Thanks to Minneapolis city spokesman Matt Laible (again) for this info!
On day two of Minneapolis' snow emergency Monday, the city towed 518 vehicles, down from the 715 on the first day the season's first snow emergency was declared.
We're almost halfway done with the third day of the snow emergency's 8 p.m. cutoff. Remember, the towing fine is $138, not to mention a $34 parking ticket. And, you can expect to pay another $18 if leave your vehicle at the impound lot past midnight.
The impound lot might be busy again if the city declares another snow emergency with another 6 to 10 inches of snow expected by Friday, according to the National Weather Service in Chanhassen. Minneapolis had two snow emergencies in 2006. They occurred back-to-back during a six-day span from March 13-18. Approximately 482 vehicles were towed on March 13, the first day, followed by 458 vehicles on the second day and another 495 on the third and last day. A second snow emergency was declared on March 16 and 624 vehicles were towed, followed by 558 on day two and 372 on day three. Roughly a quarter of all vehicles that received parking tickets were towed, Laible said.
Here are the snow emergency parking ticket totals by the numbers:
3/13/06: 1,149
3/14/06: 3,106
3/15/06: 2,008
3/16/06: 1,235
3/17/06: 3,799
3/18/06: 1672
Here's links to Minneapolis' and St. Paul's snow emergency rules. Good luck!
Snow Emergency notification where not to park
There was a lot of lead time in warning of parking restrictions after the recent snow storm. It only makes me wonder why the Star Tribune did not post something on where NOT to park when a snow emergency is declared.
It was likely that the Snow Emergency would have been declared on Sunday several days earlier, yet nothing appeared either in the Star Tribune or on television.
When a Snow Emergency is declared, that evening beginning at 9PM, there is NO PARKING on Snow Emergency streets all night till 8AM. To make it easy to identify them them the city uses signs on each block reading "Snow Emergency" and in another way, with Blue background street signs. (Every street in the downtown area has blue street signs and is officially a no parking area from 9PM till 8AM.) The city usually refrains from tagging in that area until late into the Snow Emergency.
The city has made it confusing for some motorists by recently permiting parking on Snow Emergency routes after they have been plowed. The confusion comes about because plows often have to return a second and third time when the snow is deep and heavy and difficult to clear. Those who return to plowed streets may find their car tagged and towed when there is finishing up to do.
The rule prohibiting all parking during 9PM to 8AM was changed due to citizen compalints on the need for parking spaces. The city needs to go back to simply make it no parking even after the street is plowed to avoid the confusion.
The city does a fantastic job of clearing the streets and it is the responsibility of all motorists to arrange for parking when it is obvious that the streets will be plowed. It is also the responsibility of those same motorists to know of parking restrictions when they use those streets to park their automobiles.