2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE NINE - Highways and Traffic (§§ 1-8 — 5725) › Chapter 27 - Vehicle and Traffic Law (2000) › Subchapter XX - Commonwealth and Local Powers (§§ 5601 — 5609) › § 5604 - Powers of the local authorities

The following standards shall be observed in all matters relative to the powers of the local authorities:
(a) The provisions of this chapter and its regulations shall not be construed or interpreted as precluding that local authorities with regard to public streets and roads under their jurisdiction and in the reasonable exercise of their powers provided the same are not in conflict with the provisions of this chapter and its regulations, may:
(1) Regulate or prohibit stopping, detaining or parking.
(2) Regulate traffic through official devices.
(3) Designate certain public roads or roadways for one-way traffic.
(4) Designate any public road as preferential or designate any intersection as a stopping or a yield right of way point.
(5) Regulate the use of bicycles.
(6) Regulate or prohibit turning.
(7) Change or establish speed limits.
(8) Designate no-passing areas.
(9) Regulate the use of controlled-access public roads for any kind or type of traffic.
(10) Regulate the use of heavy traffic streets for any kind or type of vehicle deemed to be incompatible with the normal and safe movement of traffic.
(11) Establish minimum speed limits.
(12) Designate and regulate traffic in public roads used for sports events when authorized by the Secretary or the municipal authorities.
(13) Prohibit pedestrians from crossing the roadway of any public road, except on the crosswalks.
(14) Restrict the crossing of pedestrians on unmarked crosswalks.
(15) Regulate the movement of persons operating pushcarts.
(16) Regulate the movement of persons wearing skates or using go-carts and other toy vehicles.
(17) Adopt and enforce temporary or experimental regulations, as deemed necessary to cover emergencies or special conditions.
(18) Adopt any other traffic regulations specifically authorized by this chapter.
(19) Install or authorize the installation by private or public entities of speed bumps or special devices to control the speed at which motor vehicles are allowed to travel, with the previous authorization of the Secretary. The Secretary, on the basis of traffic surveys, the incidence of accidents, the school population and the existing road facilities, shall determine whether a situation deserves the installation of these speed bumps or special devices and if so, shall issue the proper certification to the corresponding municipality. The Secretary is hereby authorized to establish through regulations the specifications of the speed bumps and special devices, their location, the proper distance between speed bumps or devices and the minimum requirements justifying their installation.
(20) Impose administrative fines for violations of traffic related municipal ordinances, pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
(b) Any municipal ordinance in effect at the time of approval of this act which is totally or partially in conflict with the provisions thereof, and with the regulations approved by the Secretary, shall be deemed null and void and without legal effect regarding the provisions in conflict therewith.
(c) Ordinances on parking or direction of traffic shall be effective only when and while the proper signs, signals or markings are installed and maintained in the places regulated therefor. The local authorities shall install and maintain on the public roads under their respective jurisdictions those devices to regulate traffic deemed necessary to make known and enforce the provisions of this chapter and the local traffic ordinances or to regulate and direct traffic. All devices to regulate traffic that are henceforth installed shall be in accordance with the manual and the specifications established by the Department.
(d) No local authority may install or maintain official traffic regulatory devices in any place that requires that the traffic moving along a Commonwealth public road stops before entering the crossing area of an intersected public road, nor may it install or authorize the installation of the special devices authorized by clause (20) of subsection (a) of this section, unless written consent is previously obtained from the Department.
(e) The local authorities may establish administrative regulations on an experimental basis for a period of not more than sixty (60) days without the need for municipal ordinance approval, concerning the traffic aspects mentioned in this section, subject to the requirements referred to in subsection (c) of this section.
History —Jan. 7, 2000, No. 22, § 21.04, renumbered as § 20.04 on June 3, 2004, No. 132, § 17, eff. 8 months after June 3, 2004.