Code of Massachusetts Regulations
302 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION
Title 302 CMR 11.00 - Parkways, Traffic, And Pedestrian Rules
Section 11.04 - Violations

Universal Citation: 302 MA Code of Regs 302.11

Current through Register 1531, September 27, 2024

(1) Any violation of the parking provisions of 302 CMR 11.04 on DCR roadways and other DCR property, as defined in 302 CMR 11.00, shall be considered a violation of 302 CMR 11.00 and punishable by a citation. If applicable, any other Massachusetts laws or regulations shall apply on DCR roadways or other DCR property, and may be enforced as applied.

(2) General Parking Rule. No person may stop, stand or park any vehicle in any roadway or service way of the Department in violation of any rules, regulations or laws of DCR, the Commonwealth, municipal or federal laws, regulations or bylaws, except when necessary to avoid conflict with traffic, when complying with the directions of a DCR ranger or authorized law enforcement officer, or other authorized DCR personnel, or complying with a traffic sign or traffic control signal.

(3) No Stopping. No person may halt a vehicle even momentarily, whether occupied or not, except in compliance with the directions of a DCR ranger or authorized law enforcement officer, or other authorized DCR personnel, or traffic control sign or signal.

(4) Fire Hydrant. No person may park within ten feet on either side of a fire hydrant.

(5) Intersection. No person may park within 40 feet of an intersection.

(6) Restricted Areas. No person may stop, stand or park any vehicle in or on any DCR property or DCR roadway or allow, permit or suffer any vehicle registered in his or her name to stand or park in any DCR roadway in violation of any rules of DCR, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the direction of a DCR ranger or authorized law enforcement officer, or other authorized DCR personnel, or traffic sign or signal, and for the purpose of and while actually engaged in receiving or discharging passengers.

(7) Time Limitation. No person may park a vehicle upon any DCR roadway or any other DCR property for a period of time longer than that posted. Parking the same vehicle more than one time in a 12-hour period at an area where signage indicates restricted time limits is prohibited. If no time is posted, the maximum length of time that any vehicle may be parked on a DCR roadway is seven days.

(8) Emergency Restrictions.

(a) Emergency Areas. No person may stop, stand or park a vehicle in an area on a DCR roadway or other DCR property designated as an emergency area by the Department.

(b) Creating Emergency Condition. No person may stop, stand or park a vehicle in a manner which would create an emergency condition or cause unusual delay to vehicular, pedestrian or other traffic.

(c) Emergency Rules. If it is the judgment of the Commissioner that threatening weather conditions or other impending emergency conditions exist that may impair the free flow of traffic, the clearance of snow, maintenance of DCR roadways, or other public safety concerns, the Commissioner may declare a state of emergency.

Whenever an "emergency" is declared by the Commissioner, he or she shall cause the announcement thereof to be made by the use of available news and other media outlets, so that the following prohibitions shall become effective:

1. Vehicle Obstruction during an Emergency. During an emergency, any vehicle stopped, parked or standing in a manner that obstructs the free flow of traffic on DCR property shall be considered in violation of 302 CMR 11.00.

2. Parking during an Emergency. No driver shall stop, stand or park any vehicle on any designated DCR roadway during a declared emergency. 302 CMR 11.00 shall not apply to public transit vehicles, or other passenger vehicles stopped temporarily during the actual receiving or discharging of passengers.

3. Parking during Snow Accumulation. No person shall allow, permit or suffer any vehicle registered in his or her name or within his or her control or operation, to stand, park or remain upon any DCR roadway until the section of the DCR roadway used for vehicular travel has been cleared of snow, ice or debris, to within 12 inches of the curb or edge of the DCR roadway.

(9) Bicycle Lane Stopping or Parking. No person may stop, stand or park any vehicle in any bicycle lane of the Department.

(10) Obstructing Snow Plowing, Snow Removal, Street Cleaning or Maintenance Equipment. Notwithstanding any other provisions of 302 CMR 11.00, no person may park a vehicle on DCR roadways where parking is prohibited by signs or markings, either temporary or permanent, or where parking is done in a manner that interferes with the removal or plowing of ice, snow or debris, the cleaning of DCR roadways, or the maintenance of DCR roadways.

(11) Double Parking is prohibited on the roadway side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curb of a street.

(12) Obstructing Public Transportation. No person may park in such a manner as to obstruct the movement of any street car, trackless trolley, bus or railroad train on any DCR roadway or other DCR property.

(13) Public Transportation Stop. No person may stop, stand or park a vehicle at a designated public transportation stop.

(14) Obstructing Driveways, DCR Roadways, Service Ways or Gates, Access Areas, Public Transportation Stop, Emergency or Other Restricted Areas. No person may stop, stand, or park a vehicle, whether occupied or not, in a manner which obstructs a public or private driveway, DCR roadway, service way or gate, or any other DCR property, in such a manner as to obstruct the passage of pedestrian or vehicular traffic as defined in 302 CMR 11.00, unless it is conducted momentarily with the purpose of picking up or discharging a passenger or passengers or if such obstruction has been consented to by the owner of the obstructed way or if directed to do so by a DCR ranger, authorized law enforcement officer or other authorized DCR personnel.

