Fire Lane = No Parking
California Vehicle Code Prohibits Parking in the Fire Lane
California Vehicle Code says no parking.
no person shall stop, park, or leave standing any vehicle ... designated as a fire lane by the fire department or fire district
Many Vehicles Park in the Center Lane
See more about how Emergency Vehicles don’t rely on the center lane to access Old Town and to the south, because of parked vehicles.
It is a Center Left Turn Lane, Not a Fire Lane
See Center Turn Lane to understand how all can determine the center lane is a turn lane from the markings. The California Vehicle Code for fire lanes explains how to recognize a fire lane:
The designation shall be indicated (1) by a sign posted immediately adjacent to, and visible from, the designated place clearly stating in letters not less than one inch in height that the place is a fire lane, (2) by outlining or painting the place in red and, in contrasting color, marking the place with the words “FIRE LANE”, which are clearly visible from a vehicle, or (3) by a red curb or red paint on the edge of the roadway upon which is clearly marked the words “FIRE LANE”.
None of these markings exist.
Example of how a Fire Lane would appear.
Center Turn Lanes Don’t Allow Parking Either
See Left Turns Only to understand parking and passing in the center lane is prohibited under California Vehicle Code. See the History of the Median for a record of police enforcement of no stopping in the center lane.
Center Lane Parking Should Be Prohibited
So why is it happening? Bridgeway lacks curbside loading zones allowing commercial vehicles to deliver goods to nearby businesses and residents.
What a Real Fire Lane Looks Like …
The striping must be clearly reserved for emergency vehicles, no parking clearly stated and enforced. The traffic moves at the speed of bicycles because no passing in the fire lane. Play this level of Frogger.
Bike Lanes Provide Emergency Vehicle Access
Why have a Fire Lane when Bridgeway could have dedicated bike lanes for smooth traffic 99% of the time. When an emergency vehicle comes with sirens: cars and bikes share the bike lane providing plenty of clearance for the ambulance. Play this level of Frogger.
Move Forward to 2025, Not Back to 1965!!!
Bridgeway had this emergency lane in the 1970’s. It wasn’t striped with red lines, but it was a raised median ensuring drivers wouldn’t use the median for passing or parking. The sign clearly prohibited use as did enforcement reported in the History of the Median.
Bike Lanes Make a Better Bridgeway for All
Read more about Emergency Vehicles. See the proposal to fix Bridgeway.
