What Are Somerville's Winter Parking Rules?

SOMERVILLE, MA – It's a park even season.

With the first snow – if you can even call it that – of winter under our belts, the City of Somerville is reminding residents that snow emergency parking is allowed on the even-numbered side of the street this year.

This is the first year the city is implementing alternate snow emergency parking by year. In 2015, Somerville instituted an annually alternating parking policy for snow emergencies, using even-side-only parking for winter seasons that begin in an even year, and odd-side-only parking for winter seasons that begin in an odd year.

So this year, because the season begins in November 2016, an even number, parking will be allowed on the even side of the street during snow emergencies.

The alternating pattern will continue with each new winter season going forward.

The change was decided by the mayor's administration and the Board of Aldermen after repeated requests from residents.

"Residents living on the even side have long had to deal with the snow and ice buildup as snow is plowed toward their side of the street. So after careful review, and taking into account community feedback, we determined that we could bring fairness to our snow plowing operations by alternating sides," said Mayor Joseph Curtatone in a statement. "As this is the first time for a parking switch of this magnitude, there will of course be some challenges for our operations and for residents. We are undertaking a full-scale outreach campaign in the coming days and weeks, and encourage residents and businesses to review materials available at www.somervillema.gov/snow, and to sign up for our City Alerts by visiting that page or by calling 311.”

Signs will be posted for streets designated as exceptions; for example, roads that have parking only on the odd-numbered side of the street year-round will also park on the odd side during snow emergencies.

Once a snow emergency is declared, residents must comply with the following:

• Residents have four hours to move vehicles to the correct side of the street, or into a designated City parking lot.

• Vehicles not moved during this window of time will be ticketed ($100 fine) and towed ($100 fine assessed by the tow company).

• Vehicles parked within 20 feet of any intersection will be ticketed and towed.

• For a list of designated City and School parking lots available for snow emergency parking, visit www.somervillema.gov/snow.

• Residents are encouraged to sign up for phone, email, and text alerts by visiting www.somervillema.gov/alerts.

For more information on the City’s snow removal and snow emergency policies, visit www.somervillema.gov/snow, or download the City’s 311 app in iTunes or Google Play by searching “311Somerville.”

Patch File Photo