IS PERMITTED TO USE A LANE OVER  WHICH
THE SIGNAL INDICATION IS LOCATED FOR A LEFT TURN (WITHOUT OPPOSING TURNS
IN THE SAME LANE), BUT NOT FOR THROUGH TRAVEL.
  (E)  TRAFFIC  FACING A STEADY RED X SIGNAL SHALL NOT USE THE LANE OVER
WHICH THE SIGNAL INDICATION IS LOCATED AND THIS SIGNAL INDICATION  SHALL
MODIFY ACCORDINGLY THE MEANING OF OTHER TRAFFIC CONTROLS PRESENT.
  S 5. Section 1127 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended to read as
follows:
  S 1127. One-way  roadways  and  [rotary  traffic islands] AND CIRCULAR
INTERSECTIONS. (a) Upon a roadway designated and signposted for  one-way
traffic, a vehicle shall be driven only in the direction designated.
  (b) A vehicle passing around a [rotary traffic island] CIRCULAR INTER-
SECTION  shall  be  driven only to the right of [such] THE island unless
otherwise indicated by traffic control devices.
  S 6. Section 1685 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by  chap-
ter 217 of the laws of 1972, is amended to read as follows:
  S 1685. All  vehicles  must  stop  OR  YIELD at certain railroad grade
crossings where a stop OR YIELD sign is erected. The  state  transporta-
tion commissioner, with respect to state highways, and local authorities
with  respect  to  local  streets  within  their  jurisdiction, with the
approval of the state transportation commissioner are hereby  authorized
to install a stop OR YIELD sign at any highway-railroad crossings within
their respective jurisdictions.
  The  design  and  place and manner of installation of such signs shall
conform to the manual and specifications for a uniform system of traffic
control devices adopted by the state transportation commissioner.
  Whenever any such crossing is so designated and a stop OR  YIELD  sign
is installed, it shall be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle to fail
to  stop  OR YIELD within fifty feet but not less than fifteen feet from
such railroad tracks before traversing such  crossing.  The  failure  to
erect,  or the erection of, or failure to replace or maintain such signs
shall not be a basis for any action of negligence against a municipality
or the state nor a basis of a defense by a railroad in an  action  based
on negligence against a railroad.
  S 7. This act shall take effect immediately.