Please be advised that the municipal overnight winter parking ban will to be enforced from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Mar. 15, to allow crews to clear snow from streets and sidewalks.
The Halifax region is expected to receive five to ten centimetres of snow accumulation depending on location, followed by heavy rain and winds overnight tonight. Winter Operations crews are engaged in de-icing activities today in preparation for tonight`s snowfall.
Given the heavy rain expected to follow the forecasted snowfall, it`s important that crews are able to push snow and slush back to the curb to clear catch basins and enable proper drainage. Slippery conditions are also expected overnight. The anticipated milder temperatures and rain will draw frost from the frozen ground, and having vehicles off-street will enable winter operations equipment to safely navigate the streets.
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.
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Source: Media Release
