Section 25-102 - Powers of local authorities.
§ 25-102. Powers of local authorities.
(a) Enumeration of powers.- The provisions of the Maryland Vehicle Law do not prevent a local authority, in the reasonable exercise of its police power, from exercising the following powers as to highways under its jurisdiction:
(1) Subject to the provisions of § 21-1003.1 of this article, regulating or prohibiting the stopping, standing, or parking of vehicles;
(2) Regulating traffic by means of police officers or traffic control devices;
(3) Regulating or prohibiting processions or assemblies on highways;
(4) Designating particular highways or separate roadways as one-way highways and requiring that all vehicles on them move in one specified direction;
(5) Regulating the speed and weight of vehicles in public parks;
(6) Designating any highway as a through highway or designating any intersection as a stop intersection or a yield intersection;
(7) Restricting the use of highways as provided in Title 24 of this article;
(8) Regulating the operation of bicycles, requiring them to be registered, and imposing a registration fee;
(9) Regulating or prohibiting the turning of vehicles or specified types of vehicles at intersections;
(10) Altering speed limits as provided in Title 21, Subtitle 8 of this article;
(11) Regulating through truck traffic and prohibiting trucks from using any highway or alley that is not designated or maintained as a part or extension of the State or federal highway system, provided the local authority has designated an adequate alternate route for diverted truck traffic;
(12) Adopting any other traffic regulations as specifically authorized in the Maryland Vehicle Law;
(13) Regulating taxi stands, including taxi stands in the middle of a block;
(14) (i) Except in Garrett County, designating a certain portion of highways or roadways upon which snowmobiles may travel for the sole purpose of gaining access to snowmobile trails which have been designated by the Department of Natural Resources. However, only those highways and roadways which divide snowmobile trails and which would otherwise obstruct direct access between snowmobile trails may be so designated; and
(ii) In Garrett County, permitting a person to cross a highway or roadway on a snowmobile at a right angle, and designating a certain portion of highways or roadways upon which snowmobiles may travel for the sole purpose of gaining access to snowmobile trails which have been designated by the Department of Natural Resources;
(15) Requiring a motorized minibike to be permitted by the local authority, and imposing a permit fee;
(16) In Allegany County, designating crossings on county highways where a person operating a golf cart may cross the highway for continued access to any portion of a golf course; and
(17) Restricting use of a low speed vehicle on a highway.
(b) Approval required for certain stop signs or traffic control signals.-
(1) Unless it first obtains written approval from the State Highway Administration, a local authority may not place or maintain any stop sign or traffic control signal that requires the traffic on any State highway to stop before entering or crossing any intersecting highway.
(2) Unless it first obtains written permission from the State Highway Administration, a local authority may not place or maintain lighting along or at an intersection with a State highway.
(c) Necessity for signs.- An ordinance or regulation adopted under items (4), (5), (6), (7), or (10) of subsection (a) of this section is not effective until a traffic control device giving notice of the local traffic regulations is placed on or at the entrances to the highway or its affected part.
[An. Code 1957, art. 661/2, § 15-102; 1977, ch. 14, § 2; ch. 460; 1981, ch. 682; 1982, ch. 428; 1985, ch. 592; 1994, chs. 216, 276; 1999, ch. 82; 2005, ch. 366; 2006, ch. 562, § 2.]