Via the Department of Streets & Sanitation Snow Command

January 21, 2009

The Chicago Department of Streets & Sanitation is asking residents to remove any “space savers” that they have put out to secure parking spaces.  There has not been any snow since Tuesday and except for the possibility of a couple of extremely light flurries late Friday and possibly Sunday, we aren’t likely to get any measurable snow for quitea few days. It is also going to be above freezing today and much of Friday. Given this break in the weather we would like to ask residents to start removing any items that they have left in the street to save a parking space. 

To be clear, the City does not advocate residents saving the spaces that they dug out, but we understand why some people do it. We are initially tolerant of these items because our main focus during and after a storm is plowing and salting to maintain public safety.  But at this point these materials are nothing more than obstructions in the public way and should be removed. If residents don’t remove them, we will.

We ask that residents be good neighbors and work together to take advantage of this break in the weather to clear out remaining snow around their cars and place that snow on the parkway where the grass used to be. Clearing out remaining snow around catch basins and street drains will allow for the resulting melt to drain off and not refreeze when temperatures go back below freezing. And finally never shovel snow into the street. It is illegal and creates a dangerous situation.

By working together we will get thorough this Winter safely and hopefully quickly.