As released by the Office of the Mayor.

MAYOR ERIC PAPENFUSE WILL LIFT SNOW EMERGENCY AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT

HARRISBURG – Mayor Eric Papenfuse says he will lift the snow emergency effective midnight tonight, allowing residents to once again park along streets designated Emergency Snow Routes.

“The city seems to have weathered the worst of the storm,” Papenfuse said Thursday evening, “and we are grateful to our Public Works crews, as well as to our police and fire officers for their dedication to keeping our residents safe.”

The Mayor said Harrisburg police, fire and public works crews worked around the clock to alert people living on snow emergency routes to move their cars and to ensure access for emergency vehicles. The National Weather Service’s latest forecast calls for only occasional snow Thursday night with a total night time accumulation of possibly 2-4 inches.

Department of Public Works crews will continue plowing and salting through the night to ensure roadways remain open. Crews have been working around the clock in two shifts since Wednesday night to keep snow emergency routes clear.

Residents who moved their cars to the Locust Street Garage Wednesday are allowed to leave them parked there without charge until closing time Friday, thanks to the city’s agreement with Standard Parking.

Standard Parking issued tickets to cars parked on Snow Emergency Routes during the snow storm, and the company will resume issuing tickets to illegally parked cars in other parts of the city when the Snow Emergency ends at midnight tonight. Standard Parking had refrained from issuing tickets outside of the Snow Emergency Routes during the snow storm.

Harrisburg police also began issuing tickets to cars still parked on Snow Emergency Routes Thursday evening. Harrisburg police did not tow cars during the snow emergency, however.

“Most of the city’s residents cooperated and moved their cars,” Papenfuse said, “and we thank them for taking this snow emergency seriously.”

The Department of Public Works says sanitation and recycling pickups will resume Friday, although pickups will be one day behind schedule.

Photo/Dani Fresh