The “Winter Overnight Parking Ban” in Chicago, which affects 107 miles of roadways throughout the city, goes into force on December 1st. The prohibition, which is in place until April 1, 2023, extends through various Chicago neighborhoods and places parking restrictions in place from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m.
To maintain the roads free of snow and ice, the city says signs are permanently put along the affected routes and that vehicles parked in forbidden areas between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. will be towed.
Officials caution that regardless of whether there is snow on the ground, the prohibition is still in effect.
There is a different snow-related parking prohibition that covers 500 kilometers of municipal roadways and is in effect whenever there have been at least two inches of snowfall, regardless of the day or time, according to authorities.
According to a city post, “the 2-inch snow ban is not frequently activated,” but drivers who are parked there when it snows “may receive a ticket or discover that their vehicle has been moved to expedite snow clearing operations.”
Both parking restrictions, according to the city, were put in place “to avoid difficulties that occurred in 1967 and 1979 when Chicago’s traffic came to a stop due to significant snowstorms.”
Owners of cars that are impounded for breaking the law must pay a minimum of $150 in towing costs, in addition to a $60 fine and a $ 25-day storage fee.
One of two impound lots, either 10301 S. Doty Ave. or 701 N. Sacramento Blvd., will receive the tow of the vehicle. To find out if their vehicle was towed as a result of the prohibition, drivers can also go to chicagoshovels.org or dial 311.
The city’s top goal, according to the Streets and Sanitation Department, is to clear major thoroughfares including DuSable Lake Shore Drive.