Comments on: Local Government Authority to Regulate Traffic http://nccriminallaw.sog.unc.edu/?p=1592 UNC School of Government Blog Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:57:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Greg Stephens http://nccriminallaw.sog.unc.edu/?p=1592&cpage=1#comment-3109 Greg Stephens Tue, 28 Sep 2010 18:34:05 +0000 http://sogweb.sog.unc.edu/blogs/ncclaw/?p=1592#comment-3109 I understand that cities have the authority to regulate traffic under North Carolina law, but do they have to conform to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) or the NC Supplement to the MUTCD? The MUTCD describes how and when traffic control devices should be installed.

I know of a municipality that erected a three-way stop intersection and did not conduct a roadway survey as indicated by the MUTCD. I was told by officials, that they are a municipality and they can do what they want, including disregarding the MUTCD or NC Supplement.

If you don’t know, the MUTCD is the federal guidelines for placement, size, shape, color, etc., of traffic control devices and pavement markings related to regulating traffic. NC has adopted the MUTCD and added a supplement book to this for additional enhancements to traffic control devices.

Basically, I’m asking if a city/municipality has to follow the state or federal protocols for how they can regulate (placement and installation of signs) the traffic, or can they just do what they want? Can they just erect a three way stop intersection, just because someone complained about traffic or do they have to follow the guidelines adopted by the State (MUTCD or NC Supplement)?

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