Monterey County, CA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Location covered
- Main St/Porter Drive Bridge over Pajaro River only
- Boundary
- Santa Cruz County line to San Juan Rd/Porter Dr
- Prohibited
- Stopping, blocking, or obstructing sidewalk or roadway
- Penalty class
- Infraction, not a misdemeanor
- Countywide scope
- No general sidewalk obstruction rule exists
Summary
Monterey County's only sidewalk-obstruction ordinance is narrow. Code § 12.75.010 bans stopping, blocking, or obstructing the sidewalk or roadway of the Main Street/Porter Drive Bridge over the Pajaro River, from the Santa Cruz County line to San Juan Road and Porter Drive. It does not create a county-wide sidewalk obstruction rule for the rest of unincorporated Monterey County.
It shall be unlawful for any person to stop, block, or obstruct any sidewalk or roadway of the Main Street/Porter Drive Bridge over the Pajaro River from the Monterey/Santa Cruz County line to the intersection of San Juan Road and Porter Drive which may cause or is likely to cause any of the following circumstances: A.Any sidewalk or roadway obstruction;B.Any sidewalk or roadway hazard; orC.Impede traffic.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 56).
Full Breakdown
75 of the Monterey County Code, titled "Obstructions Prohibited," is the only dedicated sidewalk-obstruction provision in the county's general ordinances, and its reach is deliberately limited. 010 makes it unlawful for any person to stop, block, or obstruct any sidewalk or roadway of the Main Street/Porter Drive Bridge over the Pajaro River, covering the stretch from the Monterey/Santa Cruz County line to the intersection of San Juan Road and Porter Drive, wherever the conduct causes or is likely to cause a sidewalk or roadway obstruction, a sidewalk or roadway hazard, or an impediment to traffic.
04, which regulates excavations, construction, and special events within County highways. The bridge sits on the Monterey County side of the Santa Cruz County line near the Pajaro River crossing, a corridor the Board of Supervisors singled out for this rule given pedestrian and vehicle conflicts on the narrow crossing. 020 sets the penalty: any violation of the chapter is punishable as an infraction, the lightest classification under the Code, rather than a misdemeanor.
Violations & Fines
Blocking, stopping on, or obstructing the sidewalk or roadway of the Main Street/Porter Drive Bridge is punishable as an infraction under Monterey County Code § 12.75.020, the mildest violation class in the Code, rather than a misdemeanor. Sheriff's deputies and County traffic officers can cite violators on the spot; infraction fines run $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second, and up to $1,000 for a third within a year under the Code's general infraction schedule, § 1.20.040(B)(2).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Monterey County have a general sidewalk obstruction law?
What is banned on the Main Street/Porter Drive Bridge?
What is the penalty for blocking the bridge sidewalk?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Monterey County
California rules heatmap·Compare Monterey County to another location·View the California sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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