Illegal To Block Sidewalk With Car

 

Several neighbors have emailed the Laurelhurst Blog Staff to remind residents about not blocking sidewalks with their cars.

Pedestrians, adults and children, have to walk out into the street to get around a vehicle which is a safety hazard. It is not legal to park in the area where a sidewalk is.

Seattle Municipal Code 11.14.570 Sidewalk states:

“Sidewalk” means that area between the curb lines or the lateral edge lines of a roadway and the adjacent property, intended for the use of pedestrians or such portion of private property parallel and in proximity to a street or alley and dedicated to use by pedestrians.  

For the purposes of this subtitle, there is always deemed to be a sidewalk not less than three (3)feet in width, whether actually constructed or not, on each side of each street except where there is less than three (3) feet between the edge of the roadway and a physical obstruction which prohibits reasonable use by pedestrians.  

The sidewalk is located where constructed, or if not constructed, adjacent to the property line or as close thereto as can reasonably be used by pedestrians; provided, that no sidewalk shall be deemed to exist on private property unless it is actually constructed.

 

Pedestrians who encounter a car parked on a sidewalk should call Seattle Police Department's Parking Enforcement Unit at 206-386-9012.