CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- It’s that time of year again: the city’s winter overnight parking ban goes into effect at midnight Dec. 1, so you better think twice about where you park your car.
A lot of people wind up shocked when they go to where they parked their car the night of Nov. 30, only to realize Dec. 1 rolled in while they were asleep and their car had been parked on a street covered by the city’s Winter Overnight Parking Ban.
The city’s Winter Overnight Parking Ban begins Tuesday, Dec. 1, prohibiting parking on 107 miles of main streets from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. — regardless of snow — until April 1, 2021. Another 500 miles of streets prohibit parking after two inches of snow or more falls, no matter the time of day or the date.
If you make the mistake of parking where the ban is in effect, your car will be towed and taken to a city auto pound. Vehicles will either be towed to Auto Pound #2 (10301 S. Doty Ave.) or Auto Pound #6 (701 N. Sacramento Blvd.). Both locations are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Related
The minimum cost for getting your car back on day one: $230, which includes a $150 towing fee, a $60 ticket, and storage fees of $20 per day.
The city started the ban 40 years ago, after parked vehicles paralyzed snow clean-up efforts after the blizzard of 1979.
Last year, nearly 250 forgetful drivers had their vehicles towed on the first night of the ban. The city said drivers can avoid violations by checking street signage. A complete map of impacted streets can be found on the city’s website.