Don't get your wallet plowed during snow emergencies
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Tuesday's snowfall prompted the first snow emergencies of the season for many cities across the Twin Cities.
"It was a little chaotic. I didn't know it was gonna snow this much," said driver Neva White.
The Minnesota State Patrol reported 308 crashes between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tuesday.
MORE: Snow Emergencies, School Closings & Delays
"I got stuck. Took me about an hour. Luckily I had a friend with me so we got out, but I was very late," White said.
It's White's first Minnesota winter owning a car. She's a student at the University of Minnesota.
"Coming out of class I also helped push somebody else's car," she said.
During snow emergencies in St. Paul, plows start with a night route, followed by a day route and then clean up phase.
"Day plow routes in St. Paul are not marked with signs, so if there's not a sign on your block and it's a residential side street, it's pretty much a day plow route," said Lisa Hiebert with St. Paul Public Works.
In Minneapolis, crews plow snow emergency routes overnight, followed by streets with addresses ending in even numbers, then the odds.
"A snow emergency in Minneapolis is a three-day event," said Minneapolis Transportation Maintenance Repair Director Joe Paumen.
While parking rules vary, a ticket and tow could cost drivers several hundred dollars if they don't move their car in time.
MORE: WCCO's NEXT Weather homepage
"Our goal is not to ticket or tow," Paumen said. "We really like it when people, you know, know the rules and are able to follow the rules."
Not moving your car could also ruin your neighbors' day.
"Be a good neighbor and help move your cars," Hiebert said. "People want those streets to be as clean as possible."
As for the major highways, MnDOT plows were busy all day Tuesday and continued overnight. MnDOT has 800 plows statewide, 200 of them dedicated to the metro.
Click here for more information about the snow emergency in St. Paul, and click here for Minneapolis' information.
