Mayor Herrin's

BOROUGH BRIEFS

 

November 20, 2018

 

SPECIAL ISSUE:  

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT

SNOW PLOWING & PARKING DURING STORMS!

 

DHerrin@west-chester.com

Narrow streets, densely parked cars, and alleys make snow removal difficult in the Borough. Here's what you need to know to avoid ticketing and towing, 
and to help make streets passable for ambulances, police cars,

and other emergency vehicles. 

  • If you live on a snow emergency route, consider moving your car off the street when the forecast for snow or ice is significant. When we do declare a snow emergency, you must move your car or you will be ticketed and you may be towed.
  • Borough parking garages are open for free for the duration of a snow emergency. If you move your car to a garage before we declare a snow emergency, you won't be charged on your way out as long as you exit before the end of the snow emergency. Free parking is available in the Chestnut Street Garage and Bicentennial Garage on High Street. The New Street, Sharpless Street, and Matlack Street Garages will be open pending University approval. The County will also open the Justice Center Garage for residents.

 

There are two types of snow emergency routes in the Borough. Check to see if you live along a snow emergency route and, if you do, which type it is. 

  • 4" Route: If you live on a snow emergency route where the sign prohibits parking when snow reaches 4" deep (see above photo), you must move your car off the designated side of the street when snow accumulates to 4", whether or not a snow emergency is in effect.
  • Standard Route: If you live on a snow emergency route where the sign does not specify the 4" requirement (see above photo), you must move your car when the Borough declares a snow emergency, and you must keep the car off the streets for the duration of the snow emergency. 

Snow emergency routes are shown below.

Orange streets = standard routes, both sides of the street.

Bold black lines along orange streets = 4" routes.

NOTE: 4" routes are only on one side of the street, as shown.

Click on the map to download a larger, more legible map. 

 

Important Tips:

  • Keep cars off snow emergency routes until the end of the snow emergency. 
  • Ticketing/towing may seem irregular, but the Police and Public Works Departments prioritize streets to be cleared based on vehicle access and plowing needs.
  • During and after a snowstorm, you must continue to move your car off one side of the street as per the routine "No Parking" signs. While most of us associate these signs with street sweeping, they also apply to snow plowing, leaf removal, and maintenance work. The Public Works Department schedules its work year-round, based on the expectation that residents will honor these signs.

SIGN UP TO BE NOTIFIED

WHEN THE BOROUGH CALLS A SNOW EMERGENCY

  1. Go to ReadyChesCo.org
  2. Click on the yellow "Click Here To Enroll Today" icon. 
  3. Enter your contact information and preferred mode, such as texts.
  4. Under "My Community," check "West Chester Borough" and select "snow emergencies/plowing." You can also sign up here for notices about public meetings, special events, and more!
829 Paoli Pike, West Chester, PA, USA

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