Flurry of tickets issued for snow-route parking in Park Ridge

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Updated: February 20, 2012 8:23AM

Dozens of drivers found not only an accumulation of snow on their vehicles, but also tickets after they reportedly parked on Park Ridge snow-plowing routes during the height of the season’s first significant snowfall.

Park Ridge Police Lt. Duane Mellema said the department issued 69 tickets for snow-route parking violations between roughly 6:30 p.m., Jan. 12 and 2 a.m. the following day.

No vehicles were towed, he said.

Once 2 inches of snow has fallen, parking is prohibited on both sides of streets designated as snow routes until 24 hours after the snowfall has stopped.

According to the city’s website, residents may call (847) 318-6101 for a recorded message as to whether snow-related parking restrictions are in effect.

Mellema said majority of the parking violations occurred on “major snow routes” rather than residential streets.

The number of parking tickets issued was about average for a snow event, he said.

“When we had that really huge snowstorm last year we probably wrote somewhat more, but the circumstances were different,” Mellema said. “Between 60 and 100 tickets would be normal.”