RR bans cars from blocking sidewalks

YOU CAN’T BLOCK A RIO RANCHO SIDEWALK, EITHER: That’s the police response after a recent column explained the parking law in Albuquerque, in particular that you can’t park so far down in a driveway that your vehicle blocks the sidewalk for pedestrians.

Resident Greg White called to ask if the prohibition applies in the City of Vision because residents routinely block the sidewalks in Northern Meadows. He says you will see as many as four cars in a driveway, with two hanging over the sidewalk path. He also says it is routine to see vehicles parked in the street blocking driveway entrances.

And both are illegal — it’s all about safety, and ensuring pedestrians don’t have to veer into the street and emergency personnel can get to a home.

Sgt. Nicholas Onken, Rio Rancho Police Department’s public information officer/ community relations officer, says “there is a city ordinance that is a parallel ordinance to New Mexico state law. Specifically, the city ordinance is 12-6-6.1, which is parallel to N.M. State Statute 66-7-351 A1, which reads:

“66-7-351 . Stopping, standing or parking prohibited in specified places.

A. No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle,

except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or trafficcontrol device, in any of the following places: (1) on a sidewalk; (2) in front of a public or private driveway; (3) within an intersection; (4) within 15 feet of a fire hydrant; (5) on a crosswalk; (6) within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection;

(7) within 30 feet upon the approach to any flashing beacon, stop sign or trafficcontrol signal located at the side of a roadway;

(8) between a safety zone and the adjacent curb or within thirty feet of points on the curb immediately opposite the end [ends] of a safety zone, unless the traffic authority indicates a different length by signs or markings;

(9) within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing;

(10) within 20 feet of the driveway entrance to any fire station and on the side of a street opposite the entrance to any fire station within 75 feet of said entrance, when properly signposted;

(11) alongside or opposite any street excavation or obstruction when stopping, standing or parking would obstruct traffic;

(12) on the roadway side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curb of a street;

(13) upon any bridge or other elevated structure upon a highway or within a highway tunnel; or

(14) at any place where official signs prohibit stopping.

B. No person shall move a vehicle not lawfully under his control into any such prohibited area or away from a curb such distance as is unlawful.”

COORS NEEDS EVEN MORE DIVERTERS AT I-40: That’s according to MJP, who emails a “diagram of what could happen if traffic diverters are not installed to prevent vehicles (exiting the interstate and going southbound) from veering across lanes of traffic just to be able to turn east on Iliff to get home sooner rather that go to the next traffic signal to safely turn east.

“It has not been studied, or the problem would be taken care of. I’ve seen too many near-misses because people don’t want to go out of their way just one more intersection. I’m sure this will never be remedied. It’s not a priority.”

Actually, it has been studied, and as a result there are a whole lot of lane diverters on southbound Coors at Illif.

Phil Gallegos, who handles information for the local office of the New Mexico Department of Transportation, says “the area your reader describes is two football fields — 600 feet — from Iliff. That is more than an adequate distance to safely change lanes.”

That said, “during heavy traffic the transition may be difficult, and if it is not possible then a safe driver should know not to force the movement. Now that I have said that, we all know not everyone makes the right choices or we would have far fewer accidents. Traffic diverters would have to be placed throughout the city if the criteria to place them on the streets was merely that drivers change lanes poorly.

“Your reader has identified a location they, and I am sure others, perceive as troublesome, and as such that is the first step in making sure they are more aware of others and navigate it safely.”