As the Chicago area braces for dangerous weather conditions brought on by a major winter system, you may be looking ahead, wondering when crews will come by to clear the oncoming snow from the streets.
Launched in 2012, “Plow Tracker" allows residents to follow which streets are being cleared of snow in real time.
To use the tool, click here. You can enter your address to locate plows near you.
While snow total predictions continue to fluctuate, anywhere from three-to-eight inches may fall. With that possibility, a parking ban across 500 miles worth of city streets will be enforced if there is at least two inches of snowfall, no matter the date or time of day.
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On top of the two-inch parking ban, the city's overnight parking ban remains in effect and impacts 107 miles worth of streets.
Signage is permanently posted along the affected routes, and vehicles parked in prohibited areas between 3 to 7 a.m. will be towed in an effort to keep the roads clear of snow and ice.
"The city implements this ban to help ensure the roads are safe and passable for emergency vehicles, public transportation and other travelers during winter weather events like the one we're expecting tomorrow," Department of Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Cole Stoddard said in a press conference Wednesday. "Please double check all posted signs before you park to avoid being ticketed and towed."
Weather
The department said it manages more than 9,400 lane miles of roadway and works in conjunction with the city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications to coordinate the response to weather conditions and other events.
In preparation for the oncoming conditions, the city said it's ready to deploy over 300 vehicles to maintain the roads.
"In the coming days, we will closely monitor and adjust our resources before, during and after the snow based on what's happening to the streets," Stoddard said.
