Skokie, IL Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)

Section 90-49 of the Village of Skokie Code states the Village's general rule against blocking public ways: it is unlawful for any person to erect or maintain an obstruction in a street, sidewalk, alley or public way in a manner that impedes or prevents the free and unrestricted movement of vehicular or pedestrian traffic, except where this article or another Village ordinance permits it. on the day it was placed there. Section 90-48 layers on a spatial limit as well: even during the permitted daytime window, the material cannot extend more than 3 feet into the street from the nearest curbline or the nearest exterior lateral line of the street.

Together the two sections mean a contractor or property owner can stage material in the public way only briefly, only close to the curb, and only if it does not itself become the kind of obstruction Section 90-49 separately prohibits outright. The article carves out its own exceptions where other Village provisions authorize a specific use of the public way, such as a Section 90-35 street work permit or a Section 90-47 construction barricade, so a properly permitted obstruction tied to authorized work is not swept into the general ban.