From Mayor Bill Finch:
Another winter storm is headed to our region tonight into Wednesday morning bringing snow and some freezing rain throughout the Bridgeport area. The Snow Emergency remains in effect, and vehicles must be moved off marked Snow Emergency routes by 7 p.m. tonight. Alternate side of the street parking rules remain in effect on all other streets and vehicles must be moved to the ‘even-numbered’ side of the street by 7 p.m., and remain there until the odd-numbered side of the street is cleared.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Southern Connecticut beginning at midnight tonight to 6 p.m. Wednesday, forecasting snow accumulation of four to eight inches along with a tenth of an inch of ice.
During a Snow Emergency, residents must move their cars off posted Snow Emergency streets or be subject to fines and towing. Alternate-side-of-the-street parking rules are in effect for all other streets throughout the City in order to allow snow plow drivers’ clear passage. To comply with the Snow Emergency Alternate-Side-of-the-Street Parking Rules, residents must move their cars to the ‘even-numbered’ side of the street by 7 p.m. this evening (Tuesday, February 4), and remain on the even-numbered side of the street until the odd-numbered side of the street has been cleared. (House numbers ending in 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 constitute the even-numbered side of the street.)
During the storm, residents may use the following school parking lots to move their cars off the street: Cesar Batalla School, 606 Howard Ave.; Central High School, 1 Lincoln Blvd. (Madison Avenue entrance); Geraldine Johnson School, 475 Lexington Ave.; Hall School, 290 Clermont Ave.; Luis Muñoz Marin School, 479 Helen St., and Jettie Tisdale School, 250 Hollister Ave. A full list of Snow Emergency parking areas can be found at the following link: www.bridgeportct.gov/snow-emergency-parking-lots
*** TIME FOR BPT’s TICKET AND TOW PROGRAM, WHERE ALL PROCEEDS GO TO MAKING NEW POLITICAL PAYBACK JOBS FOR 2014. ***
The Mayor is making good use of SNOW EMERGENCY announcements. But there are cars parked on City streets that have not moved from their positions two storms ago, at least. And there are others that have been positioned in place off and/or on so plows have had to avoid removing from that street space. It compromises passage of other vehicles because of City density, narrow streets and bad weather.
Where are the consequences? Perhaps reporting the numbers of tickets issued, the number of fines paid within 14 days, and the pursuit of those staying unpaid afterwards will assist in changing the status quo. It takes time to create new habits, but time is a-wasting. Maybe the proceeds can be used to install a new meter system that works on solar power and accepts credit cards downtown? Time will tell.
If the city put alternate-side-of-the-street parking in place year ’round and daily, it seems to me all street cleaning and quality of life would improve greatly. And it would not confuse the residents or the police issuing tickets. This is done in most major cities, why not here? My neighbor got a ticket last night, along with the other 6 cars parked on the odd side of the street. She called the city to see where she needed to park the last storm and was told she was not on an emergency street and could park on the street. Even the city is confused by our current parking rules.