Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Overnight parking ban lifts on April 1

The City of Buffalo ban on overnight parking on streets containing bus routes will be lifted April 1.
On the West Side, the streets and bus routes are:  
• Grant Street, Route 3
• Niagara Street and Kenmore Avenue, Route 5
• Baynes Street and Richmond Avenue, Route 7
• Colvin Avenue, Route 11
• Utica Avenue, Route 12
• Delaware Avenue, Route 25
• Delavan Avenue, Route 26
Every Nov. 15,  street parking is restricted between 1:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. to ensure that plows and buses can get through unobstructed. Noncompliance with the ban can result in ticketing with fines ranging from $35 to approximately $75 after 75 days.
“That’s what the whole [ban] is,” said Laura Rucinski, senior council clerk at City Hall. “So there will be no parking on the main drags, in order to get those streets cleared from curb to curb.”
Due to the possibility of a snowstorm still occurring in the Buffalo area after April 1, Rucinski encourages people who want their streets plowed to be aware of where they park even when the restrictions are no longer in effect.
“If there’s a snowstorm April 16, then people will just have to let the plow through,” Rucinski said. “It may happen this year, but you can’t get a ticket anymore after Apr. 1. So if you’re parking there, and you really want your street plowed, get your car off the street."
            Other restrictions such the alternate side rule, a traffic law that dictates which side of the street cars can be parked, will still be in effect after April 1 where applicable.  By Shana Campbell and Andrew Manzella