Hundreds Towed, Many More Ticketed After Twin Cities Snow Emergencies

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Much of Minnesota and western Wisconsin were left with a fresh blanket of snow this weekend. That has led to snow emergencies in several cities, including St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Unfortunately, snow emergencies are usually coupled with vehicles being towed.

As of this morning, the city of Minneapolis says 497 cars were towed overnight Another 898 vehicles got a ticket. Over in St. Paul, 365 cars were towed as of 8 a.m. and 1,307 tickets were issued.

WCCO spoke to one person who just moved to uptown from the suburbs, Johnna Frank. She says she's still learning the rules.

"I saw a bunch of cars parked there, so I was like, 'clearly, I'm fine' and obviously not -- $150 later," Frank said. "Hopefully this never happens again. This stinks."

Remember, we are in day two of snow emergency parking in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

In Minneapolis, that means no parking on the even side of non-snow emergency routes. No parking on either side of parkways.

But you can park on completely cleared streets and on either side of those snow emergency route streets.

"Yeah it still sucks," said Hussam Eldin whose car was towed from Dinkytown. "Yeah they towed my car I think they say there is a snow emergency but I don't see the sign for a snow emergency."

Eldin said he was going straight from the tow lot to the courthouse to contest the tow.

In Minneapolis, the snow emergency tow fee is $138, the ticket is $45. In St. Paul, the tow fee is roughly $275 and the ticket will run you $56.

Remember to shovel your sidewalks as well. If you don't, St. Paul and Minneapolis will issue a warning before they clear it for you and charge you for it.

The estimated cost for the city to clear it in Minneapolis is $239. You can report an unshoveled Minneapolis sidewalk by calling 311 or texting "sidewalks" to 311. The number in St. Paul is 651-266-8989