By Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer Published Dec 02, 2023 at 11:30 AM

It's that time of year again: those winter parking signs we can ignore for much of the year are back in effect.

The City of Milwaukee's annual winter parking regulations kicked in on Dec. 1, 2023 and continue until March 1, 2024.

Here are the details of this year's Winter Parking Regulations, which kick in on Thursday of this week and run through March 1, 2024, as provided by DPW:

  • No overnight parking is allowed on through highways and mass transit (bus) routes from December 1 to March 1. These streets are not posted. For a list of these streets please go to mpw.milwaukee.gov/services/winterregs page. In case of a "Snow Emergency" prior to Dec. 1 or after March 1, vehicles must be moved to a side street and must be legally parked in conformity with all other regulations on the proper side of the street.
  • Overnight parking is allowed on both sides of the street from March 1 to Dec. 1. Alternate side night parking is allowed from Dec. 1 to March 1. These streets are not posted. For a list of these streets please go to the milwaukee.gov/Parking/ParkingRegulations page.
  • Certain residential streets are posted "No Parking When Snow Falls 4 Inches or More." Parking is allowed on both sides of the street, except when snow has accumulated on the street surface to the depth of 4 inches or more. Then no parking is allowed on the side of the street where the sign is posted until the snow has been removed – day or night or at any time of the year. To determine whether this regulation applies to a specific street go to milwaukee.gov/Parking/ParkingRegulations  .
  • Certain residential streets are restricted to parking on a specific side of the street during the winter months. These streets are posted with signs reading "No Parking" on one side of the street, either for the entire Dec. 1 to March 1 period, or with a monthly alternation of the prohibited side. To determine whether this regulation applies to a specific street go to milwaukee.gov/Parking/ParkingRegulations  .
  • If a snow emergency has been declared, night parking regulations are in effect from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. on all city streets regardless of the winter parking regulation.
  • A "Snow Emergency" is declared to exist whenever snow falls during any period of 24 hours or less to a depth which is determined and declared by the Commissioner of Public Works to constitute a serious public hazard impairing transportation, the movement of food and fuel supplies, medical care, fire, health and police protection, and other vital facilities of the City. Such an emergency is declared to continue for a period of 72 hours or until such earlier times as snow plowing operations have been declared completed by the Commissioner of Public Works. "Snow Emergencies" are widely publicized on local radio and television stations. In addition, "Temporary No Parking Tow Away" signs may be posted by the City to assist in clean-up after major snowfalls. Vehicles parked in violation of "Snow Route Tow-Away Zone" and "Temporary No Parking Tow Away" signs or obstructing traffic during a "Snow Emergency" will be towed away at owner's expense. There are no exceptions.
  • Milwaukee Public Schools makes some of its playgrounds and parking lots available for overnight parking during declared snow emergencies and clean-up periods. Take a look at Snow Emergency, Off-Street Parking on School Playgrounds List. Call the Department of Public Works Information Center at (414) 286-8282 during regular business hours for the location of a playground nearest your home.
  • Stay informed, sign up for Parking Alerts: text alerts at milwaukeeparkingalerts.com and/or E-Notify email messages at milwaukee.gov/enotify. Follow DPW on Facebook and Twitter – both @milwaukeedpw.
  • Call (414) 286-CITY for information and assistance.
  • Check the DPW website at milwaukee.gov/Parking.

Let's be careful out there, folks.

Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.

He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.

With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.

He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.

In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.

He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.