GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Feb. 19, 2014) — The Grand Rapids Police Department says this winter may have an all-time record high of parking tickets: 10,000 of them just since the first of the year.
Officers tell us that nearly all of those citations are weather-related, including odd-even parking violations. The massive number of tickets does not include November and December of 2013.
We’re also told that over 700 vehicles have either been towed or impounded as a result of illegal parking.
Lieutenant Mark Mathis of the GRPD passed along a statement Wednesday morning urging drivers to be proactive to help keep roads clear.
“Illegally parked cars continue to make access for emergency vehicles very difficult, and in many cases impossible,” reads the statement. “We are seeing many instances of vehicles being parked at an angle on significant snow piles, with a large portion of the car remaining in the roadway. Additionally, many cars are parked several feet from the actual curb lane and are significantly infringing upon the portion of the roadway reserved for vehicle travel.”
The department reminds everyone that there are special rules for parking in the winter:
- Adhere to the posted odd/even signs.
- Motorists must park within one foot of the actual curb line. This may require shoveling snow from the parking space and curb line before parking.
- Please DO NOT park directly across the road from any car, if only a narrow portion of the roadway will remain for travel. If a fire truck will not fit through the resulting space, please find another place to park.