(15) Obstructing Crosswalks or Sidewalks. No person may stop, stand, or park a vehicle, whether occupied or not, in a manner which obstructs a crosswalk or sidewalk on DCR property, in such a manner as to obstruct the passage of pedestrian or vehicular traffic as defined in 302 CMR 11.00.

(16) Expired/Invalid Registration Plate. No person may stop, stand or park an improperly registered vehicle on any Department roadway or other DCR property.

(17) Expired/Invalid Certificate of Inspection. No person may stop, stand or park a vehicle with an expired or invalid inspection certificate on any Department roadway or other DCR property.

(18) Railroad or Street Railway Crossing. No person may park within 20 feet of the nearest rail of any grade crossing on a DCR roadway or other DCR property.

(19) Travel Lane. No person may stop, stand or park a vehicle within the travel lane of a DCR roadway, unless authorized by a DCR ranger or other authorized law enforcement officer or authorized DCR personnel.

(20) Bridge, Viaduct, Underpass, Tunnel or Traffic Island. No person may stop, stand or park a vehicle upon any bridge or viaduct, or in any underpass or tunnel or the approaches thereto or exits therefrom, or on or along any traffic island, unless signs permitting parking have been placed or erected on a DCR roadway or other DCR property.

(21) Fire Station Exit or Entrance. No person may park within 20 feet of a driveway entrance or exit of any fire station, or on the side of a DCR roadway opposite the entrance or exit of any fire station within 75 feet of said entrance or exit.

(22) Parking in the Wrong Direction. No person may stop, stand or park a vehicle in the opposite direction of the flow of traffic on that side of the street on which the vehicle is stopped, standing or parked.

(23) Parking More than One Foot from the Curb. No person may stop, stand or park a vehicle on a DCR roadway, unless both wheels on the side of the vehicle adjacent to the curb or edge of the roadway are within 12 inches of the curb or edge of the roadway.

(24) Designated Parking Spaces. No person may park outside of the lines of spaces designated by demarcation, or outside of the periphery of cones or other parking designations, whenever such demarcation or designation is provided.

(25) Loading Zone, Angle Loading or Unloading Rules. No person may stop, stand or park a vehicle on any DCR roadway for any purpose or length of time other than for the expeditious unloading and delivery or pick up and loading of materials in any place marked as a curb loading zone during the hours when the provisions applicable to such zones are in effect. In no case may the stop for loading and unloading of materials exceed 30 minutes.

(26) Handicap Parking. No person may stop, stand or park in any area designated by an official sign indicating the location is reserved for parking for disabled persons or their vehicles, unless such vehicle bears legally authorized, current and valid, handicap parking (HP) plates, HP placard, or disabled veteran (DV) placard or plate issued by any state government. Placards shall be displayed on the dashboards of vehicles if there is no license plate designation, or in certain instances a placard may be hung from a rear view mirror. There are no exemptions to this section.

(27) Handicap Ramp. No driver may stop, stand, or park a vehicle in front of or within 20 feet of a pedestrian sidewalk, ramp, or other access or handicap ramp. No exemptions will be given, including to HP or DV plates or placards, unless a vehicle with a HP or DV plate or placard is using an on-street parallel handicap parking space and the accessible path to the handicap ramp is within 20 feet of the parking space. Ramps located within 20 feet of an intersection do not require a sign to prohibit parking.

(28) Gate - Access Area. No person may stop, stand or park a vehicle in front of a DCR property access, egress, fire or other gate or area, or within 20 feet of either side of such gate or access area.

(29) Parkland. No person may stop, stand or park a vehicle upon DCR parkland, unless designated by sign or directed to do so by a DCR ranger, authorized law enforcement official or authorized DCR personnel. No sign is required to notify the public that parking on DCR parkland is prohibited.

(30) Live Parking is prohibited, unless authorized on a temporary basis by a DCR ranger, authorized law enforcement officer or other authorized DCR personnel.

(31) Taxi-cab - Cabstands. Operators of taxis or taxi-cabs shall park only in areas designated by sign or permit issued by the Department.

(32) Resident Permit Parking.

(a) General. No driver may stop, stand, or park in an area signed "Resident Permit Parking Only", unless that vehicle bears a valid and appropriate resident sticker as issued by the given city or town, if applicable, or unless the vehicle has a valid permit issued by the Department.

(b) Government Vehicles. A vehicle bearing an appropriate license plate or other visible window placard indicating the use of the vehicle by a government employee while conducting government work in the area will be exempt from resident permit parking restrictions during work hours.

(c) Commercial Vehicles. A commercial vehicle engaging in an authorized commercial use is exempt from resident permit parking restrictions on DCR roadways for up to three hours. Parking a commercial vehicle for more than three consecutive hours requires a DCR permit.

(33) Metered Parking . The operator of a vehicle shall proceed to the nearest multi-space meter, pay and display machine, single space meter, or other type of meter, or use any other provided means of fixed or mobile parking fee payment, and shall pay the required parking fee in the manner and amount indicated, and, if applicable, display the paid receipt clearly and in an unobstructed position upon the dashboard of the vehicle in accordance with the instructions on the receipt. No owner or operator of any vehicle, upon entering a metered parking space, shall fail to immediately deposit the required fee, unless the space is one in which a valid Annual Park Pass or valid Senior Citizen Pass is accepted, or the vehicle bears a disabled veteran number plate or is displaying a valid handicapped hang tag.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Massachusetts may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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