Winter parking ban starts Friday, violators face $230 hit to wallet

SUN-TIMES MEDIA WIRE - Drivers beware: Chicago’s annual overnight winter parking ban goes into effect Friday, Dec. 1 across the city.

The ban restricts motorists from parking on 107 miles of arterials streets between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. through March 31, 2018, according to a statement from the Department of Streets and Sanitation.

The city warns scofflaws that it “vigorously enforces” the ban regardless of snow, with violators facing a $150 towing fee, a $20 daily storage fee and a $60 ticket to top it all off.

A separate ban prevents motorists from parking on another 500 miles of main streets in the city and is activated when snowfall hits 2 inches, the city said. Those who park during a parking ban could receive a ticket and find their vehicle relocated to make way for plows.

The bans were implemented after traffic came to a standstill during major snowstorms in 1967 and 1979, the city said.

A map of streets affected by the ban can be found at www.cityofchicago.org.