Joliet plans to crack down on snow-parking scofflaws
By Bob Okon bokon@stmedianetwork.com November 8, 2012 12:30PM
The city of Joliet is preparing for snow season by reviewing city ordinances on parking on the street during snow storms. File photo | Sun-Times Media
Updated: January 10, 2013 1:46AM
People who park on Joliet streets during heavy snowfalls this winter are more likely to get tickets or worse.
A ban on street parking during snowfalls of 2 inches or more started last year but was enforced leniently. The city will treat violators more seriously this winter.
City Manager Thomas Thanas told the city council this week that exceptions will continue to be made in areas where street parking is most difficult.
But the city no longer will show the leniency in did last winter while motorists were allowed to become acquainted with the new policy, which replaced the old odd-even system.
“We will start enforcement proceedings,” Thanas said. “Ticketing will probably be the way we go with that. Towing if necessary.”
Councilman Terry Morris, whose District 5 includes some of the oldest parts of town, asked if exceptions will still be made for areas where people don’t have driveways and are more dependent on street parking.
Thanas said the city will work with residents in those areas but eventually will expect vehicles to be off streets everywhere.
He said the city’s snow plow crew is down from 41 drivers to 33 because of budget cuts. And, while one driver used to be responsible for 10 miles of streets, that same driver now plows 16 miles of streets.
The city plows more than 500 miles of roadway.
Keeping cars of the streets makes the job go better and keeps the streets safer, Thanas said.
“Anything our residents can do to help us with snow removal will help to make us more efficient,” he said.
