Winter Parking Restrictions to Begin February 1st

Up until a few years ago, the City of Malden had always begun winter parking restrictions on November 1^st, regardless of weather.  City of Malden winter parking restrictions involve alternating year to year with one sided parking.  As the thought went, if residents began parking on one side of the street on November 1^st, and the city enforced the same through ticketing, by the time the first real storm hit, the city would have significant compliance in effect.  While the system achieved the compliance goal, it came at great cost to residents in the form of parking tickets, with the City having to explain often why ‘winter parking’ regulations were in effect on a 60-degree day in December.

Several years ago, the City announced that winter parking restrictions would begin with the ‘first significant snowfall’.  The goal was to put off as long as possible the inconvenience associated with cutting in half on street parking citywide.  It was a change met with great support from residents.  While of course it has meant the first storm often brings with it less compliance, it has also meant weeks if not months of restriction free parking the past couple of winters.

This year, the change has brought the greatest period of relief since it was instituted, with restriction free parking for all of November, December and January!  City officials have kept a keen eye on the forecast when we’ve had smaller amounts of snow and have taken advantage of ensuing rain or warm temps to maximize the period before winter parking went into effect.

The City recently announced that when looking out at the forecast where multiple smaller events are forecast and considering we are now heading into the heart of winter, that the City would begin communicating now that winter parking restrictions and enforcement would begin on Wednesday, February 1^st.  The City will use all its communication tools to get the message out between now and then to help ensure compliance when the snow falls. Residents looking for more information can visit: www.cityofmalden.org/snow.