A C182 DROPS SOME JUMPERS THEN HEADS FOR HOME BASE. DURING DSCNT IT EXPERIENCES A FUEL STARVATION PROB AND ACFT LANDS ON A FREEWAY. ACFT WAS IN ZOA AIRSPACE.

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I HAD DROPPED A LOAD OF JUMPERS ABOVE MIDDLETOWN; CA; FROM 10000 FT AGL THEN PROCEEDED TO CLOVERDALE FOR FUEL. THE SANTA ROSA VALLEY HAD AN OVCST WITH TOPS ABOUT 3000 FT MSL; BREAKING UP 15 NM N OF CLOVERDALE. MY LONG DSCNT HAD COWL FLAPS CLOSED; NO CARB HEAT (LAKE COUNTY WAS PERFECTLY CLR); AND CARRYING ABOUT 20 INCH MANIFOLD PRESSURE/2200 RPM; A CRUISE DSCNT. I WENT UNDER THE OVCST WITH NO PROB; ATC REQUESTING I RPT CLOVERDALE IN SIGHT SINCE I'D BEEN IN CONTACT PRIOR TO THE JUMPS. AFTER ABOUT 5 MI AT CRUISE; THE ENG SPUTTERED AND RAN AS IF NO FUEL. (I WAS ON A FUEL RUN; TANKS DIPPED 22 GALS AFTER LNDG.) I LEANED; THROTTLED BACK; ADDED CARB HEAT WHICH DIDN'T CLR IT IN TIME (IF IN FACT IT WAS THE PROB). LOST PWR AND LANDED ON US 101; SET DOWN AMONG THE CARS; NO DAMAGE TO ANYONE AND PARKED ON THE SHOULDER. IT COULD HAVE BEEN CARB ICE WHICH SURPRISED ME SINCE IT WAS VFR AND GOOD VISIBILITY; AND I'D HAD CRUISE PWR; EVEN THOUGH I'D NEVER HAD A PROB IN 3 YRS OF FLYING SKYDIVER DSCNTS. ONE TANK DIPPED 22 GALS; THE OTHER ZERO; WHICH INDICATES FUEL STOPPAGE SOMEWHERE; THOUGH I'VE HAD FUEL IMBALANCE OF UP TO 10 GALS BEFORE. THE 1968 C182 SHOULD BE CHKED AGAIN FOR FUEL CONTAMINATION.