First Snow of the Season: What to Know About Parking Bans

The first measurable snow of the season is in the forecast. Here is what you need to know about overnight parking bans, from how they are announced to where you can leave your car so it is still there in the morning. Every winter, the first ban of the year catches hundreds of drivers off guard, and every winter the city’s tow lots fill up with cars whose owners simply did not know the rules. This guide is meant to keep yours off that list.

Forecasters expect a few inches to fall later this week, starting after dark and tapering off by morning. That is not a big storm by local standards, but it is enough for plows to need clear streets, and it is often the kind of snowfall that triggers the first parking ban of the season.

When bans happen

The city announces bans by 4 p.m.; they run from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. That window gives residents several hours to move their cars and lets plow crews work through the night, when traffic is light. Bans can be called for a single night or for several nights in a row during a long storm, and each night is announced separately.

Public works officials decide whether to call a ban based on the forecast, how much snow is expected to stick and how much room plows will need. A light dusting usually does not trigger one. A steady snowfall of a couple of inches or more often does, especially early in the season when crews want to clear streets curb to curb before snowbanks begin to build up.

Sign up for text alerts. It’s the easiest way to avoid a tow.

Raymond Cole, city public works director

Cole said the city sends ban alerts by text message, email and phone call, and posts them on its website and social media accounts. Residents can sign up for alerts on the city website in a couple of minutes, and the service is free. Maple & Main will also post every ban in our breaking news bar as soon as it is announced.

Which streets are covered

During a ban, parking is prohibited on most city streets overnight, including residential side streets. The exceptions are a short list of streets marked with permanent signs, mostly in the downtown core, where alternate rules apply. If you are not sure whether your street is covered, assume that it is.

The rule applies to every vehicle, including cars with residential permits, rental cars and vehicles belonging to visitors. Contractors and caregivers who park on residential streets overnight should also plan ahead, since the ban does not make exceptions for work vehicles.

What happens if you forget

Cars left on the street during a ban may be ticketed and towed. Towed vehicles are taken to the city’s impound lot, where owners must pay the ticket and a towing fee before picking them up. The lot is open extended hours during storms, but lines can be long on the morning after the first ban of the year.

Cole said the city would much rather move snow than move cars. “Every car we have to tow slows the plow down on that street,” he said. “Nobody wins when that happens, including the neighbors who did move.”

Where to park

Downtown garages are free during parking bans. The city opens its public garages to residents at no charge from the time a ban is announced until it ends the next morning. Cars must be moved out by 7 a.m., or regular rates apply. Several school and municipal lots also open for overnight parking during bans, and the full list is posted on the city website.

Residents with driveways are encouraged to use them, and many neighbors share space during storms. In the Old North End and other neighborhoods with mostly on-street parking, some residents have set up informal driveway-sharing lists so that nobody is left without a spot.

Angela Pruitt, who lives on a narrow side street near the hospital, said her block started its own group text two winters ago. “The first ban used to be chaos,” she said. “Now somebody texts the whole street at 4:05, and people with extra driveway space say so. It takes five minutes.”

Getting ready for the season

The first snow is a good reminder to get the rest of your winter routine in order. Public works and local safety officials suggest a few simple steps before the flakes start falling.

• Sign up for alerts through the city website so you get the 4 p.m. announcement by text.
• Know your nearest garage or lot and how long it takes to walk home from it.
• Keep a shovel, ice scraper and small bag of sand in your car or near your door.
• Check on your sidewalk. City ordinance asks property owners to clear sidewalks within a set time after a storm ends, so walkers, wheelchairs and strollers can get through.
• Clear around fire hydrants and storm drains near your home when you can do so safely.
• Look in on neighbors who may need help moving a car or clearing a walk.

Shoveling is hard work, especially for people who do not exercise regularly. Take breaks, push snow rather than lifting it when possible, and talk to your doctor if you have heart or breathing concerns. If you hire help, settle on a price before the snow falls.

Key takeaway: Watch for the 4 p.m. announcement, move your car off the street by 11 p.m. and use the free downtown garages if you have nowhere else to park.

Tips for renters and newcomers

College students, new residents and renters are among the drivers most likely to be surprised by the first ban. Many moved here from places where overnight bans are rare or handled differently. Landlords are encouraged to share ban rules with tenants, and several neighborhood associations post reminders on building doors before the first storm of the season.

If you are new to the city, a few habits help. Save the address of the nearest free garage in your phone. Set a recurring evening reminder on snowy days to check for an announcement. And if you share a car or a driveway with roommates, agree in advance who moves which car and where it goes. Those small plans, Pruitt said, are the difference between a calm evening and a frantic search for a parking spot at 10:45 p.m.

Plows, crews and patience

The city runs its plows in a set order, starting with main roads, bus routes and streets near hospitals and fire stations, then moving to residential side streets. On a typical overnight storm, crews aim to make a full pass of every street by morning, then return for cleanup during the day.

Cole asked drivers to give plows plenty of room and to avoid passing them. Plow drivers have limited visibility, and the trucks often stop and back up without much warning. He also asked residents not to shovel or blow snow back into the street after a plow has passed, since it creates icy ridges for the next car.

The first storm of the year is always a learning curve, he said, for residents and crews alike. “By the third or fourth ban, people have it down,” Cole said. “We just want to get everybody there faster this year.”

Maple & Main will post every ban, garage update and plow progress report on our Lake & Outdoors page and in the weather bar at the top of the site throughout the winter.