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Minneapolis declares Snow Emergency
Minneapolis officials have declared a Snow Emergency beginning, Wednesday, Dec. 9. City crews have been plowing and treating streets to keep them drivable. Now that a Snow Emergency has been declared, parking restrictions will take effect beginning at 9 p.m., Wednesday, so crews can plow more than 1,000 miles of streets from curb to curb. That’s the equivalent of 3,200 “lane miles” of streets that need to be plowed—enough to plow a lane from Minneapolis to Anchorage, Alaska.
Snow Emergency parking rules
Wednesday, Dec. 9 , 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. (Day 1)
Do not park on EITHER side of a Snow Emergency route until the street is fully plowed.
Thursday, Dec. 10, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Day 2)
Do not park on the EVEN side of a non-Snow Emergency route, or on EITHER side of a parkway until the street is fully plowed.
Friday, Dec. 11, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Day 3)
Do not park on the ODD side of a non-Snow Emergency route until the street is fully plowed.
For more information visit the Snow page on our Web site.
Spreading the word about Snow Emergencies
The City of Minneapolis uses a number of ways to help folks learn about and follow the Snow Emergency parking rules.
- Facebook and Twitter. This season the City will alert all online “fans” and “followers” of the Snow Emergency Facebook and Twitter profiles when a Snow Emergency is declared so they’ll know how to follow the parking rules.
New this year, the City of Minneapolis is asking folks on Facebook to use their profiles to help alert their friends to a Snow Emergency. We’re asking them to find out what type of Snow Emergency person they are and come up with an image that reflects that. When a Snow Emergency is in effect, we want them to swap out their regular profile picture to that special Snow Emergency image. The City is also asking people to change their status updates to indicate that a Snow Emergency has been declared. That way, their friends and families will also be alerted that a Snow Emergency is in effect so they can and avoid parking in the way of the snow plows.
- Snow hotline. The City’s 24-hour snow hotline, 612-348-SNOW, gives callers the latest updates in English, Spanish, Somali, or Hmong. Drivers who need more information can just call 311 for assistance.
- Automated phone calls. Today, residents may receive an automated phone call alerting them that a Snow Emergency has been declared. Non-English-speaking people can sign up to get their phone calls in Spanish, Somali, or Hmong by visiting
- E-mail and text message alerts. More than 18,000 folks have signed up to get e-mail or text message notifications when a Snow Emergency is declared. Anyone can add their e-mail address to the list or request a text message to their cell phone by visiting www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/snow.
- Cable TV. Tune in to cable channels 14 and 79. These channels will have information in several languages when a Snow Emergency is declared.
- Be a Plow Pal! City officials are asking residents to be a Plow Pal, and help their neighbors learn about and follow the Snow Emergency parking rules. Visit the City’s website, print off a poster, and put it up in your apartment building, community center, church, or business to help people learn more about what they need to do when a Snow Emergency is declared. If you have new neighbors, let them know what they need to do to follow the parking rules, and if you’re leaving town for a few days, give a set of keys to a friend, so they can make sure your car is moved.
Dec. 09, 2009