Not only should you know the snow clearing rules, as a business in Minneapolis you should also know the St. Paul snow emergency rules and the wider Minneapolis snow emergency parking rules.

At Earth Development, we don’t just make it easy for you to comply with these rules, but we also aim to ensure you fully understand them.

Why Do Minneapolis and St. Paul Declare Snow Emergencies?

Off-street parking is limited in St Paul, and many people who live and work in the area park on the street. In order to prevent people from parking on the road, snow emergency rules are applied during the winter.

This allows snowplows to adequately and safely plow the streets without hurting anybody, leaving snow behind, or damaging vehicles. Declaring a snow emergency helps ensure streets can be properly cleared.

Understanding these parking rules is just the first part of preparing for a snow emergency.

How Long Does a Snow Emergency in St. Paul Last?

A snow emergency in St. Paul typically lasts 96 hours. This 96 hour window starts at 9pm on the day an emergency is declared.

All city streets, making up around 1,800 lane miles, will be plowed within the first 24 hours of the emergency. Towing operations will continue 96 hours after the snow emergency starts.

How Snow Emergencies Unfold

Here’s how a Twin Cities snow emergency unfolds:

1. It starts with the city crews plowing the busiest streets and roads.
2. As snow continues to build up, more plows are deployed.
3. If a snow emergency is declared, then the City will notify residents through its website, app, and the news media.
4. Snow parking restrictions go into effect at 9pm the day the emergency is declared. Any cars still parked on the street will be tagged or towed.
5. Plowing begins on day one, and plowing takes between 12 and 24 hours.
6. Following the snow emergency, the City will continue cleaning, plowing, salting, and sanding outdoor surfaces.

Minneapolis Snow Emergency Parking Rules

Snow emergency parking rules last for three days and each day has different rules.

First Day

• You can park your vehicle on either side of parkways and streets that aren’t “Snow Emergency Routes.”
• You cannot park on either side of “Snow Emergency Routes”
• These rules are in place between 9 pm and 8 am.

Second Day

• You can park on the odd side of streets that aren’t “Snow Emergency routes,” with the odd sides being the side of the street which has house numbers ending in odd numbers.
• You can park on both sides of “Snow Emergency Routes.”
• You cannot park on even sides of streets that are not “Snow Emergency Routes”
• You cannot park on either side of the parkways.
• These rules are in place between 8 am and 8 pm.

Third Day

• You can park on even sides of streets that are not “Snow Emergency Routes.”
• You can park on both sides of Snow Emergency Routes
• You can park on both sides of parkways.
• You cannot park on the odd side of streets that are not “Snow Emergency Routes.”
• These rules are in place between 8 am and 8 pm.

St. Paul and Minneapolis Parking Lot Snow Clearing Professionals

Throughout the winter, it’s important to keep your parking lots clear. For more information on how to be compliant with local regulations and for the help of Minneapolis and St. Paul snow removal professionals, call the Earth development team today.

We provide snow removal and plowing services in the Minneapolis and St. Paul areas.