As released by the Office of the Mayor:

MAYOR ERIC PAPENFUSE DECLARES SNOW EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE MIDNIGHT TONIGHT

Video. Free parking at city island, the farm show and the fire museum at the 1800 block of 4th street.

HARRISBURG – Mayor Eric Papenfuse is declaring a snow emergency effective midnight tonight, requiring city residents to move their cars from emergency snow routes.

By special arrangement with Standard Parking, residents can park without charge at the Locust Street Garage. Free parking is also available on City Island, the Fire Museum at 1824 N. 4th St., and at the Farm Show Complex (Maclay Street side near Front Entrance).

Through special arrangement with the Capital Area Transit (CAT), shuttle service from the Locust Street Garage, City Island and the Farm Show, will be extended until 8 p.m. Wednesday. The shuttles will resume at 6:45 a.m. Thursday, if weather permits.

Mayor Papenfuse is also urging people to voluntarily move cars parked on Penn, Allison and Zarker Streets to facilitate plowing, salting and access by emergency vehicles.

The National Weather Service is warning the winter storm could dump an estimated 8-12 inches of snow on the region.

To qualify for free parking in the Locust Street Garage, drivers will need proper ID or documentation. Residents may enter the garage from 4-10 p.m. Wednesday, Feb.12, 2014 or from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday, Feb.13, 2014 to qualify for free parking.

To gain access to the garage, residents will pull a ticket at the entrance. To exit residents will need to show a driver's license with a Harrisburg address or proof of residency.

To help accommodate residents, garage hours have been extended three hours - to 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 12. After 10 p.m. vehicles in the garage will not be accessible until 8 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 13. The garage will then remain open and accessible to everyone until 7 p.m. Thursday.

Unless further notice is given, all residents will need to exit the Locust Street Garage by 6:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 14 to avoid being charged for parking in the garage during this period. Residents wishing to park their cars after 10 p.m. Wednesday should chose City Island, the Fire Museum or the Farm Show. Cars must be removed from the Farm Show parking lot by 6:30 a.m. Friday.

If poor conditions persist, free parking times may be extended. Please monitor www.parkharrisburg.com. www.harrisburgpa.gov or local media for communication of extended time.

SNOW EMERGENCY ROUTES INCLUDE:

· Division Street – Front Street to 7th

· Second Street – Paxton St. to Division St

· Maclay Street- Front to 7th St.

· Seventh Street – Division to Fisher Plaza St. (Fisher Plaza is between Forster and Walnut Streets at the Capitol Complex, to the immediate east of the Main Capitol Building. The city has no responsibility for streets within the Capitol Complex)

· Walnut Street – Fisher Plaza to Front St.

· Paxton Street – Cameron to City/Swatara Township line

· Derry Street- Mulberry Street Bridge to City/Paxtang Line

· Market Street – Cameron Street to 25th St.

· State Street – Fisher Plaza to City/Susquehanna Twp. Line

· Herr Street – Cameron Street to city/Susquehanna Twp. Line

· Seventeenth Street – Sycamore Street to Arsenal Boulevard

· Thirteenth Street – From State Street to Paxton St.

On Thursday, Standard Parking will restrict their ticketing to cars parked on Snow Emergency Routes. The Mayor will hold a press briefing at noon Thursday to update the public on weather conditions. City Hall will remain open during the Snow Emergency, but city employees are being allowed liberal leave.

The Tri-County Regional Planning Commission has assembled the following map of emergency snow routes in Harrisburg.

Photo/Dani Fresh