Chicago's annual winter overnight parking ban starts up again tonight, meaning it's that beautiful time of year when drivers are forced to move their cars off of some of the city's busiest roads. The ban will be enforced between 3am and 7am from December 1 through March 31 and affects 107 miles of roads throughout town.
“During a snowstorm it is critical that crews are able to plow and salt Chicago’s main streets," said Department of Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Charles Williams in a press release. "This helps us restore the city to normal as quickly as possible, and ensures that buses can access routes to take passengers to work, school and along their daily routines."
Violating the winter ban isn't like your usual parking ticket. Vehicles parked in the seasonal restricted areas will face a minimum $150 towing fee, a $60 ticket and storage fee of $20 per day at one of the city's impound lots (10301 S Doty Ave or 701 N Sacramento Ave). So unless you have $230 and a few hours of time to spare, it's probably a good call to make sure you don't depend on a banned street for overnight parking.
If you park on a side street, don't start stressing out about moving your car for the winter, as the ban only affects some of the busiest roads in the city. For a detailed breakdown of the areas affected, check out the map below or head to the Department of Streets and Sanitation website for more information.
