TRANSPORTATION SAFETY; TRAFFIC REGULATIONS; PARKING FACILITIES; HIGHWAYS;

HIGHWAYS;

Connecticut laws/regulations;

You asked if there are any laws that restrict or otherwise govern parking motor vehicles along state highways.

The primary law that governs parking along any highway, including state highways, is CGS § 14-251. It prohibits the following:

1. remaining stationary within 10 feet of a fire hydrant;

2. remaining stationary “upon the traveled portion” of any highway, except on the right-hand side of the highway in the direction in which the vehicle is headed;

3. parking within 25 feet of an intersection, a marked crosswalk, or a stop sign erected by the legal traffic authority;

4. remaining stationary on the traveled portion of any highway at any curve or turn or at the top of any grade where the vehicle cannot be clearly viewed from a distance of at least 150 feet in either direction;

5. keeping a vehicle stationary at any place where the transportation commissioner has determined it would be dangerous to traffic and has posted a sign prohibiting it;

6. remaining stationary on the traveled portion of any highway within 50 feet of the point where another vehicle, that has previously stopped, remains stationary on the opposite side of the traveled portion of the same highway;

7. remaining stationary within the limits of a public highway in a manner that constitutes a traffic hazard or obstructs the free movement of traffic, unless the vehicle is disabled to the extent that it is impossible or impractical to remove it until the owner has had reasonable time to repair it or get assistance for removing it; and

8. on a highway with a curb, parking a vehicle at a distance of more than 12 inches from the curb.

Exemptions from the requirements are provided for emergency vehicles, maintenance vehicles displaying flashing lights, or vehicles being held stationary by a police officer in an emergency to avoid an accident or give the right of way to another vehicle or pedestrian.

A second law, CGS § 14-307, gives the power to prohibit, limit, or restrict parking of vehicles to (1) the State Traffic Commission for any portion of any state highway or bridge and (2) the traffic authority of any city, town, or borough for any highway or thoroughfare coming under its jurisdiction. However, parking as it is defined for these purposes excludes the temporary standing of a vehicle for the purpose of and while engaged in receiving or discharging passengers or loading or unloading merchandise, or while in obedience to traffic regulations or traffic signals (CGS § 14-297(4)).

Finally, a State Traffic Commission regulation prohibits parking a motor vehicle in the right-of-way of any state limited access highway except in areas provided for this purpose or in obedience to signs, signals, or directions of police officers (Conn. Agency Regs. § 14-298-241).

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