A Phase 1 parking ban went into effect in Edmonton at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
The City of Edmonton anticipates the ban will last three to five days, depending on the amount of snowfall. The city said it does not expect to call a Phase 2 parking ban, which would see snow removal on residential and industrial streets.
“We’re a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week operation. When it snows, our crews are out working. Our crews have been out since the snow started falling,” said Val Dacyk, general supervisor of infrastructure field operations with the City of Edmonton.
“Our priority is to clear the major roads so Edmontonians can move safely to their destinations.”
Phase 1 parking bans include major roads and bus routes. During a Phase 1 ban, drivers are not allowed to park on arterial or collector roads, or in the city’s 13 business improvement areas until after they have been cleared.
Drivers also cannot park on bus routes or any roads that have “Seasonal No Parking” signs.
Drivers are still allowed to park on residential roads that do not have “Seasonal No Parking” signs during a Phase 1 ban.
“Due to the amount of snow that was falling, we were having to redo areas to get those Priority 1 areas cleared,” Dacyk said, adding road crews focus on highways first, then arterial and collector roadways.
“All available crews are out right now attempting to clear the snow in the most timely manner as possible.”
The city said any vehicles parked where they shouldn’t be after 7 p.m. Tuesday may be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense. Vehicles will be towed to the nearest cleared roadway and the city said drivers can call 311 for the location.
“We are going to be actively ticketing and towing with the enforcement piece of the parking bans this year, and that would be the major change that most people would see,” Dacyk said.
In previous seasons, the city has relied on education rather than enforcement when it comes to seasonal parking bans.
Late last month, the City of Edmonton detailed its snow removal plans for the upcoming season, vowing to have more equipment on the roads this winter to help clear snow and ice more effectively.
Drivers parked illegally during a seasonal parking ban this winter could see heftier fines than in previous years.
Late last month, councillors on the community and public services committee voted in favour of asking city council to approve an increase to the fine for parking ban infractions to $250 from $100.
The increase to the parking ban fine still needs final approval from city council. The topic will be before council for debate and approval on Nov. 14.
Edmontonians can sign up for text or email notifications to be alerted when a parking ban is put in place and when crews will be in their area.
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