Winter Overnight Parking Ban Starts Tonight

By Prescott Carlson in Miscellaneous on Nov 30, 2009 9:20PM

Unless you're interested in playing "Dude, Where's My Car: The Home Game," you drivers out there need to be aware of the fact that Chicago's winter overnight parking ban goes into effect in the wee hours tonight along many of the city's main thoroughfares. The parking ban starts at 3 a.m. every December 1st, and goes through April 1st. This is different than the parking ban when there is over 2 inches of snow -- this ban dictates no parking at all between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m., regardless of if it's a freaky 70 degree day in January or not.

The overnight parking ban is along 23 routes, including Milwaukee Avenue on the North Side, and Archer Avenue on the South Side. There should be permanent signs posted along these routes, but if you're unsure your regular parking spot is safe, the city has has a handy map of all routes on its website. Thomas G. Byrne, Commissioner of Streets & Sanitation, says that "these routes are critical and need to be kept up and running at all times so that emergency vehicles, buses and cars are able to get through."

Not paying attention to the ban will cost you more than the hassle of retrieving your vehicle from the pound -- you'll also be faced with a $50 ticket, a minimum $150 towing fee, and a $10 daily storage fee that continues to escalate the longer you wait. So don't push your luck -- the city's desperate for revenue, and your illegally parked car has dollar signs written all over it.