Columbia residents may want to take a little more caution parking their cars this winter.
In an effort to make it easier on snow removal crews this winter, the City of Columbia wants to implement a ticket-and-tow system on designated routes.
Steven Sapp, Public Information Specialist for Columbia Public Works, said some of Columbia’s major roads could be subject to the new system.
“Our first and second priority snow routes that have actually been established for a number of years are in the process of being signed and designated as potential ticket and tow routes during a snowfall event of two inches or more,” Sapp said.
Examples of routes this would impact are Broadway, from Providence Road to Stadium Boulevard, and Rock Quarry Road, from Stadium to Juniper Road. The city would have signs on these designated routes to inform drivers when snowfalls reach the two-inch mark.
According to Sapp, it will make the jobs of the snow removal crews much easier and traffic flow more smoothly. However, he stated that officials will not be out actively looking for cars parked where they are not supposed to be.
“Now it is important to know that just because we have the ability to do that doesn’t mean that we’ll use a heavy hammer the first year that this is being implemented,” Sapp said. “But it’s certainly becomes one of the tools that we can use.”
While the details of the ticket and tow system are still being worked out, Sapp encouraged residents to not park in those designated areas if snow is in the forecast. He also advised people to remove their parked cars from those areas as soon as possible, if it i