Baltimore County, MD Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Baltimore County Code Section 18-2-501
- Applies to
- Vehicles crossing sidewalks at garages/lots
- Signal irrelevant
- Green light does not excuse the obstruction
- One-way exception
- Full street width may be used, Section (b)
- Default penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine, Section 1-2-217(a)
Summary
Baltimore County Code Section 18-2-501 bars a driver from entering an intersection, driving across a marked crosswalk, or crossing a sidewalk to enter or exit a garage or parking lot unless there is enough room beyond it to clear the vehicle without blocking other vehicles or pedestrians. The rule applies even when a traffic signal shows green.
(a)Prohibition. Notwithstanding any traffic-control signal indication to proceed, the driver of a vehicle may not enter a street intersection or a marked crosswalk or drive across a sidewalk in entering or leaving a garage or parking lot unless there is sufficient space beyond the intersection or crosswalk on the right half of the roadway or in the garage or on the parking lot to accommodate the vehicle the driver is driving or operating without obstructing the passage of other vehicles or pedestrians.(b)One-way street. On a one-way street, in order to comply with subsection (a) of this section, a driver is not restricted to the use of the right half of the street, but may have access to the entire width of the street beyond the intersection or crosswalk provided sufficient space is available.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 29 | Zoning Regulations: Supplement 10).
Full Breakdown
Section 18-2-501, part of the county's moving-violations subtitle, targets the common conflict between a driveway or garage crossing and the sidewalk pedestrians use to get past it. A driver may not enter a street intersection, drive across a marked crosswalk, or cross a sidewalk to reach or leave a garage or parking lot unless there is sufficient space on the far side, on the right half of the roadway or within the garage or lot, to accommodate the whole vehicle without obstructing the passage of other vehicles or pedestrians.
The prohibition applies notwithstanding any traffic-control signal indicating the driver may proceed, meaning a green light does not excuse blocking the crossing if there is nowhere to go. On a one-way street, subsection (b) relaxes the right-half requirement so a driver can use the full width of the street beyond the intersection or crosswalk, provided space is still available. The section traces to 1988 Code Section 21-12 and was carried forward by Bill No. 56-01 and Bill No. 66-01. Because Section 18-2-501 does not set its own fine, a violation falls back to the county's general penalty provision, Section 1-2-217(a), which applies whenever the Code does not specify a particular punishment.
Violations & Fines
Since Section 18-2-501 carries no dedicated fine, a violation is enforced as a misdemeanor under the general penalty clause, Section 1-2-217(a): a fine of up to $1,000 or imprisonment of up to 90 days. Section 1-2-217(c) also makes each day a violation continues a separate offense, so a vehicle left obstructing the sidewalk crossing repeatedly can compound the exposure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drive across the sidewalk to reach my driveway?
Does having a green light let me block the crossing?
What's the penalty for violating this section?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Baltimore County
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