Vehicles must be moved to ‘even-numbered’ side of the street
by 8 p.m. today (Wednesday, Feb. 12)

 BRIDGEPORT, CT (February 12, 2014) – Mayor Bill Finch has declared a Snow Emergency beginning at 8 p.m. tonight (Feb. 12) in anticipation of the snowstorm which is expected to begin in the early morning hours on Thursday and may drop five to eight inches of snow across the area.

During a Snow Emergency, residents must move their cars off posted Snow Emergency streets or be subject to fines and towing. Alternate-side-of-the-street parking rules are in effect for all other streets throughout the City in order to allow snow plow drivers’ clear passage. To comply with the Snow Emergency Alternate-Side-of-the-Street Parking Rules, residents must move their cars to the ‘even-numbered’ side of the street by 8 p.m. today (Wednesday, February 12), and remain on the even-numbered side of the street until the odd-numbered side of the street has been cleared. (House numbers ending in 0,2,4,6, and 8 constitute the even-numbered side of the street.)

For the latest updates, resources and information about the snowstorm, residents are asked to check www.bridgeportct.gov/snow, local television and radio news outlets and follow the City of Bridgeport on Twitter and Facebook and Mayor Bill Finch on Twitter and Facebook.

Residents can also stay informed by signing up for the City’s Reverse 911 system online at www.bridgeportct.gov/rev911.  “If you haven’t done so already, now is a good time to sign up for Reverse 911 to receive immediate updates on snow emergencies directly to your home phone, cell phone and/or email address,” said Scott Appleby, Director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security for the City of Bridgeport.

During the storm, residents may use the following school parking lots to move their cars off the street: Cesar Batalla School, 606 Howard Ave.; Central High School, 1 Lincoln Blvd. (Madison Avenue entrance); Geraldine Johnson School, 475 Lexington Ave.; Hall School, 290 Clermont Ave.; Luis Munoz Marin School, 479 Helen St., and Jettie Tisdale School, 250 Hollister Ave. A full list of Snow Emergency parking areas can be found at the following link: www.bridgeportct.gov/snow-emergency-parking-lots
Snow Emergency streets are marked with white signs with red lettering. A list of Snow Emergency streets can be found on the City’s website — http://www.bridgeportct.gov/snowemergencystreets . No parking is allowed on Snow Emergency streets. Vehicles left on Snow Emergency streets after the ban goes into effect will be subject to fines and towing.

“Our crews are ready for yet another snowstorm. To help clear our roads as quickly as possible, we’re asking residents to comply with the Snow Emergency parking rules – keep cars off snow emergency streets and move cars to the even side of the street on all other streets,” said Mayor Finch. “I urge residents to watch local television, listen to the radio, and stay connected to social media and the City’s website, www.bridgeportct.gov for updates.”

Updated Sanitation and Recycling Schedule from the Department of Public Works: Sanitation and recycling pickups scheduled for Thursday, February 13 have been postponed to Friday, February 14. Friday’s sanitation and recycling pickups will be pushed back to Saturday, February 15. The City’s Transfer Station will be closed on Thursday, February 13.

During the storm, residents with non-emergency, weather-related questions or concerns should call the City’s BConnected Call Center at 203.576.1311 or the Emergency Operations Center at 203.579.3829. Residents can use the City’s BConnected request system online at www.bridgeportct.gov/bconnected  or on the BConnected mobile application available on iPhone or Android smartphones to report any snow-related concerns.

Note from Bridgeport Police Dept.: Vehicles left parked on Snow Emergency streets will be subject to tagging and towing. Violating the alternate-side of the street parking rules also will result in fines. A list of Snow Emergency streets can be found on the City’s website by following this link: http://www.bridgeportct.gov/snowemergencystreets.

Note from Department of Public Works:

• During the Snow Emergency all City residents should heed alternate side of the street parking rules until the Snow Emergency has been lifted.
• Residents must move their cars to the ‘even-numbered’ side of the street by 8 p.m. today (Wednesday, February 12) to facilitate efficient snow removal. Once the ‘even-numbered’ side of the street is clear (house numbers ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8), residents can move their cars to the odd-numbered side of the street (house numbers ending in 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9), so crews can clear the ‘even-numbered’ side of the street. Residents can then heed the alternate side of the street parking rules until the Snow Emergency has been lifted (park on the ‘even-numbered’ side of the street on even-numbered calendar days and the ‘odd-numbered’ side of the street on odd-numbered calendar days.)
• The Department of Public Works reminds all residents and business owners to shovel the sidewalk and walkways, including curb cuts, for pedestrian safety. If sidewalks are not cleared, the City may clean the sidewalk and charge the owner a fee for doing so, as well as impose a $100 per day fine for violating a City ordinance.
• Please do not shovel, or use a snow blower or snowplow to throw snow back into the street from your driveway or sidewalk. Anyone found throwing snow back into the street will be subject to a fine.
• Residents and business owners are also asked to clear fire hydrants and the immediate area around it of snow to improve neighborhood safety.
• Snow Shoveling Tip: Snow should be shoveled to the right side of your driveway as you are facing the roadway. Shoveling snow away from the direction of the snowplow will prevent the bulk of the snow from being pushed back into the driveway.