Snow route parking ban means tickets this time
Tickets could be seen tucked under windshield wipers after the city’s second 24-hour snow route parking ban was put into effect early Tuesday morning.
As of 1 p.m. Tuesday, approximately 19 tickets had been issued to vehicles parked along the fivekilometre route that makes up the snow route pilot program which was announced in late September.
Blue signs with white snowflakes have been installed on three designated snow routes to indicate where parking is prohibited when a snow route parking ban is in place. Residents are informed via emails, public service announcements and social media when a ban has been issued.
“We’re trying to balance what we need to do operationally as well as providing enough notice for the public that are going to be affected,” said Chris Warren, city manager of winter maintenance.
During the first parking ban in early November, the city issued warnings instead of tickets in an attempt to ease residents into the new system. This time, people weren’t so lucky, but Warren said numbers of violations were significantly lower than last time.
“Our goal is to have an effective plow, not to raise funds on enforcement,” said Warren.
He said the ban is put into effect so that the roads are clear for plowing any time during that 24-hour period, but doesn’t necessarily mean the three snow routes designated under the pilot program are prioritized over other routes that need plowing.
While the risk of getting that $110 ticket goes down once the route has been plowed, Warren said there is always a chance that a ticket may be issued while the ban is in place.
He said enforcement is typically done shortly before plowing, which could be any time in that 24hour time frame.
“We’re trying to really test all the various conditions that we might see in the event that this project is positive and supported and we want to enhance it in the future,” said Warren.
At the end of the season, public feedback will be collected and incorporated into a report to be submitted to city council.
“We’re hopeful that if there’s some communication gaps or if there’s something that we could do that we haven’t done, that we’ll get that feedback and that that could help form some future recommendations,” said Warren.
Residents and business owners can sign up for email notifications, follow the city’s Facebook and Twitter accounts or go online to Regina.ca/snowroutes to see if a snow route parking ban has been declared.
We’re trying to really test all the various conditions that we might see in the event that this project is positive.