St. Paul declares 1-sided residential streets parking ban

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - St. Paul city officials held a press conference Sunday morning to make an announcement on winter parking.

According to the city, a one-sided residential street winter parking ban will begin noon Monday, March 4. This means parking will not be allowed on even-numbered sides of residential streets. The ban will be in effect until April 1, possibly earlier.

Residents and visitors must park on the odd side of residential streets and "follow all posted parking rules on main streets," according to a release.

"The record-breaking snow we've experienced over the past month has significantly narrowed many of our residential streets, limiting passability for neighbors and first responders alike," St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said. "Parking on only one side of the street is a simple step we can all take to ensure our fire trucks and ambulances can access our entire city in an emergency."

Officials say the St. Paul Fire Department and St. Paul Public Works Department closely monitored street conditions over the past week to maintain accessibility for emergency vehicles.

Late last month, Minneapolis instituted winter parking restrictions. St. Paul announced it would take a "wait and see" approach to implementing new rules.