ARS § 28-873 Stopping, standing or parking prohibitions; exceptions; definition

Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 28 – Transportation

Synopsis: This is Arizona’s general law on vehicle parking restrictions, which may apply to persons seeking to park their vehicle on public property for purposes of sleeping in their vehicle. This law is mostly pertinent to vehicle-dwellers parked within city limits. However, item 15(b) specifically states that parking is permitted in rest areas, though does not restrict how long one can remain parked.

28-873. Stopping, standing or parking prohibitions; exceptions; definition

A. Except if necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or if in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or traffic control device, a person shall not stop, stand or park a vehicle in any of the following places:

1. On a sidewalk.
2. In front of a public or private driveway, except that this paragraph does not apply to a vehicle or the driver of a vehicle engaged in the official delivery of the United States mail if both of the following apply:

(a) The driver does not leave the vehicle.
(b) The vehicle is stopped only momentarily.
3. Within an intersection.
4. Within fifteen feet of a fire hydrant.
5. On a crosswalk.
6. Within twenty feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.
7. Within thirty feet on the approach to any flashing beacon, stop sign, yield sign or traffic control 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 ends of a safety zone, unless the director or a local authority indicates a different length by signs or markings.
9. Within fifty feet of the nearest rail or a railroad crossing or within eight feet six inches of the center of any railroad track, except while a motor vehicle with motive power attached is loading or unloading railroad cars.
10. Within twenty feet of the driveway entrance to a fire station and on the side of a street opposite the entrance to any fire station within seventy-five feet of the entrance when properly posted.
11. Alongside or opposite a street excavation or obstruction when stopping, standing or parking would obstruct traffic.
12. On the roadway side of a vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curb of a street.
13. On a bridge or other elevated structure on a highway or within a highway tunnel.
14. At any place where official signs prohibit standing or stopping.
15. On a controlled access highway except:

(a) For emergency reasons.
(b) In areas specifically designated for parking such as rest areas.
B. A local authority may allow motor vehicles providing a public entity’s public transportation service to stop on a state highway or state route for the purpose of allowing passengers to enter or exit if all of the following apply:

1. The local authority that has jurisdiction over the location of the proposed stopping point conducts a traffic and engineering investigation to determine whether passengers are able to safely enter or exit public transportation vehicles at the proposed stopping point.
2. The local authority that conducts the traffic and engineering investigation pursuant to paragraph 1 of this subsection submits the results of the investigation to the director for review and approval of the proposed stopping point.
3. The driver does not leave the vehicle.
4. The vehicle is stopped only long enough to load and unload passengers.
5. The vehicle engages four-way hazard flashers.
6. The roadway has a posted speed limit that does not exceed fifty-five miles per hour.
7. The roadway has signed or signalized intersection controls within a jurisdictionally confined boundary.
8. The vehicle is clearly marked as a public transportation vehicle.
9. As determined by the director in conjunction with the local authority, the driver drives the vehicle into a pullout or uses any other available method that limits the vehicle from interfering with traffic on the roadway.
C. For the purposes of this section, “public transportation vehicle” means any vehicle that either:

1. Is owned or operated by a public entity.
2. Is operated under a contract with a public entity.

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