One day into her second term, Mayor Carolyn Kirk has already had to issue her first snow-related parking ban for 2010.
With steady snow settling on the ground and streets — and with the
slow-moving storm expected to bring up to 10-12 inches of the white
stuff befoer the two-day storm ends tonigt — the mayor has declared a
city snow emergency, which carries a parking ban on all city streets.
The ban, actually the second of the winter season, took effect at noon and will remain "until further notice," according to the statement from the mayor's office and a message sent via phone to residents who have signed up for the city's "code red" emergency notification system.
The snowfall, which began falling yesterday morning, is expected to continue throughout today as well, making the projected length of the parking ban uncertain.
"We're looking to re-evaluate (today) by 6 p.m.," Kirk said.
The declaration means that all vehicles are banned from parking on city streets. Violators are subject to ticketing and towing at the owner's expense, and police are expected to enforce that ban as DPW crews work to clear the streets. Residents may park in public school and municipal parking lots, Kirk noted.
For those who will be using school parking lots, however, Kirk added some additonal advisories. They were:
1. At all schools, the main entryways and fire lanes must be left clear;
2. If you park at the high school, please use the parking lot closest to Newell Stadium, and keep the cars clustered in the same area;
3. Your vehicle must be removed by no later than 7 p.m. Sunday so that the lots may be prepared for school on Monday morning.
All residents are reminded that they are responsible for clearing snow from sidewalks adjacent to their property, Kirk added.
"This is especially important for sidewalks near schools so that the children do not have to walk in the road," she said.
In addition, the city continues to use a priority system targeting specific streets for snow removal, but also for ticketing and towing parking violators. Those priority streets ar as follows:
Arthur Street
Bass Avenue
Beacon Street
Centennial Avenue
Chestnut Street
Cleveland Street
Commercial Street
Commonwealth Avenue
East Main Street
Elm Street
Exchange Street
Fair Street
Friend Street
Granite Street
Langsford Street
Leonard Street
Lexington Avenue
Main Street
Maplewood Avenue
Middle Street
Mount Vernon Street
Pine Street
Pleasant Street
Porter Street
Proctor Street
Prospect Street
Rocky Neck Avenue
Rogers Street
School Street
Short Street
Taylor Street
Warner Street
Washington Square
Washington Street
Wells Street
We will update this story at gloucestertimes.com as new information becomes available. To have a text message regarding this and other local Breaking News and Sports coverage, sign up for the Times' free text-alert service on the gloucestertimes.com homepage.
For more coverage and photos, look to Monday's print and online editions of the Gloucester Daily Tmes and gloucesterstimes.com.
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