Salem Finalizes Snow Emergency Parking Rule Changes

From The City of Salem: With winter approaching, the City of Salem has announced changes to its snow emergency parking plan that will be implemented starting this winter season. The map online at www.salem.com/snow identifies allowable snow parking locations.

The most important change is the elimination of Salem Public School lots for off-street winter snow emergency parking and allowing on-street parking on several streets and other sites that have been identified as wide enough to enable parking during snow emergencies.

Residents should also be aware that going forward the activation of the blue snow emergency lights at key intersections around the City is a signal that they should visit www.salem.com for additional information and not a representation that a snow emergency parking ban is necessarily in effect at that precise time.

There are two primary reasons for these changes. First, parking in school lots during snow emergencies limits the ability to open schools in a timely manner following the conclusion of a snow emergency, leading to unnecessary delayed openings or cancellation of school. A review of data from the past five school years indicates that Salem Public Schools experience, on average, more snow days each year than surrounding districts. In addition, Salem is one of the only area communities that makes all school lots available to the general public for free off-street snow emergency parking.

Second, some City streets are wide enough to accommodate on-street parking on one side during snow emergencies, which may make it easier for residents of that neighborhood to access parking during a winter snow parking ban. Streets were identified by the City based on several factors, including their overall width, general proximity to previously utilized school parking lots, and relative absence of private driveways.

Starting this winter, Salem Public School lots are no longer allowable as snow emergency parking locations, except as specified below. Parking a vehicle in a school lot during a snow emergency will result in a ticket and tow. Residents who normally park in a school lot during a snow emergency may instead park in one of the identified alternative locations highlighted below.

Where alternative parking locations are on-street, residents parking in those locations must park between the posted snow emergency parking area signs. Vehicles parked outside of the signed area are subject to ticketing and towing.

Park lots and other past snow emergency parking locations continue to remain available, as well.

In all, with the proposed changes the City will make available at least 3,230 snow emergency parking locations across the City for residents, of which at least 1,225 are available free of charge.

Not snow emergency parking

• All Salem Public School lots except those listed above.
• Mayor Jean A. Levesque Community Life Center parking lot at 401 Bridge Street.
• Church Street parking lots.
• Depot parking lot at the MBTA station.
• Riley Plaza parking lot for permit holders only. Contact the Parking Department to obtain a permit.

Removing vehicles

Vehicles parked in any non-garage snow emergency parking location, including the new alternative on-street parking sites (Sargent Street, Fort Avenue, Collins Street, Szetela Lane, Beacon Avenue, and Lathrop Street) are required to be removed within six hours of the end of the snow emergency parking ban, unless otherwise posted or specified.

The only exception to this would be for vehicles parked at the Bates School basketball court, the lower portion of Burkinshaw Way at Witchcraft Heights Elementary School, the designated central lot at Salem High School, and the Jackson Street and Broad Street Park spaces. Vehicles in these school locations are required to be removed no later than 6:00 a.m., whether or not the parking ban has been lifted, unless otherwise instructed or notified.

Vehicles that are not removed in a timely manner from any snow emergency parking location will be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense. Vehicles parked in a garage after the snow emergency parking ban ends may continue to be charged at the regular non-snow emergency rate for that garage.

Snow removal at snow emergency parking locations will not take place until after snow clearing operations on City streets are completed. Please plan your vehicle needs and access accordingly.
For complete details about snow emergencies in Salem, including these changes and rules regarding clearing snow and ice from sidewalks, and other snow-related information, please visit www.salem.com/snow.

This press released was produced by The City of Salem. The views are the author's own.