Minneapolis declares snow emergency

The city of Minneapolis has declared a snow emergency after the winter storm has dumped large amounts of snow across Minnesota. From their press release:

Minneapolis officials have declared a Snow Emergency today, Dec. 25, 2009. City crews have been plowing and treating streets to keep them drivable. Now that a Snow Emergency has been declared, parking restrictions will take effect beginning at 9 p.m., Friday, so crews can plow more than 1,000 miles of streets as completely as possible. That's the equivalent of 3,200 "lane miles" of streets that need to be plowed--enough to plow a lane from Minneapolis to Anchorage, Alaska.

Now that the holiday and most of the storm has passed, full plowing of our streets and parkways is needed to make the streets passable for emergency vehicles and other drivers. The Snow Emergency has been declared to allow for the orderly movement of parked vehicles so crews can completely plow the streets. Streets can't be plowed with vehicles in the way so people are asked to comply with the rules to help crews to do as complete a job as possible.

Contrary to what many people believe, Snow Emergencies are not moneymakers for the City, so it's in everyone's best interest to follow the parking rules so plows can do the best job possible, and so folks can avoid a ticket and tow. Working together, City crews can deliver the high-quality plowing services that residents demand.

Be cautious out there and follow the parking rules folks. And of course, have a shovel handy just in case.