Salem Considers Snow Emergency Parking Changes

From the City of Salem:

October 18 2019

City of Salem Proposes Changes to Snow Emergency Parking Rules

School lots would no longer be allowable snow emergency parking locations; alternative snow emergency parking sites identified, including allowing on-street parking on certain roadways.
Residents invited to submit comments on proposed plan to snow@salem.com by November 1.

SALEM, MA – With winter approaching, the City of Salem has announced proposed changes to its snow emergency parking plan that would be implemented this winter season.

Key changes would include eliminating the majority of Salem Public School lots for off-street winter snow emergency parking and allowing on-street parking on several streets that have been identified as wide enough to enable parking during snow emergencies. The City is inviting feedback on these proposed changes from residents prior to finalizing them. Please submit your feedback regarding these changes to snow@salem.com prior to Friday, November 1.

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. 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.

Under the proposed changes, starting this winter Salem Public School lots would no longer be allowable snow emergency parking locations, except as specified below. Parking a vehicle in a school lot during a snow emergency would result in a ticket and tow. Residents who normally park in a school lot during a snow emergency would instead be able to park in one of the identified alternative locations highlighted below.

Where alternative parking locations are on-street, residents parking in those locations would be directed to park between posted snow emergency parking area signs. Vehicles parked outside of the signed area would be subject ticketing and towing. Park lots and other past snow emergency parking locations would continue to remain available, as well.

In the past, Shetland Office Park has made snow emergency parking available for the neighborhood. The City has reached out to the facility owners to determine if they will be able to do so again this winter.

The alternative snow emergency parking locations, highlighted above, offer in total about the same number of parking spaces for residents as the school lots had previously. In all, with the proposed changes the City will make available 3,300 snow emergency parking spaces across the City, of which 1,295 are available free of charge.

Not snow emergency parking

• All Salem Public School lots excepting those listed above. This includes the Broad Street playground lot near Collins Middle School.
• Jackson Street perpendicular spaces from Highland Avenue to Broad Street playground.
• 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 parking sites, would be 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, and the designated central lot at Salem High School. Vehicles in these school locations would be 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 proposed changes and rules regarding clearing snow and ice from sidewalks, and other snow-related information, please visit www.salem.com/snow.

Salem residents should submit their feedback to the proposed snow emergency parking ban changes via email to snow@salem.com prior to November 1, 2019. The City will finalize snow emergency parking ban changes by mid-November and will publicize the final regulations at that time.

This press release was produced by the City of Salem. The views expressed here are the author’s own.