The city said painting red curbs by zones in sequence helps ensure consistent quality and safety across all areas, and that the work is intended to improve visibility, traffic safety and emergency access. Drivers are asked to keep an eye out for freshly painted curbs and avoid parking in those areas.
What a red curb means is set by state law, not by local preference. Under Section 21458 of the California Vehicle Code, local authorities that indicate parking rules with curb paint may use only prescribed colors, and red indicates no stopping, standing or parking, whether a vehicle is attended or unattended. The single exception written into the statute is for a bus at a curb marked or signposted as a bus loading zone.
That is a broader prohibition than many drivers assume. A red curb bars pulling over even briefly, not just leaving a car unattended, and the restriction applies at all times unless a local ordinance sets different hours.
The rules also reach curbs that carry no paint at all. Section 22514 of the vehicle code prohibits stopping or parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant regardless of whether the curb beside it has been painted, which is part of why emergency access is bound up with the repainting work.
The city’s zone map showing the specific zones scheduled for maintenance is posted at https://www.cityofpasadena.
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