You asked if Connecticut law prohibits parking trucks on the shoulder of a state highway.

Connecticut does not have a law that explicitly deals with trucks, but it does have a law and a regulation of the State Traffic Commission (STC) that govern parking of any type of vehicle. The law applies to vehicles on any public highway. The STC regulation applies to parking along state limited access highways.

The law, in relevant part, prohibits any vehicle from being “permitted to remain stationary within the limits of a public highway in such a manner as to constitute a traffic hazard or obstruct the free movement of traffic thereon…” (CGS § 14-251). The law permits a vehicle that has become disabled to such an extent that it is impossible or impracticable to remove it to remain for a reasonable time for the purpose of making repairs or obtaining sufficient assistance to remove it. Violations are infractions and violators must pay a total of $ 75.

By law, the STC is designated as the legal traffic authority with jurisdiction over all state highways. It has the authority to adopt regulations governing the use of state highways (CGS § 14-298). The STC has adopted several regulations with respect to the use of state highways designated as limited access highways. (Limited access highways are defined as roads where access is only allowed at certain designated locations. This list of limited access highways includes all of the interstate highways such as I-84, I-91, I-95 and I-691, and non-interstate expressways such as Routes 2, 8, and 9, and the Merritt and Wilbur Cross parkways, among others. )

One of the STC regulations governing limited access highway use states, “No person shall allow his vehicle to remain standing or parked within the highway right-of-way except in areas provided for this purpose and in obedience to signs, signals or other directions of officers. ” (Conn. Agencies Regs. § 14-298-241)

This regulation appears to cover trucks parked or left idling on the shoulder of an expressway since the prohibition applies anywhere within the highway right-of-way. It also applies whether the vehicle is “standing” or “parked. ” Violations of all STC regulations issued pursuant to CGS § 14-298 are considered infractions and violators must pay a total of $ 75.

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