Winter parking in Milwaukee can be tricky to navigate. During a single snowstorm in 2019, the city gave out over $168,000 in parking tickets.
Don't let parking put a damper on your holiday season. Here's how to achieve a parking ticket-free winter:
1. When does winter parking go into effect?
Winter parking regulations begin Dec. 1 and end March 1.
2. What are the rules?
Different parts of the city have different rules, so follow the signs on your streets for what to do. When a snow emergency is in effect, alternate side parking is required unless otherwise posted. Alternate side parking starts at 10 p.m. during a snow emergency.
For alternate side parking, park on the side of the street with even house numbers on even-numbered calendar days (before midnight); park on the side of the street with odd house numbers on odd-numbered calendar days (before midnight).
Night parking changes during a snow emergency. Usually, night parking hours are from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m., but during a snow emergency, night parking hours start at 11 p.m. and end at 6 a.m.
3. Where can I find parking regulations for my street?
Not all streets have individual postings for winter parking regulations. Find your street and its regulations on the Department of Public Works's address search website. Additionally, this list has parking restrictions for every street in alphabetical order.
4. How do I know when a snow emergency is in place?
The easiest and quickest way to know about parking changes is by signing up for Milwaukee parking alert texts and emails. You can also call the city's call center at 414-286-CITY for parking information.
5. What if I don't have anywhere to park?
Milwaukee Public Schools opens their parking lots to the public for overnight parking during snow emergencies. Find that list of schools here.
6. How much do tickets cost?
Parking ticket costs are consistent year round. They do increase to $50 during snow emergencies in areas where signs are posted. This list has the different types of parking citations the city can issue.
7. What do I do if I get towed?
Your vehicle will be taken to the city tow lot on West Lincoln Avenue. Towing fees are $105. Outdoor vehicle storage fees cost $20 per day and indoor storage fees cost $30 per day. To see if your vehicle got towed, search it in the city's towed vehicle search or call 414-286-5093. For more information about towing, visit the city's parking service's website.
8. What permits do I need?
Year-round, residents need overnight parking permits to park on city streets between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. Overnight permits cost $55 per year or $20 per four-month trimester. Daytime parking permits are required for streets with restricted parking. For more information on parking permits, visit the city's parking service's website.
9. What are the specific rules for my city?
10. How can I help during a snow emergency?
Park legally and follow alternate side parking rules to allow snow removal operations to do a better job. Don't shovel, blow or plow snow back into the streets. Shovel the sidewalk within 24 hours after the snow has stopped falling. If there's a hydrant nearby, remove snow and ice around it. Give plow trucks space when driving behind them; the salt should be hitting the road first, not your car.
