Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017 (Halifax, NS) – Please be advised that the municipal overnight winter parking ban will continue to be enforced from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 8, to allow crews to properly clear streets and sidewalks of the significant snowfall expected to arrive in our region overnight. The latest weather forecasts anticipate up to 25 cm of snow and ice pellets are possible in our region, beginning later tonight and lasting into the morning on Sunday, Jan. 8.
Winter Operations crews are continuing clean-up activities today from last night’s weather event, which brought upwards of 8-10 cm of snow to our region. Crews will continue both clearing and preparation activities throughout the day today and evening, including salting and brining streets and sidewalks in advance of tonight’s more significant snowfall. Forecasts also show higher winds overnight accompanying the snow system, and therefore the municipality is advising residents to expect extremely poor visibility during the storm, and recommends staying off streets and sidewalks, where possible.
Vehicles must be off municipal streets during the hours noted above. Residents are also reminded that in addition to the overnight parking ban, Section 139 of the Nova Scotia Motor Vehicle Act states that tickets can be issued and vehicles can be towed any time, day or night, if they are parked in a manner that interferes with snow clearing.
To help ensure the streets are properly cleared, the municipality has enhanced its winter parking enforcement in areas around hospitals and schools, bus routes and problem streets for snow equipment and emergency vehicles.
Officers will also be ticketing vehicles obstructing sidewalk clearing. Vehicles hanging out of a driveway or parked on the sidewalk are prone to damage and become a dangerous obstacle for crews. Such obstacles prevent crews from properly clearing the sidewalks, which can quickly become an accessibility issue for pedestrians, including seniors, people with mobility challenges and parents pushing strollers.
Planters, lawn decorations and any other moveable objects near the sidewalk should be removed before the winter season. Items such as sports equipment, green bins and garbage should be safely stored when bad weather is in the forecast. Any permanent structures or objects too big to move should be marked with a reflector to assist crews with identifying potential obstacles.
The overnight winter parking ban is in effect from now until Mar. 31, 2017. The easiest way to stay informed is to sign up for automated notifications at www.halifax.ca/snow/parkingban/notifications.php, call 311 or email contact@halifax.ca. Subscribers will receive timely alerts by phone, email, and/or text message when the ban is in effect and again when it is lifted. Residents who received these notifications last winter will continue to receive the service this year. Standard text messaging rates apply.
Think before you park this winter – it will help make the season a little easier on everyone. For more information on municipal winter operations, please visit www.halifax.ca/snow.
Source: Release