Lynchburg, VA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)

Section 35-8 makes it unlawful to obstruct a street, whether the driveway or the sidewalk, by placing anything there that hinders or obstructs the passage of people or vehicles, and lets the general district court judge treat every hour the obstruction continues as a separate offense. The section then lists its own limitations: telegraph, telephone, and electric companies can place a reasonable number of poles in the streets for their business, but only of dimensions and in locations the city manager directs, and poles on paved streets must stay painted and in good repair.

No part of a driveway or sidewalk can be used to store building material or put up temporary structures during construction except with the city manager's permission, which must specify the exact space and time limit allowed; where a shed or platform is needed to protect pedestrians walking past active construction, it must stand at least eight feet high, span the width of the pavement, and run the length of the work being done. Merchants receiving deliveries can place goods on the carriageway next to their curb, but no more than five feet of the driveway and none of the footway, except on streets between Main Street and the James River, where merchants can use the footway itself as long as pedestrians aren't blocked, and only for as long as the delivery takes.

1 adds a further, newer ban on placing any structure, building, barricade, wall, fence, or tent in the public right-of-way abutting a street, alley, or sidewalk, exempting only mailboxes, newspaper tubes, approved bus shelters, and temporary structures tied to a city-supported event, and Sec. 35-9 requires police to report unremedied obstructions to the city manager for forced removal at the responsible party's cost.