DRIVERS in a major city could face a string of new rules relating to overnight parking on residential streets – with the potential for hefty fines.
Vehicle owners in Neenah, Wisconsin, might now be able to park on residential streets throughout the year – but face changes around the ruling of parking during winter months.
Drivers in a major city could face a string of new rules around winter parking[/caption]
Vehicle owners might now be able to park on residential streets throughout the year[/caption]
Currently, rules state that drivers can park overnight on the even-numbered side of a street on even-numbered days from April 1 to October 31 – determined by the calendar date before midnight.
This also allows overnight parking on the odd-numbered side of a street on odd-numbered days.
However, from November 1 to March 31, vehicles are currently banned from parking on streets from 2am to 5am to allow city crews a window of time to clear snow and ice from the streets.
But in recent times, these restrictions have created issues for some motorists, particularly those with limited on-site parking.
Neenah traffic engineer James Merten told the Public Services and Safety Committee: “Considering that snowfall events don’t occur frequently and that with larger snow events, a snow emergency proclamation is made anyway, the utilization of this specific restriction is limited.”
New ruling is now to be considered by the Common Council, which could include a three-part solution suggested by Merten.
This would include an extension to the seasonal alternate-side parking restriction to all year round, which would give motorists with on-street parking an option for the majority of the winter season.
Also, the alternate-side restriction period would be lengthened by two hours, now making it run from midnight to 5am – in a change that would provide city crews with a longer period to clear the streets of snow.
To this end, this would also see a rise in fines for parking on the street during a snow emergency to $55.
The current penalties are $20 for a first offense, $25 for a second offense, $35 for a third offense, and $55 for a fourth or subsequent offense.
Merten added: “The intent behind raising this fine is to discourage parking on city streets when it specifically matters – when snowfall is anticipated.”
The decision is made on Wednesday.
This comes as a ban on overnight parking has now come into force under a new November 1 law.
Officials previously warned they’d be enforcing the new overnight parking ban on about one block a month.
Officials in San Francisco have been concerned with the rising number of people living in RVs in the city, parking on the roadside to sleep.
Drivers might face a very snowy fine this winter if they fail to abide by the new ruling[/caption]
