1,150 tickets issued in 1st snow parking ban of the year
CBC News | Posted: December 6, 2013 1:30 PM | Last Updated: December 6, 2013
Calgary's major traffic routes have been cleared, work to continue over the weekend
The snow route parking ban has been lifted now that the city has finished clearing Calgary’s major traffic routes.
The city issued 1,150 tickets and 360 warnings before the ban was lifted at 6 a.m. MT Friday.
It was declared Wednesday at 9 a.m. MT after the snow stopped to allow road crews to clear the city’s Priority 2 roads. Snow clearing will continue in areas where parking bans are not required, the city said.
Snow routes are marked by blue signs with a snowflake symbol and include major roadways, collector roads and most bus routes.
The policy, which was created three years ago, lets the city restrict parking on designated routes for 72 hours or until the city announces the ban has been lifted.
“Snow route parking bans help us remove the snow from major traffic routes more effectively and start snow clearing residential routes sooner,” the city said in a release.
This is the fifth time the city has declared a snow event since the policy was created three years ago.
Vehicles parked on a designated route can be tagged and towed at the owner's expense. The Calgary Parking Authority (CPA) can also charge a $40 fine, which increases as time passes.
CPA offers complimentary overnight use of its parkades and parking lots from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. MT during snow events.
ParkPlus zones that in are on snow routes are exempt from the parking ban during the day — vehicles can be left in those zones from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. MT.