City of Oak Ridge reminds residents of on-street parking rules

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (Sept. 18, 2020) – The City of Oak Ridge would like to remind its residents of the rules for on-street parking. 

Many roadways in Oak Ridge are marked with dashed lines where you can safely, and legally, park between the curb and the dashed lines. However, many times, vehicles are parked on the curb or sidewalk, rather than the road. While you may feel as though you are helping by getting your vehicle as far off the roadway as possible, parking off the street is illegal.

When drivers park on the curb, it impacts sidewalk accessibility and someone who is in a wheelchair or pushing a stroller may not be able to get around the vehicle if the sidewalk is blocked.

If you are utilizing on-street parking, your vehicle should be parked on the street and off the curb within the dashed lines. It is legal to park on a city street that doesn’t have the dashed lines marked for parking as long as the road is wide enough and there is an 18-foot right of way, meaning there is 18 feet between your vehicle and the opposite curb for others to get by. There is an exception for some city streets that were accepted by the city prior to July 1, 1991, where there can be a 16-foot right of way for streets of 22 feet in width or less.

In all cases, you must also be facing the direction of travel and be visible from a distance of 200 feet in each direction.

If there is an instance where a vehicle is too big to fit in a designated on-street parking spot, the driver should find a different place to park where they do fit.

Failure to follow these rules can result in a citation or warning.

If you have any questions or need any more information, contact Oak Ridge Code Enforcement at (865) 425-3532.