“I drive I-5 daily and have seen as many as seven semitrucks with trailers parked on the shoulders of on/off ramps,” writes Michael Dowell of Tacoma. “They evidently are sleeping in their trucks; I don’t see anyone behind the wheel. I’ve parked on the on-ramp once when tired and got told to move by (the Washington State Patrol).”

Answer: “According to the letter of the law, parking on the on-ramps is illegal,” State Patrol Sgt. Freddy Williams said.

“However,” he added, “due to the limited amount of commercial parking available for semis, availability of parking in rest areas, the legal requirement of rest breaks for commercial drivers, and the times the trucking destinations are open, a certain amount of parking on the on-ramp is allowed.”

Drivers will be instructed to move if they are blocking easy access to the ramp or are causing a traffic problem, Williams said. The state Department of Transportation has posted “No Parking” signs on some on-ramps for that very reason.

If you park in those spots, you can expect an automatic visit from a trooper, he said.

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